New Guy's Sage Continues: 100g build - Page 3

marcelft · 11/28/2008, 03:14 PM

Ok...Im back from a little hiatus with my thumb surgeries...the doctor played musical skin grafts to rebuild the tip of my thumb, but I think it's going to turn out looking good. I have pics of the carnage, but I wont post them here to gross everyone out.
So, lets see...I talked about this before, turns out Boynton Beach puts Chloramine in the water, and when you run tap through a RO/DI it filters the chlorine, and relases the ammonia. My ammonia levels were high in my RO/DI water. I freaked out, but there is a solution, Filterguys have a chloramine filter replacement kit...it's on its way right now.

I got the plumbing done, well almost, I have a small leak to fix today. I could use some advice, the overflow has a ton of bubbles coming out of it, what can I do for that? I am also going to take Marvin's suggestion, and run a overflow pipe from teh fuge to the return area.

marcelft · 11/28/2008, 03:20 PM

I hooked up the lights into my canopy:

I filled the tank with tap water to test the tank again, and make sure the plumbing works:

marcelft · 11/28/2008, 03:30 PM

I also got some live rock...used, cheep, and I think i got what I paid for, so so rock, with some critters I don't wants going into the tank:

I also bought some additional "toys": Refractometer $40 from a local guy.

A pump for transfering water from West Marine:

And 2 Koralias, one 4, one 3:

marcelft · 12/12/2008, 10:28 PM

Figure I would ad some new pics, finally have saltwater, live rock, and sand in it. I stare into this thing all day, and there isnt even fish in it yet...

nivram · 12/13/2008, 12:35 AM

Have you gave any thought to what kind of fish you want?

marcelft · 12/13/2008, 12:50 AM

Yea...every single fish they have in the store!! But seriously, I go into stores and there are so many choices, but I know I gotta plan it out right??? I was thinking of just starting out with some chromis, to get the tank up and running. I dig gobies, clowns, fire fish, tangs, cardinals, wrasses, manderans, I think they are called. But I also would love a snowflake eel, a lion fish, a speckeled grouper, but then you cant keep small fish right? I really love triggers too...and a betta.
Yea...there are way to many choices.
You get any new fish yet?

nivram · 12/13/2008, 01:12 AM

I think it's always good to have a plan.

If anything so you know what order to add fish and what is compatible with the other fish and corals you want. I added the chromis in my tank to help with the cycle and give my wife something to look at while waiting. I like them b/c they add lots of movement in the tank.

Last new fish I got was a Mystery Wrasse and I moved the midas blenny from my 20. I figured the new Fumanchu dwarf lion would eat it. I found my orange spotted blenny (pic in my avtar) dead on Thanksgiving Day.

Undecided if I will try to replace it.

I'm seriously thinking about getting a Golden Dwarf Eel. But no plans of getting anything until the new year. I have also been reading up on Ventralis Anthias. But my tank is really too small and I hear they can be hard to keep.

marcelft · 12/21/2008, 08:15 PM

LET THERE BE FISH!!!!!!!!! I bought some chromis, there pretty cute, supposed to be hardy, and if they arent hardy enough and I kill em, at least my wallet wont suffer to much, just my soul:

And I had to take a me macking my new tank pic as well...

illal · 12/21/2008, 08:22 PM

i love the height! and let me saythis is one of the few rock walls i think actually look good

brians4671 · 12/21/2008, 08:30 PM

congrats man on your new pets. the tank looks great marcelft. what is your next step?

Bernie21 · 12/21/2008, 08:32 PM

Looks good, keep updating us!!! YOu should definitely plan out your fish because you did mention a few no-no's as far as mixes, but if you've done this well so far, you're probably going to continue to do so... GL!!

Bernie21 · 12/21/2008, 08:34 PM

P.S. I love the height too, I am a fan of taller stands, my stand is 36" tall as it is, I would of gone 40", but due to the shape of it, it wouldnt fit through my door, But Like I said, it looks great!!

marcelft · 12/21/2008, 08:45 PM

Thanks everybody. The rock wall came out pretty good, alot better than I thought.
The height may be deceiving, as Im really frikking short! The bottom of the tank is 38" off the ground. I made it so that it was as high as my head, as I will be looking at it the most!
Yea, Im going to go slow on getting fish, it's funny how you want one type and it means you cant get a whole bunch of other stuff.
Next plans are auto top off, a little plumbing modification, make all the wiring neat, get a timer, and maybe put some exhaust fan's on my canopy, as I think the canopy is to small and the T5's are heating the tank up.

Jgoal55 · 12/23/2008, 01:05 AM

this is awesome. and glad your thumb is alright too. Great build....your kind of tempting me to wanna do this rock wall thing but then that means itll be even longer before I have the tank set up....I might be to impatient for that but it looks so awesome.

Congrats!

marcelft · 12/23/2008, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jgoal55
this is awesome. and glad your thumb is alright too. Great build....your kind of tempting me to wanna do this rock wall thing but then that means itll be even longer before I have the tank set up....I might be to impatient for that but it looks so awesome.

Congrats!

Thanks!
The rock wall wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, not that time consuming either, depending on how handy you are. I could probobly do it again in 3 evenings after work, first to cut eggcrate and attach rock to it. Second night to spray the foam around it, which would only take a little bit of time to do, but you wanna let it fully cure. The third to paint it with resin or epoxy (id do epoxy this time around) and sprinkle crushed coral and sand on it.

Bernie21 · 12/23/2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

it's funny how you want one type and it means you cant get a whole bunch of other stuff.

Welcome to the hobby, lol. Considering standard stands are 30", your 38" is considered in the tall category, I think its excellent for viewing. Lastly, definitely find a way for the exhaust fans, they help alot!!GL & Keep it up!!

marcelft · 12/23/2008, 04:31 PM

Yea, I can easlity cut some holes on top of canopy for fans and vent em that way. I gotta find some cheep, quiet, good to use around water fans. problem will be light shining up to ceiling, might look funny...

nivram · 12/23/2008, 05:42 PM

Marcel is the back of your canopy enclosed? Maybe you could cut some of it out for extra ventilation? I agree with Al. This is one of the best looking Rock Walls i've seen.

marcelft · 12/23/2008, 06:18 PM

Thanks Marvin, yea..the back of the canopy is completely open. i also dont use my A/C alot, so my place is usually kinda warm to begin with. It spiked to 82 the other day. then again i think this thermometer is a degree or too off.

Bernie21 · 12/23/2008, 08:46 PM

I used small computer fans and although there is some light on the ceiling, its not that bad or noticable...

marcelft · 12/23/2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bernie21
I used small computer fans and although there is some light on the ceiling, its not that bad or noticable...

Radio Shack? How did you wire them? It would be cool if i could just jump onto the wires for the lights, then the fans come on only with ethe lights do, and I dont have to run more wires down tank back.

Bernie21 · 12/23/2008, 10:03 PM

I found some oldcell phone chargers and cut them up and attached them to these lil fans I bought for like $10 @ Tiger Direct. They are connected to the same timer the lights are on so that they come on together. Here's a link to how I did it:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=2
GL!!!

got2envy · 12/23/2008, 11:26 PM

Nice Tank! fighting the temptation to build a rock wall..haha I did something like that for my vivarium except I used coco fiber and mopani wood

great stuff is great lol

Looks awesome!

AquamanE · 12/25/2008, 07:20 PM

I posted on the lighting equipment forum a few months ago regarding fans and got some great suggestions. The SinlenX mentioned seem like my future way to go.

Here is the LINK

marcelft · 12/25/2008, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AquamanE
I posted on the lighting equipment forum a few months ago regarding fans and got some great suggestions. The SinlenX mentioned seem like my future way to go.

Here is the LINK

Cool...now, I am assuming you are cooling MH right? I only have t5s and VHO's, so Im not talking a ton of heat here.

11/28/2008, 03:14 PM	#51
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Ok...Im back from a little hiatus with my thumb surgeries...the doctor played musical skin grafts to rebuild the tip of my thumb, but I think it's going to turn out looking good. I have pics of the carnage, but I wont post them here to gross everyone out. So, lets see...I talked about this before, turns out Boynton Beach puts Chloramine in the water, and when you run tap through a RO/DI it filters the chlorine, and relases the ammonia. My ammonia levels were high in my RO/DI water. I freaked out, but there is a solution, Filterguys have a chloramine filter replacement kit...it's on its way right now. I got the plumbing done, well almost, I have a small leak to fix today. I could use some advice, the overflow has a ton of bubbles coming out of it, what can I do for that? I am also going to take Marvin's suggestion, and run a overflow pipe from teh fuge to the return area. __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g. Last edited by marcelft; 11/28/2008 at 04:00 PM.

11/28/2008, 03:20 PM	#52
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	I hooked up the lights into my canopy: I filled the tank with tap water to test the tank again, and make sure the plumbing works: __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

11/28/2008, 03:30 PM	#53
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	I also got some live rock...used, cheep, and I think i got what I paid for, so so rock, with some critters I don't wants going into the tank: I also bought some additional "toys": Refractometer $40 from a local guy. A pump for transfering water from West Marine: And 2 Koralias, one 4, one 3: __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/12/2008, 10:28 PM	#54
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Figure I would ad some new pics, finally have saltwater, live rock, and sand in it. I stare into this thing all day, and there isnt even fish in it yet... __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/13/2008, 12:50 AM	#56
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Yea...every single fish they have in the store!! But seriously, I go into stores and there are so many choices, but I know I gotta plan it out right??? I was thinking of just starting out with some chromis, to get the tank up and running. I dig gobies, clowns, fire fish, tangs, cardinals, wrasses, manderans, I think they are called. But I also would love a snowflake eel, a lion fish, a speckeled grouper, but then you cant keep small fish right? I really love triggers too...and a betta. Yea...there are way to many choices. You get any new fish yet? __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/13/2008, 12:35 AM	#55
nivram Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: S. FL Posts: 6,194	Have you gave any thought to what kind of fish you want?

12/13/2008, 01:12 AM	#57
nivram Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: S. FL Posts: 6,194	I think it's always good to have a plan. If anything so you know what order to add fish and what is compatible with the other fish and corals you want. I added the chromis in my tank to help with the cycle and give my wife something to look at while waiting. I like them b/c they add lots of movement in the tank. Last new fish I got was a Mystery Wrasse and I moved the midas blenny from my 20. I figured the new Fumanchu dwarf lion would eat it. I found my orange spotted blenny (pic in my avtar) dead on Thanksgiving Day. Undecided if I will try to replace it. I'm seriously thinking about getting a Golden Dwarf Eel. But no plans of getting anything until the new year. I have also been reading up on Ventralis Anthias. But my tank is really too small and I hear they can be hard to keep.

12/21/2008, 08:15 PM	#58
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	LET THERE BE FISH!!!!!!!!! I bought some chromis, there pretty cute, supposed to be hardy, and if they arent hardy enough and I kill em, at least my wallet wont suffer to much, just my soul: And I had to take a me macking my new tank pic as well... __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/21/2008, 08:22 PM	#59
illal Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tamarac, Fl Posts: 5,700	i love the height! and let me saythis is one of the few rock walls i think actually look good __________________ -AL

12/21/2008, 08:30 PM	#60
brians4671 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: miami fl Posts: 2,088	congrats man on your new pets. the tank looks great marcelft. what is your next step?

12/21/2008, 08:32 PM	#61
Bernie21 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Miami, Fl... Posts: 2,161	Looks good, keep updating us!!! YOu should definitely plan out your fish because you did mention a few no-no's as far as mixes, but if you've done this well so far, you're probably going to continue to do so... GL!! __________________ Reefing is an addiction rehab doesn't work for... Current Tank Info: Downgraded to a 0 Gal non Mixed Reef - Direct sun watts & 1x moon Actinics. RIO 00 return, no skimmer Skimmer.

12/21/2008, 08:34 PM	#62
Bernie21 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Miami, Fl... Posts: 2,161	P.S. I love the height too, I am a fan of taller stands, my stand is 36" tall as it is, I would of gone 40", but due to the shape of it, it wouldnt fit through my door, But Like I said, it looks great!! __________________ Reefing is an addiction rehab doesn't work for... Current Tank Info: Downgraded to a 0 Gal non Mixed Reef - Direct sun watts & 1x moon Actinics. RIO 00 return, no skimmer Skimmer.

12/21/2008, 08:45 PM	#63
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Thanks everybody. The rock wall came out pretty good, alot better than I thought. The height may be deceiving, as Im really frikking short! The bottom of the tank is 38" off the ground. I made it so that it was as high as my head, as I will be looking at it the most! Yea, Im going to go slow on getting fish, it's funny how you want one type and it means you cant get a whole bunch of other stuff. Next plans are auto top off, a little plumbing modification, make all the wiring neat, get a timer, and maybe put some exhaust fan's on my canopy, as I think the canopy is to small and the T5's are heating the tank up. __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/23/2008, 01:05 AM	#64
Jgoal55 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami / Coral Gables Posts: 3,187	this is awesome. and glad your thumb is alright too. Great build....your kind of tempting me to wanna do this rock wall thing but then that means itll be even longer before I have the tank set up....I might be to impatient for that but it looks so awesome. Congrats! __________________ Jorge S. "I need Reef Addiction Therapy" Current Tank Info: Being set-up. Timeline: One day.

12/23/2008, 04:31 PM	#67
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Yea, I can easlity cut some holes on top of canopy for fans and vent em that way. I gotta find some cheep, quiet, good to use around water fans. problem will be light shining up to ceiling, might look funny... __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/23/2008, 05:42 PM	#68
nivram Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: S. FL Posts: 6,194	Marcel is the back of your canopy enclosed? Maybe you could cut some of it out for extra ventilation? I agree with Al. This is one of the best looking Rock Walls i've seen.

12/23/2008, 06:18 PM	#69
marcelft Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 540	Thanks Marvin, yea..the back of the canopy is completely open. i also dont use my A/C alot, so my place is usually kinda warm to begin with. It spiked to 82 the other day. then again i think this thermometer is a degree or too off. __________________ Marcel Current Tank Info: Outside tank = 343,423,668,428,484,681,262 gallons of water..nick named "The Ocean". Inside tank 75g.

12/23/2008, 08:46 PM	#70
Bernie21 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Miami, Fl... Posts: 2,161	I used small computer fans and although there is some light on the ceiling, its not that bad or noticable... __________________ Reefing is an addiction rehab doesn't work for... Current Tank Info: Downgraded to a 0 Gal non Mixed Reef - Direct sun watts & 1x moon Actinics. RIO 00 return, no skimmer Skimmer.

12/23/2008, 10:03 PM	#72
Bernie21 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Miami, Fl... Posts: 2,161	I found some oldcell phone chargers and cut them up and attached them to these lil fans I bought for like $10 @ Tiger Direct. They are connected to the same timer the lights are on so that they come on together. Here's a link to how I did it: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=2 GL!!! __________________ Reefing is an addiction rehab doesn't work for... Current Tank Info: Downgraded to a 0 Gal non Mixed Reef - Direct sun watts & 1x moon Actinics. RIO 00 return, no skimmer Skimmer.

12/23/2008, 11:26 PM	#73
got2envy hello fishy fishy Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mid-Cities, TX Posts: 899	Nice Tank! fighting the temptation to build a rock wall..haha I did something like that for my vivarium except I used coco fiber and mopani wood great stuff is great lol Looks awesome! __________________ January RC 2011 NTOTM Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs. Current Tank Info: 28g JBJ HQI, 40g Long Mixed Reef

12/25/2008, 07:20 PM	#74
AquamanE Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 6,544	I posted on the lighting equipment forum a few months ago regarding fans and got some great suggestions. The SinlenX mentioned seem like my future way to go. Here is the LINK __________________ Eddie Soler FMAS BOD Member MACNA 2013 Chairman "I'd rather die living than live to die" Current Tank Info: 200G mixed reef with 60G sump, Radion LED’s , Bubble King skimmer, blah blah blah.