250 gallon build thread

[michealprater]

Ok, more work. I put an old crappy PC light on it and 10k 400 watt halide so I could see the display with light in it. I cleaned the glass and it is flawless, no visible scratches. Very exciting.

I got the lighting rails and hangers up.

Here are some pics.

[kraash]

You have been a busy dude! Lookin' good.

Not sure if I understand how your going to slide 4 light fixtures back with those rails. Are you going to have a light "rack" hooked to the 4 toggle bolts, and then all 4 fixtures move back at the same time?

[michealprater]

I plan on having all the lighting retrofited onto on unit, rack or board. Then all the wire will run out to the end, with enough slack to roll back and forth. I will put hooks on the unit, and hang it with chain. Make sense?

[kraash]

gotcha

[maxxII]

Niiice!

Nick

[nixon125]

those pics are great! i'm impressed. if you ever need a hand, give a shout. i did framing and construction for a while and i think grantfork is close by!

[michealprater]

Well, all leaks have been fixed! 100% water tight, skimmer and all. I drained the tank and now am beginning the extremely slow process of ro/di fill. I have been filling for 12 hrs now and have about 4" of water in the display. I am looking at about 96 total hours, or 4 days, LOL.

[michealprater]

Forgot to add, I hope to start the lower layers of the aquascape on Sunday.

[michealprater]

Crazy update. I had 200lbs of liverock, 100 was actually from my old tank that I broke down around 3 years ago. I have kept that rock in a trash can with a heater and a power head, in complete darkness. It is completely white and void of all algae life. I decided while I was filling up the tank, I would start the base layer of rock with some of this rock. I could not believe it, but I found a live red leg hermit. That dude has gone through some miserable conditions, talk about resilient. Amazing.

[kraash]

WOW that is cool, that poor crab has to be hungry!

[michealprater]

I gave him his very own shrimp pellet!

[oneoffcustom]

As a part of the crab police, i must repremand you blatant disregaurd for the life of an innocent crab.

Your first infraction, is leaving him to die in a bucket of rock, void of any food, love, affection.

Your second offense will be dooming him to death in that cycling nano tank of yours.

You will report to harris county precinct, in houston texas either on the week of memorial day and or july fourth. Please bring any frags from garrison as payment.

[michealprater]

Shut up Slick, LOL! If I had know it was in there that would be one thing.

[michealprater]

ok, here is some crappy pics of the aquascape. I really love the way it turned out, but I am not sure how to hide the little spots where you can see the pvc rock racks.

Full tank shot


end of tank


left side


right side

[serius77]

Looking Great!!!!!

[logiktest]

WOW. That looks REALLY good.

I would say paint the PVC black, but I wouldn't want to see you unable to restack all of the rocks the exact same way again...

[michealprater]

I have most of the bare spots covered, I have another 100lbs of rock coming, it will just need cooked for awhile because of manjanos and hair algae. It should be plenty to completely cover up the bare spots. May have to get the ol hammer out and bust up some chunks though. In the long run, the pvc will cover with coralline and should look fine.

[michealprater]

Its my birthday today, so this is the official birthday update.

I got a new Nikon L118, so I wanted to post some pics and see if they were any better than my old camera.

I got eggcrate in the fuge. Left side will be for cheato and right side will be for plugs.


Here is the one lonely tank inhabitant. The bulletproof hermit. He will be riding the cycle out, which in his case will be childs play.


And finally, a couple more shots of the aquascape. I really liked the way it turned out.

[oneoffcustom]

sweet, i guess they are hidable in a tank that big cause that is the first time i noticed all the powerheads in there. but in a 20long i could have never done that. And so help me god if you frag that tank up with aog's im gonna punch you in the face!

[michealprater]

Will be placing frags once the cycle is complete in 3 or 4 weeks.

Disclaimer- oneoffcustom is my cousin, and he is joking about punching me in the face, no one take offense.

[michealprater]

That is if I have lighting up and going. I may have to use my 400s. I really want to go with 250s but not sure if I will have the setup by then.

[oneoffcustom]

why would you use 250s over 400? This is a legit question.

[michealprater]

Tank is only 24" high. 400s are overkill, unless I mount them way off the water, then I am just waisting electric.

[logiktest]

Originally posted by michealprater
Its my birthday today, so this is the official birthday update.

I got eggcrate in the fuge. Left side will be for cheato and right side will be for plugs.

Happy Happy Birthday!!!!


Your fuge... If Cheato is to be kept on the left side, do you worry about it ending up in the overflow? And the eggcrate... If it sits on the bottom of the tank, wont detritus settle in every little square?

[michealprater]

Happy Happy Birthday!!!!


Your fuge... If Cheato is to be kept on the left side, do you worry about it ending up in the overflow? And the eggcrate... If it sits on the bottom of the tank, wont detritus settle in every little square? [/B]

Regular maintenance should keep it out of the overflow, same with the detrius, my python siphon should have no problems there.

Will post some more pics later, 46 gallon qt tank is in place and being filled. Also got the dehumidifier in place. Once the fuge and qt are full, I will proceed with setting up the auto top off in the rodi reservior. Then plumb a pump from it to the sump for top off and one into the saltwater reservior. So much to do, so little time.


Keep the comments and advice coming guys, it is invaluable, and I really do appreciate it.