Yup, Sammy decided to pay a visit to celebrate Oktoberfest! The kitteh wanted to get the party started early.

Quick Update:

I'm still in Chicago, and will be here until Sunday. They aren't kidding when they call this place the "windy" city!

However, when I get back, I promise I'll have new pics of the tank, and maybe even some of the requisite photos of the ammonia, 'rite and 'trate test tubes.

YAY!!! pichtuerz. so....wheres teh coral
LOLZ Jk.

Haha coral in that tank is probably a month or so off. However, I think I might be going to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago while I'm here, which is supposedly the first permanent indoor aquarium saltwater collection. So if I go, I might have coral pictures for you after all!

AWESOMENESS>
Horray for teh first SW collection in america!

Of course, as I'm reading up on it, they did things the old school way back then. Instead of doing like we do and mixing up our saltwater, they shipped seawater from the coast by rail car!

Today, they apparently have over 5 million gallons of water. I can imagine that WCs are a nightmare!

5mil?
that must be a MASSIVE place... im sure not all of it is SW though....right?

No, not all of it, unfortunately. Their website says that they have exhibits on the Amazon, the Caribbean Reef, Indo-Pacific Sea, Pacific-Northwest Sea, Polar regions, and "wild reefs." So while not all of it is saltwater, it sounds like the vast majority of it is!

Again...TOTAL AWESOMENESS>

I didn't bring a camera with me on this trip, but thank goodness for the camera on my blackberry. If I go to this today or tomorrow, there will definitely be A LOT of pichers!

cell pic arnt that good quality tho... are you sure they will be able to take the high light of MH's?

It should be able to work just fine. My camera isn't the greatest, but even with a dirty lens, I got some good pictures when I was at the Ohio State football game last weekend. I've also taken photos of my 20L before with it, and even the unshielded T5HO blasting toward the camera didn't phase it. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

PICTURES!











Ok, so that's not my tank; it's the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. But it still looked cool!

Well, I'm finally back to Ohio, but feeling like crap. I think I picked something up during all of those cold and rainy days and nights in Chicago.

I'm staying home today to try to get better, but that means I can do a bit of work on the aquarium

ZOMG PITRUEZ. they're awesome as usual
SICK?!?!?! SWINE FLU!!!!
Jk. Get well soon!

BEST WISHES

Thanks! I just wish they were pictures of my aquarium....



Haha nope, not the swine flu. It's more like strep throat or a cold. I hate the flu, so at least there's that!

Thanks!

<Get Well Soon Flowers.

Thanks!

Today there is going to be a lot of tea, vitamins and Echinacea herbs in my future.

I've been there pretty recently, still have the bottle of Echinacea/Goldenseal Caps sitting out on my kitchen counter "just in case".
You can use the downtime to come up with more good aquarium ideas.

My family is a really big believer in those kind of herbs, but I'm a bit of a skeptic. Of course, when I'm sick, I'm willing to try anything! A very close friend of mine swears by something called "airborne," of which I'm also skeptical, but since I need to knock out quickly whatever it is that is trying to get me really sick, I just might have to go get some of that as well!



Exactly! I'm making something to eat and drinking green tea (with lots of sugar because I don't like it haha). Once I'm done though, I think the first order of business is to bust out my fun testing kits in order to see how well my tank has been cycling without me. Then I think I'll start laying out my plumbing. Hm.... then I think some stocking research is in order.

Put some Tussin' on it lol

Robitussin is my bestest friend when I am sick

Hope ya get better soon

my throat hurts from screaming my head off at the Miami/Bills game

ok get some work done on the tank

Haha I remember something my Chris Rock to the effect of "Broke your arm? Put some tussin on it!"



Thanks!



I know the feeling. I'm just glad it waited until now, because with the amount of talking I had to do these last few days, it could have been rough. I had a great weekend though, and met some really cool folks. Probably the coolest of the people I met was a group from South Africa.... talk about some interesting conversations!

Feel better MJ!

Thanks for sharing the aquarium pics.

FYI, echinacea is most effective when used two weeks on/two weeks off; and airborne is great stuff--was recommended by hubby's cardio-thorassic surgeon before his open heart surgeries to boost resistance and fight off any infections.

Thanks!



My pleasure! I wish I had taken a picture, but the aquarium even had a frag tank of sorts! However, it would be put to shame by many NR member's frag tanks... the frags were of things like kenya trees, barely colored acros and brown monti caps. Several of the aquarium displays also had fake coral... very tacky. The real coral displays (such as the ones I photographed on my phone ) were great though.



Well, since I'm just starting to take it again, looks like I'm good for now. Hm... if a doc is willing to recommend it, I might have to go hunt airborne down.

Anyone know if Giant Eagle, Krogers, or Wal-Mart carries it?

TANK UPDATE:

I did my first test on the tank to see where things are in the cycle.

NH₃: 1
NO₂^-: over 5 (upper limit of the test kit)
NO₃^-: 10 - 20

I guess sick days are good for productivity at least when I'm not so tired that I have to lay down. Anyways, I've got the main durso stack cut, primed, and cemented. I'm going to let it sit for a few hours to cure, and then I'll attach it. I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow though, to run water through it.

Time to think out loud (in print) about my livestock and CUC for the tank. Please comment!

CUC:

15 Nassarius Vibex Snails
15 Dwarf Cerith Snails
5 Dwarf Planaxis Snails
5 Large Nerite Snails

(Total from ReefCleaners would be $17.90 + priority shipping)

Livestock: (assuming I can actually acquire them)
A pair of chalk bass
YWG
Neon Goby

Display Macro:
Mermaid's Fan
OR
Flame Algae

Coral:
Green Slimer acro
A few other random acros
Monti Cap
Trumpet Coral
Acans
Zoas (for the pillars)
Chalice
... and a few others TBD.

How does it sound?

+1 to flame algae. That's a really light stock. I would do a trio of chalk bass if you can. They look really nice once they get accustomed to the tank.

I don't want to go too heavy with the stocking, but I suppose that given my nice skimmer, I could get away with more without sacrificing water quality.

Stocking list looks great to me. John had some really pretty smaller macros when I looked last (mermaid's shotglass, maybe?) I love the mermaid's fan and recently ordered one, but it didn't make it.

I like the idea of starting light with fish, you can always add someone else once you see how these act and interact.

*as for the airborne, I've got different stores here in NY so I'm not sure, but all the basic drugstores here carry it.

Well, I'm starting to feel better. Slowly but surely at least.

Anyways, I got more work done today!



Now I just have to finish the line between the 45 and the sump, create a filter unit to house filter floss and chemipure, prop up the skimmer from the sump bottom, and do the PVC work for the spray bar. Oi.

I went straight to the last page and was like WOW tank looks amazing, and then I noticed you was at the Shedd. Slap myself for that one So how did you like Chicago? I need to go check out the Shedd aquarium, Its been years since I've been there.

Sounds awesome to me!
I think you should get the Flame algae though...
oh yeah and i have a chalk bass...theyre AWESOME

Best Wishes!

Sweeet!

More progress!

Go MJ, go!!

Lol that's what I was going for!

Chicago was pretty cool! The weather was awful, but I got to see a lot of cool things, and met a few very cool people, including one rather nice and smart (and very attractive) lady while I was there.



How often do you feed your chalk bass? My biggest concern about fish is that a few times a year, I leave home for a few days at a time. I'm also contemplating a one or two week to South Africa (see the earlier mention of a smart and attractive lady ) so fish that can go a day or two between feedings is a must!



I'm trying!!! The bummer is that work keeps piling up. I've been working today to finish a last minute motion that has to be done by 8:30AM tomorrow. After I submit it tomorrow morning, I've got some free time, but then I've got to meet a client later in the afternoon and into the evening. On top of that, I just found out that my brothers wants to come down to visit me on saturday and early sunday. Soooo....... I'm going to get the plumbing finished eventually! I may just have to go to town on this project, and have a marathon of PVC cutting and cementing and just get this done!

Why rush it bro?

I mean do it when ya can take your time and do it right.

I wuz juss bustin yur nuggets a bit.

Go git yur butt in motion, or, on the motion as it were.

Hey MJ. Your slow dude JJ

Question. Howcha gonna support the plumbing outta the back of your water box? Looks kinda justa danglin there.

Yeah, that's probably a good idea. My brain is more fried right now than one of those "this is your brain on drugs" commercials!

Haha I'm used to getting my nuggets busted... I've got a close friend who enjoys doing that on a near daily basis!

I'm almost finished with this motion... it's been a one day marathon on this puppy!



That's my new big question. I've seen a lot of pictures of what looks like free standing plumbing, but I've got a feeling that it's nothing but deception! What I've been thinking about is making something along the lines of a filter-sock acrylic HOB piece, but instead of just housing the sock, it will actually be a place to fasten and support the bottom of the plumbing. I also want to make an eggcrate unit to sit on the bottom of the sump to not only support the bottom of the PVC but also to hold some chemipure and filter floss.

Of course, this is the first tank I've plumbed, so suggestions on how to proceed are more than welcome!

Ok.... well, my mind checked out a while ago, and my motion finally agreed.... I'm done!

Adios, Guten Abend, and Good night! Tomorrow, the shenanigans shall resume!

G'nite

All that weight would scare me to death just hangin off the back of that tank. If it were mine I would extend the stand back to where you could fasten the pipes to the stand with one of these. http://www.drillspot.com/pimages/2914/291405_300.jpg
Oh they make them in plastic as well. But those you cannot clamp on as hard, thus they will not support as much weight. So it looks like a 2 x 6 screwed to the back of the stand with two of these clips would provide horizontal as well as vertical support for your pipe. You can never have 2 much pipe support.

POOF!

Hi MJ
*waves*

And good morning!



Ok, yeah that will be easy enough! I think I've seen those around Lowes before. How far up the pipe would you secure it? Also, I'm guessing you suggested the 2x6 meaning that the 2" side would be secured to the stand, and the 6" extending toward the pipe? That will work perfectly (assuming that I can fit a 6" board in the space! Time to bust out the tape measure.




Hi Weetie!
I don't suppose you have any pearls of wisdom for me, do you?

I did another water test today (after making the mistake of putting some of the stagnant water sitting in the sump into the display ) but it seems that the tank is cycling well. The ammonia is .5 (which is high, probably due to the stale water added) and the nitrite is down to .25 (down from 5). Of course, the tank is going to mini-cycle again with the stale water added, but we're progressing along well! Now I just need to get the sump completely plumbed in and get the whole thing officially running!

will the chalk bass eat the YWG? i don't know anything about them.

That's a very good question.... I really hadn't thought about the fish eating each other....

Looks like some investigating is in order!

Nom Nom Nom

No nuggets or pearls, sry.

*saunters off to reading chair w/a cuppa Joe*

I did a bit of that over the weekend.... there's not much better than a good cupajoe and a good book on the constants of nature (general relatively, the theory of everything, etc).

Your correct in the placement of the board. I was justa eyebawlin the size. Lowes has those clamps in the electrical conduit section. I dont feel that the placement is all that critical just as so that the pipes arent just floping around. If it were me I would prob try to get two clamps per pipe a few inches apart. That way the chance of any rotational forces crackin the glass.

The weather is crappy right now sucks!!! That's good that you had a good trip I'm sure your new lady friend more then made up for the weather

Sounds good. Thanks for making my Lowes shopping list for tomorrow.