Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Well after letting my tank sit with the lights off, with no water changes, for over a year and a half, It is time to tear down the tank or start over. I really want to take the plunge again! Equipment Needed: The goal is to keep all of this under $200 Order Maxijet 900 Order SeaChem Multi test Kit for Alk, Nit, Nitrates, Ph, & Ammonia. Order new Eheim 50w heater Oder Koralia Nano 425 Order new Hydrometer Order 10w underwater Light from InTank Order new thermometer Order 20-30lbs Live sand Get my hands on very small piece of Live Rock to help cycle and seed what used to be LR Buy SW from LFS Buy equip from Lowes to mount AI Nano to the wall above tank Buy Chaeto for back of the tank Make Lid out of eggcrate Spring Break is in 2 weeks, which is when I will have time to do the overhaul. I plan on pulling out all of my nearly dead Live Rock and rinsing it to remove detritus, then wrapping it in wet newspaper (not sure if that's even really necessary.) I'm throwing out all of my sand since I imagine it's full of gunk. Once that's done, I plan on pulling out the old pump, 3 compartment media basket, and heater and scrubbing the whole tank really well. I have a brand new AI Nano that's been waiting 2 years to be used! I think I'm going to mount it over the tank by attaching it to the wall ( saw another member do this, believe it was Tron?). I'm going to clean up all the old equipment to use for emergencies, circulate my SW bucket etc. I plan on removing the top of the biocube and replacing it with eggcrate. After installing all the new equipment adding new chemipure and filter floss, I will figure out my scape, add my sand, and get the tank wet again! There are a few things I still need to figure out. What's the best way to scrub a tank? Just water? Vinegar and water? Should Chaeto go in at the beginning or wait until the cycle is over? I've always done top-offs myself, I imagine I'll have more evap if the tank isn't covered, am I going to need an ATO? How far should my light be from the surface of the water? What settings are best for my light? Here's a picture of my poor neglected tank. FTS After the Overhaul 3/30/14 Link to comment
Formula462 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Mine definitely has not had the lights off for years, but a mild overhaul is in order for mine too. My other tanks are kicking ass though Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 dose anyone think 20-30lbs is a little much for a bc14? unless you want a dsb to answer your question about lighting what livestock you plan to keep? Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 I've always wanted a pearly jawfish, which I would need a dsb for. But I have a toddler so I might end up getting a clown since they have so much personality, and since those two fish are on the larger side it wouldn't be a good idea to have both right? I plan on keeping a variety of everything, I'll probably start with mushrooms, ricordea, acans, zoa's etc since they are cheaper and more abundant around here. Ultimate goal is to have sps, plate, and I love maxi mini's. Mine definitely has not had the lights off for years, but a mild overhaul is in order for mine too. My other tanks are kicking ass though I'm actually really surprised my tank hasn't crashed! I haven't changed the filter floss, or done any kind of maintenance. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I've always wanted a pearly jawfish, which I would need a dsb for. But I have a toddler so I might end up getting a clown since they have so much personality, and since those two fish are on the larger side it wouldn't be a good idea to have both right? I plan on keeping a variety of everything, I'll probably start with mushrooms, ricordea, acans, zoa's etc since they are cheaper and more abundant around here. Ultimate goal is to have sps, plate, and I love maxi mini's. I'm actually really surprised my tank hasn't crashed! I haven't changed the filter floss, or done any kind of maintenance. im sorry if i missed this but what is your current or plan to be light setup? and a jawfish and a clown would be ok in there Link to comment
ZeroEvoX Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I always put my macro in after the cycle and seed with pods. Good Luck! Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 im sorry if i missed this but what is your current or plan to be light setup? and a jawfish and a clown would be ok in there I have an Aqua Illuminations Nano that I plan on using. I do believe that can support SPS? I always put my macro in after the cycle and seed with pods. Good Luck! Thanks! I used some last time but never seeded it with pods. The macro would be in the back chamber, I believe I put it between the filter floss and chemi-pure my first go-around. Would pods just stay in the back chamber or somehow find their way into the display? Link to comment
ZeroEvoX Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I have an Aqua Illuminations Nano that I plan on using. I do believe that can support SPS? Thanks! I used some last time but never seeded it with pods. The macro would be in the back chamber, I believe I put it between the filter floss and chemi-pure my first go-around. Would pods just stay in the back chamber or somehow find their way into the display? You'd want to get an underwater light in there with the macro and run it opposite the tank main lights. This allows pods to reproduce without being preyed on all the time. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I do not see a issue with it, what are the tank dimensions? thats a great little light for sure! also Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 I do not see a issue with it, what are the tank dimensions? thats a great little light for sure! also Thank you! It is just a standard 14g biocube, I believe the dimensions are 15.5in x 16.7in x 15in. I was so excited when I bought the AI Nano 3 years ago haha! It's just been sitting in its box waiting to be used. You'd want to get an underwater light in there with the macro and run it opposite the tank main lights. This allows pods to reproduce without being preyed on all the time. I didn't know the light needed to be ran on an opposite schedule, thank you! Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Thank you! It is just a standard 14g biocube, I believe the dimensions are 15.5in x 16.7in x 15in. I was so excited when I bought the AI Nano 3 years ago haha! It's just been sitting in its box waiting to be used. I didn't know the light needed to be ran on an opposite schedule, thank you! ...you had it for 3 years and never used it?? Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 ...you had it for 3 years and never used it?? Nope! I purchased it right before I found out I was having a little one and BD lost his job right after that, so no money to buy the hardware to set it up. My ballast on the stock light had quit working so what few corals I had, died, and my wrasse ended up dying, I think something happened because it couldn't swim well right before it died. And tada! Neglected tank for almost 2 years. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 well glad you got back into the hobby. its a wonderful world around here lol if i had that light playing around i would be playing with it in some way. Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 well glad you got back into the hobby. its a wonderful world around here lol if i had that light playing around i would be playing with it in some way. Well I did take it out of the box a few times and plugged it in to admire it haha! Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 how is it going to be mounted? Link to comment
Belac Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I have a hydrometer I can check if its calibrated. If it is you are welcome to it I got it free. I don't use them any more at all. Not sure what the shipping would be but I doubt it would be very much. Rather then wrap the rocks just stick them in a bucket with a bit of the old tank water to cover them. Every time I unwrap rocks covered in paper I end up with some paper in the water. I find it rather annoying. Plus beng submerged you will have less die off then wrapped up in wet paper. (though not sure how live the rocks are right now.) Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 how is it going to be mounted? I'm going to use an L Bracket, the type you would use to put a shelf on the wall. I got the idea from SouthFlorida_Tron's aquarium thread. I have a hydrometer I can check if its calibrated. If it is you are welcome to it I got it free. I don't use them any more at all. Not sure what the shipping would be but I doubt it would be very much. Rather then wrap the rocks just stick them in a bucket with a bit of the old tank water to cover them. Every time I unwrap rocks covered in paper I end up with some paper in the water. I find it rather annoying. Plus beng submerged you will have less die off then wrapped up in wet paper. (though not sure how live the rocks are right now.) Thank you for the offer! I actually found my hydrometer. I figure since I will be buying my water via my LFS, I can just test it out on a fresh batch of water to see if it gets the same reading as theirs does to make sure it's still correct. There aren't many signs of life left haha. But you're right, it probably would be easier in the end to just put them in a bucket with the old tank water. The plus side of them being almost dead LR, is that I can finally take a hammer to them and make smaller pieces so I can make the scape I've always wanted! Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 No backing out now! I just ordered the sand, maxijet, heater, test kit, and koralia nano. When it all gets here I will borrow a drill so I can put up my light, go find some egg-crate, and get the water and a small piece of LR from my LFS. Eventually after my tank is done cycling I should probably invest in a controller for my LED's. But that's about a month and a half from now, so it can wait. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 hold up im not good with reading and ect, why egg crate and a drill? Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 hold up im not good with reading and ect, why egg crate and a drill? I was thinking about using eggcrate as a temporary cover for the aquarium. Right now I'm trying to estimate the cost of making a screen top instead since it will look nicer and keep fish from jumping out. I would use the drill because I need to attach the L-Bracket to the wall with screws. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 erm i was always one to believe in a topples tank.. egg crate is going to annoy you Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 erm i was always one to believe in a topples tank.. egg crate is going to annoy you I knew it would, I'm just trying to keep the restart under $200. I already have some of the equipment needed to make my own screen top, and it looks like frame kits are pretty cheap, I just need to find some cheap screen. I would do completely topless if I wasn't worried about my kiddo trying to put toys in the tank, fish jumping out, etc. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 well what type of fish are you planning on stocking? local hardware store should have some stuff! Link to comment
Lilies & Lace Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I'm not sure yet. The dream fish is a mandarin ( trained to take frozen of course), and I've always wanted a yellow headed pearly jawfish, but I'm pretty sure my kid banging on the tank will stress it out so bad that it will want to carpet surf. Yeah, I actually have the spline roller, spline, and maybe the right size screen, so all I would need is the window frame and window corners. Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 the mandie i would wait until a bigger tank.. Link to comment
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