World's slowest custom 85g system. ...and there was coral. (p.18)

[Rollermonkey]

Went to three different stores and got a whopping three fittings for my trouble. Still need 5 fittings and a 3/4" pipe for the return line and an unknown number of items for the overflows.

 

Sigh.

[tigrtraps]

I just read through most of this and you can't catch a break! I'm enjoying seeing you make sure that it is all setup correct the first time though. Keep at it!

 

Went to three different stores and got a whopping three fittings for my trouble. Sheesh.

[Rollermonkey]

Glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way.

 

To add to the list, a while back, I e-mailed marco rocks with a couple questions about their dry rock and never got a reply from them, either. Between that and the latest BRS snafu, John Maloney is definitely getting my dry rock order at the end of this month.

[Rollermonkey]

BRS order is here.

 

Not only is it a $195 box of me ordering the wrong stuff (fortunately most of which I can use on the overflow side) but they also left the $35 Vertex Cleaner-Mag Triple out of the shipment.

 

Seriously?

 

The components that I cannot use are the ten feet of 1-1/2" schedule 80 pipe and the 1" True Union Check Valve. Shipping a 5-foot long box for $20 of pipe is probably not cost effective, although if I can squeeze the check valve in the box, maybe it would be OK.

 

Between this shipment and the multiple trips to Lowe's, I can get from the bulkheads up the overflow, less a strainer. Underneath, I have a mishmash of parts that doesn't quite get me from the return to the bulkhead, and doesn't even complete the herbie below the bulkheads.

 

Sigh.

[Rollermonkey]

Assembled thus far:

Three bulkheads

Three NPTxSlip adapters

Three pipes

One more NPTxSlip adapter

and probably way too much Loc-Line...

 

Nothing is glued, and I won't start working below the stand until the sump is here. I think I cut the emergency overflow pipe a bit short. If I start to get too much waterfall noise over the overflow box, I'll cut a new, longer one. The overflows are both 1", and I'll start with a strainer on the primary, see how that goes. The return is 3/4" and so is all the Loc-Line, so I shouldn't lose too much pressure to backpressure at the top.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, that's two feet of Loc-Line, not counting the 'Y' or the nozzles... Too much?

 

[FlowerMama]

^{A whole bunch of stuff I don't understand but it's coming along, looks strong. Kudos to you and everyone out there that can build.}

[Rollermonkey]

I can't build.

 

Yet.

 

I'm learning as I go.

[Rollermonkey]

So... BRS neither called nor replied to my e-mail concerning the missing item from my order.

 

Seriously, WTF?

[just a noob]

Have you tried giving them a call? they've been pretty good in my experience

[Rollermonkey]

Yeah, I called last week, and they didn't do squat for me. I know people speak highly of them, but I've had generally crappy luck with BRS so far.

[Rollermonkey]

No reply to my e-mail, so I called them.

 

It'll cost @ $16 to ship the parts back that I can't use, and it will drop me below the free shipping threshold. My refund would be about $40, so I'd be getting $24 after my shipping costs.

 

They're going to send on my magnetic cleaner, but seriously. I'm not in love with BRS right now.

[Rollermonkey]

Modified the fish list: Purple Tilefish instead of the Fireball Angel. Should reduce the tension in the tank, and the tilefish is less likely to pick at corals.

[Rollermonkey]

Just ordered the rest of my plumbing supplies and dry rock.

 

Got the rock from Reef Cleaner, I ordered 100 pounds, way more than I needed, I'm sure. This way, I should be able to do just about anything I can imagine for the scape.

 

I split the plumbing between Amazon (cheaper than BRS and free 2-day shipping) and BRS. Using all of my points at BRS, I paid $20 for shipping and the rest of the parts I should need until reactors and skimmer come in to play.

 

If it's ready, I'd be able to pick up my sump this weekend, which would let me finish plumbing the return line and the overflows.

 

Shoot, I could put water in it at that point, but I'll wait until I have the skimmer and reactors plumbed before I do that.

 

I need to be able to move the tank into the corner before I can start the cycle. That obviously can't happen until everything is ready to go, because I need to keep the cube up and running until I am done cycling, and the cube will be in the way of one of the doors to the 70G stand while that's going on.

 

At least I'll be able to feel like I made some serious progress this month.

[Rollermonkey]

Coral thoughts...

 

I pretty much plan to go with 100% Reef Goddess corals. I like the blues, greens and purples mostly, so:

 

Miami Vice Zoanthids

Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoanthids

Caribbean Dream Leptastrea

Aussie Duncans

Purple Capricornis

Turqoise Discomas Mushrooms

Birds of Paradise Birdsnest

Ultra Toxic montipora deliculata

Strawberry Star Gonipora

Aquamarine Vermiculata

 

(Not a coral, but I want, nontheless: Ultra Blue Layercake Sponge)

[Sunar357]

No reply to my e-mail, so I called them.

 

It'll cost @ $16 to ship the parts back that I can't use, and it will drop me below the free shipping threshold. My refund would be about $40, so I'd be getting $24 after my shipping costs.

 

They're going to send on my magnetic cleaner, but seriously. I'm not in love with BRS right now.

 

They sent me black silicone instead of the clear...I of course didn't notice until it was open. I emailed them complaining and no response in weeks. Very unhappy with BRS customer service.

 

What is Reef Goddess' site?

[Rollermonkey]

She's got a sponsor forum, but it's ReefGardener.net

[Rollermonkey]

So I called my tank builder today, wife said he'd call me back.

 

That was 5 hours ago.

 

I guess my sump won't be ready this weekend.

 

Oh, well. It was supposed to be first weekend in October any ways.

[Rollermonkey]

Picked up an AC50 at PetSmart and an inTank media basket is on the way, both for the QT.

[Rollermonkey]

BRS order is here. No invoice, so I had to look at my order history to make sure everything was there. Seriously. Why can I not get decent service from them?

 

I thought everything was here to start the plumbing when I pick up the sump this (or next) weekend, apart from the adhesive that's due in Friday, but I'm short three nipples still.

 

Back to Lowe's I go.

 

Sigh.

 

At least the base rock should be here Friday.

[Rollermonkey]

Unless I need parts to plumb the skimmer and/or reactors, I have everything I need.

 

 

Except the sump itself, that is.

 

My rock arrived in Redmond, WA this evening... Will it be a day early?

[FlowerMama]

getting rock is always fun. esp little hitchhiking critters. Waiting to see the scape! I don't understand plumbing but I can least chime in about aesthetics.

[21093r53]

What is the black little thing all the way to the right in sump

[Rollermonkey]

getting rock is always fun. esp little hitchhiking critters. Waiting to see the scape! I don't understand plumbing but I can least chime in about aesthetics.

 

Nope. No critters. This is Reef Cleaners base rock. It's been dead for millennia.

 

What is the black little thing all the way to the right in sump

 

Probe / dosage holders.

[Rollermonkey]

Rock's here.

 

Last box (for now) is somewhere between Utah and here, and has the cement for connecting flex-PVC pipe to schedule-80 PVC fittings.

 

Just got off the phone with Oceans By Design, sump is ready for pickup tomorrow.

 

 

Just did the math: Tuesday is 6 months from the day I ordered this tank.

 

Current plan: Skimmer is going to be a November 1st buy followed by the reactors on December 1st. At that point, I'll be done plumbing everything in the sump and can slide the stand into position and start filling it.

 

Maybe I can get an MP10 for Xmas and lights in January, at which point I can start moving my current fish into QT. Each will get a week in jail with daily WCs to make sure I don't bring anything from the 'Cube I don't want. Once all 4 fish, both shrimp and the maxi-minis are moved, I can take down the cube. NONE of the corals or CUC will be making the move to make sure I don't bring GHA or Bryopsis from the 'Cube to the new tank.

 

I guess I ought to start thinking about stocking order with the new fish I'll be adding...

[Rollermonkey]

On display at the shop:

 

 

 

It's a bit of a tight squeeze...

 

 

 

With the brace reinstalled and the ATO lids in place.

 

 

 

I've got all the cements, fittings, pipes, hoses, etc and I'm wrapping the teflon tape on the joints that require now. I'll do the cementing of the last couple of components that aren't threaded and mount the hose brackets another day.