vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 And I bought a tank from my LFS that was going out of business! I viewed it as an investment. I went to bed feeling like in this stage of my life I should be downsizing, not building, but then my hubby said we could buy it for when I am ready to have just 1 big show tank. So like you that would be an investment. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 93 gallons omgomgomgI'm not taking care of it, so I say go for it!!!!! :lol:Would love to see what you do with it. Plus I'm curious to see this handmade oak stand...sounds awesome! I know 93g is a lot. However as a aquarium tech who maintenance tanks I took care of 240g tanks regularly. My own tank prior to the 36 bowfront was a 90. That being said, at 55 years old I am not getting any younger and I haven't even filled up the bowfront in the 2 and a half years that I've had it! I think I have decided against it. Maybe I will take a pic of it and some measurements just to be sure though. Link to comment
kimberbee Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Oh, yes, post pics of it here. We're curious!! Link to comment
markalot Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Pffft, 93 gallons is a drop in the bucket. To help you think about this. If you insist on doing regular water changes you're going to need some Brute cans and you will be making a lot of RO/DI water. You will probably need to dose at some point, it's going to be tempting to fill it with more corals. Every little thing you buy now is going to cost more because you need more of it. If you leave the seahorses out of the equation, or in a separate system it may be less work, but still more water changes to do. I'm only (Ha) 52 and my back is complaining about some of the lifting on a regular basis. I've got the new water thing down, all in cans on wheels, now I have to figure out how to easily remove water without numerous bucket runs. I've got this grand plan for a pump with a hose above the drop ceiling over and down to the utility tub. Do you have a tub nearby? Hate to be the downer, just going over things I've run into. Link to comment
kimberbee Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I'm only (Ha) 52 and my back is complaining about some of the lifting on a regular basis. I'm not even 30 and I was having issues getting the 5 gallon bucket of fresh RO/DI out of the sink. And yes, I had to put it in the sink because otherwise I'd overflow it!! Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Pffft, 93 gallons is a drop in the bucket. To help you think about this. If you insist on doing regular water changes you're going to need some Brute cans and you will be making a lot of RO/DI water. You will probably need to dose at some point, it's going to be tempting to fill it with more corals. Every little thing you buy now is going to cost more because you need more of it. If you leave the seahorses out of the equation, or in a separate system it may be less work, but still more water changes to do. I'm only (Ha) 52 and my back is complaining about some of the lifting on a regular basis. I've got the new water thing down, all in cans on wheels, now I have to figure out how to easily remove water without numerous bucket runs. I've got this grand plan for a pump with a hose above the drop ceiling over and down to the utility tub. Do you have a tub nearby? Hate to be the downer, just going over things I've run into. Nope, you are not a downer. Every one of those points are valid and I had pondered them too, hence the reason why I am starting to nix the idea. If Lloyd hadn't built the stand and tank I would not even be entertaining the idea. Maybe the emotional sentiment was especially strong yesterday because his daughter reminded me that yesterday was the 8th anniversary of his accident. A big-ish tank is a big commitment in time, money and in my case redoing the living room carpet around it-we have laminate flooring under the tanks. What I have right now is really suiting my desires and quest to explore my hobby so I should just spend some of that money on new corals. O yeah Mark, a mag 5 pump with flex tubing stuck on the output works great for in a brute can on wheels to transfer water into a big tank. You can even attach a hook, (to hook on the edge of the tank) with hard plumbing by using a barb. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 I'm not even 30 and I was having issues getting the 5 gallon bucket of fresh RO/DI out of the sink. And yes, I had to put it in the sink because otherwise I'd overflow it!! Take care of yourself kimber because when you get to where I am the damage is done! I carried up a bundle of shingles on a ladder to our roof just to show the guys I could...bragging rights don't ya know! Looking back on it I can see how foolish that sort of behaviour was, LOL. I am fortunate I don't have more back issues than I have. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Pics forth coming! Eve looking in the food bowl. Abraham, the pipefish. Eggers, the yellow cucumber. Link to comment
Felicia Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I want to say do it, because I know you'd put together an awesome tank and I'd be excited to follow that build. However, I'm all for it because I'm not the one who has to take care of it. I know that personally, I start losing my enjoyment of this hobby when I have more than one tank to maintain, but that's just me. This is why I only have one system now and I'm happy that way! And to chime in on lifting, I'm only 27 and I regularly pull muscles in my back lugging around aquarium equipment and water. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 This is my Atlantic cucumber, Cukes. Onto the reef! Baby and King Midas! A rare pic of KB, the royal gramma. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 I want to say do it, because I know you'd put together an awesome tank and I'd be excited to follow that build. However, I'm all for it because I'm not the one who has to take care of it. I know that personally, I start losing my enjoyment of this hobby when I have more than one tank to maintain, but that's just me. This is why I only have one system now and I'm happy that way! Thanks Felicia, that's nice to hear. I have however definitely decided against it. I am realizing that I really like my system, the variety of animals I can keep, one 65g system to maintain, it's very stable since the rock and sand in the reef have been in the 36 bow coming on 3 years. Things are looking mature and all I need are a few more corals and maybe a nicer camera to take nice pics! LOL My photos stink! And to chime in on lifting, I'm only 27 and I regularly pull muscles in my back lugging around aquarium equipment and water. Thanks Felicia, that's nice to hear. I have however definitely decided against it. I am realizing that I really like my system, the variety of animals I can keep, one 65g system to maintain, it's very stable since the rock and sand in the reef have been in the 36 bow coming on 3 years. Things are looking mature and all I need are a few more corals and maybe a nicer camera to take nice pics! LOL My photos stink! Link to comment
Mirya Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I think the pipefish is my favorite. But I'm envious of anyone with seahorses. I don't feel up to the work it takes to keep them fed. A rare pic of KB, the royal gramma. Why is it rare? Is he shy? Or just moves too fast? After the first 2 weeks in the tank, mine is out almost all the time. He does have one rock that he will dart into one of the holes if he feels threatened though. He also sleeps in there at night. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 I think the pipefish is my favorite. But I'm envious of anyone with seahorses. I don't feel up to the work it takes to keep them fed. Why is it rare? Is he shy? Or just moves too fast? After the first 2 weeks in the tank, mine is out almost all the time. He does have one rock that he will dart into one of the holes if he feels threatened though. He also sleeps in there at night. Yes, i know what you mean about seahorses. I held off a long time before i decided to get into them. The day to day is not bad but travelling takes some planning. The pipefish is easier. I think it hunts pods on its own so although it comes to the food dish i think once a day would be sufficient to feed it. Last i checked i think Ocean Rider sells them for $49 and they come trained to eat frozen mysis. They are CB however so if your tank has wild caught fish you would want to know that they are disease free.KB which stands for KowaBunga is just fast. Like yours, he has his favorite hole and he comes out a lot but darts back into his safe place when he feels threatened. He got his name because when I first got him he went over the overflow and was in the sump for a week before I found him, ha ha. Link to comment
markalot Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pictures good enough, tanks and residence are looking good! Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Pictures good enough, tanks and residence are looking good! Ha ha Mark, you are too kind. Even I can see how bad my pics are. Again that sort of detail stuff falls under the category of tedium. I am sort of a 'big picture' kind of gal. Maybe that's why I takes so many FTS? Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Ok folks, the results are in on a full barrage of parameter testing, (or at least as full as I ever do!). PH is 8.2, alk is 12 dKh, CA is 470, Mag is 1440, PO4 is .125 or so and nitrates are 2 or so. I was fairly pleased, especially with phosphates and nitrates because those are the 2 that I have struggled to control since getting seahorses. The others will pretty much stay in line with the frequent WCs, and a little dosing occasionally. I have to believe that the RO/DI is what made the difference in PO4 and NO3. Of course my macros and corals are utilizing some of that as well but I am noticing slightly less nuisance algae on the glass too so everything is moving in the right direction. If I get them down enough maybe I could try some corals that need fed like NPS and zoas. I have avoided those so as not to have too much dissolved organics in the water column for the seahorse's sake. Can you believe I am actually excited about parameter results? Link to comment
Mirya Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 The pipefish is easier. I think it hunts pods on its own so although it comes to the food dish i think once a day would be sufficient to feed it. Last i checked i think Ocean Rider sells them for $49 and they come trained to eat frozen mysis. Oh! Hmmm... And you call me an enabler! Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Oh! Hmmm... And you call me an enabler! Guilty! I was thinking the pipe would be a nice addition to your Florida biotope but then it wouldn't be a Florida biotope, at least in the purist sense since I don't think these pipes are from that area. O well. Link to comment
Sk8n Reefer Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Looking good more pics of the pipe fish though - love those fish ? Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Not the greatest pipefish pics but I am trying. Link to comment
Sk8n Reefer Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I'll take it? looks good to me Link to comment
BRN Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Not the greatest pipefish pics but I am trying. Its looking great, fantastic job! If you are looking into seriously dosing vodka Nano Doser 1 from Saltwater conversion is the way to go. Ive only used it for 4 days now, but this thing has seriously impressed me, 0.1ML over 8 hours is mind mindbogglingly small... high quality, and high precision. About 0% chance of failure too. (unless you miscalculate the dose, and even then there's a dosing calculator on his website). Link to comment
teenyreef Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Looks great! I think you made the right decision to pass on the big tank even though it would have meant a lot to you. I have a 90g FW tank. The only way I can manage the water changes is thanks to a pump and a hose that reaches the garage. Even then it's a huge pain,and I only change the water every two weeks. Or once a month Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Its looking great, fantastic job! If you are looking into seriously dosing vodka Nano Doser 1 from Saltwater conversion is the way to go. Ive only used it for 4 days now, but this thing has seriously impressed me, 0.1ML over 8 hours is mind mindbogglingly small... high quality, and high precision. About 0% chance of failure too. (unless you miscalculate the dose, and even then there's a dosing calculator on his website). Thanks BRN, that is very helpful and I will definitely keep it in mind. With my NO3 and PO4 numbers going down with each WC now that I am using RO/DI, I don't think I will be dosing just yet. I need to see where it is all going to settle at first. I am nervous about starving my clam, corals and macros so I won't make too many changes at once. Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Looks great! I think you made the right decision to pass on the big tank even though it would have meant a lot to you. I have a 90g FW tank. The only way I can manage the water changes is thanks to a pump and a hose that reaches the garage. Even then it's a huge pain,and I only change the water every two weeks. Or once a month I know I made the right decision. When I was wrestling with it I was struggling with the emotional attachment to the store I worked at and the folks I worked for. Lloyd and Heather meant a lot to me and I loved that job. Once I realized that if Lloyd had not built that tank I would not even be thinking about it, then I knew it was not right for me and I am at peace with my decision. Link to comment
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