6 feet of reef

[patback]

Much better. 

[mitten_reef]

That light looks awesome. I wonder if they pulled out of the us market or just stopped making em, cuz they sure look pretty sweet 

[patback]

1 hour ago, mitten_reef said:

That light looks awesome. I wonder if they pulled out of the us market or just stopped making em, cuz they sure look pretty sweet 

He said it grew acros like crazy. He picked it up  at a trade show and everything I read on it, it seems like it is all over seas.  It is heavy as hell though. I'm hoping it lasts, as I was cleaning it up 3 of the lens' popped off the leds. I miss having t5's

[patback]

And just because there is no thread on this tank I'll post it in here. 

Wife's tank hasn't had a water change since we moved in this house 3 years ago. I finally glued the rock backtogether after it broke in the move and added sand. Did a 10 gallon water change yesterday and am doing another 10 today. Miraculously, the only pieces to actually come out looking good are the priciest ones. Gold torch and bounce mushroom. We lost 3 baby bounces. Jawbreaker is okay lost probably a dozen of its babies though. Toadstool good. Basically all zoanthids are toast with a few exceptions and sps are clearly all gone. There was a softball sized birdsnest that was beautiful but its skeleton was pulled last night. The other euphyllias are all gone as well. 

Dont mind the baby gates and baby mess. 

[seabass]

Looks great!  This is exciting.

 

Sorry, I didn't read everything, so I'm not sure if there are plans to cover the overflows.  I was thinking about faux columns (matching the stand), possibly siliconed to the tank.  IDK, maybe something similar to:

[patback]

Tweezers are only in there to let everything holding the rock arch together cure for a little longer. 

1 minute ago, seabass said:

Looks great!  This is exciting.

 

Sorry, I didn't read everything, so I'm not sure if there are plans to cover the overflows.  I was thinking about faux columns (matching the stand), possibly siliconed to the tank.  IDK, maybe something similar to:

I didn't even think of that. That's a pretty cool idea. 

[patback]

Light is finally up!  99% of plumbing parts are here. 

 

this was nerve wracking. The light is so damn heavy, I was worried about hanging it. Lol

There are definitly a few diodes out. The left side of the tank is more purple and the right side is more blue. But it is fine for now. Maybe we'll get some new lights for Christmas or something. 

[patback]

Less blue pic. 

[patback]

Egg crate is down in preparation for sand and rock to arrive on Thursday. 

Why did I think egg crate was like 2 bucks a sheet?  20 ####ing dollars.  

[mitten_reef]

1 hour ago, patback said:

Egg crate is down in preparation for sand and rock to arrive on Thursday. 

Why did I think egg crate was like 2 bucks a sheet?  20 ####ing dollars.  

I understand the "purpose" of having these egg crate structure-wise, but isn't it just a giant crap trap?  some of the newer dry rocks came flat-sliced, so that you can use those as the structure's base with more confidence that they won't wobble.  But that's just me tho.  

[patback]

32 minutes ago, mitten_reef said:

I understand the "purpose" of having these egg crate structure-wise, but isn't it just a giant crap trap?  some of the newer dry rocks came flat-sliced, so that you can use those as the structure's base with more confidence that they won't wobble.  But that's just me tho.  

I would agree but I honestly don't really like big fish. This tank will have some, but I find smaller fish, the kind that like to burrow under rock more interesting. I would feel more comfortable throwing a bunch in here if I had something to ziptie the base rocks to, and my scape in mind kind of requires it.   If detritus gets down the few inches of sand to the egg crate anyway, it's stuck down there regardless of it the plastic is there or not. 

[FISHnChix]

2 hours ago, patback said:

Light is finally up!  99% of plumbing parts are here. 

 

this was nerve wracking. The light is so damn heavy, I was worried about hanging it. Lol

There are definitly a few diodes out. The left side of the tank is more purple and the right side is more blue. But it is fine for now. Maybe we'll get some new lights for Christmas or something. 

At least you will be tan year round

[spectra]

I like flat rock on the glass then put sand around it. My 100 and 750 were done that way. 
 

with the egg crate if you get any wrasses they can hurt themselves burrowing in the sand. And yes it’s going to trap all sorts of crap. 

[patback]

1 hour ago, spectra said:

I like flat rock on the glass then put sand around it. My 100 and 750 were done that way. 
 

with the egg crate if you get any wrasses they can hurt themselves burrowing in the sand. And yes it’s going to trap all sorts of crap. 

Hmm. I'm reading more and more on it now. I'm sort of torn between the pros and cons. Maybe I will cut out all the pieces that doesn't need that wide flat base. I would like to go with a floating overhang look, so narrower rock on the bottom than the top and I would like to be able to secure the base to support the weight without tipping.  I never put the wrasse scenario to thought, and my wife basically likes wrasse exclusively ( and angels but #### that)

[spectra]

12 hours ago, patback said:

Hmm. I'm reading more and more on it now. I'm sort of torn between the pros and cons. Maybe I will cut out all the pieces that doesn't need that wide flat base. I would like to go with a floating overhang look, so narrower rock on the bottom than the top and I would like to be able to secure the base to support the weight without tipping.  I never put the wrasse scenario to thought, and my wife basically likes wrasse exclusively ( and angels but #### that)

you can always find a piece of starboard or acrylic and fix the rock to it then put it in and add sand. 
 

I like to add rock before sand that way you know it’s stable.

[patback]

Return plumbing is mocked up. Got some stuff to do in the morning then I'm hoping to get the tank all glued and plumbed 100%  all my rock, sand, a Bluetooth adapter for the light, and some other odds and ends are supposed to be delivered tomorrow. 

Would be cool to have everything wet by this weekend. 

[patback]

Ups guy does not like us. 

[spectra]

3 hours ago, patback said:

Ups guy does not like us. 

depends on the weight of the package……Mrs CrossFit ordered a rug and they boxed it up….. thing weighed 110lbs in a box…..

[patback]

16 minutes ago, spectra said:

depends on the weight of the package……Mrs CrossFit ordered a rug and they boxed it up….. thing weighed 110lbs in a box…..

It's 80 lbs of sand and 50 lbs or rock. Lol. Box is literally labeled as rocks, so carrier was probably wondering why someone would pay to ship 50 lbs of rocks and why he was stuck carrying it. 

[spectra]

23 minutes ago, patback said:

It's 80 lbs of sand and 50 lbs or rock. Lol. Box is literally labeled as rocks, so carrier was probably wondering why someone would pay to ship 50 lbs of rocks and why he was stuck carrying it. 

I ordered sand from Amazon…… best prices around if you ask me. And yes I think they had ups deliver it…

[patback]

7 hours ago, spectra said:

I ordered sand from Amazon…… best prices around if you ask me. And yes I think they had ups deliver it…

I had the kids by myself for most of the day today so hardly anything got done. Getting more and more irritated that there is so much tank related stuff laying around.  I accidentally ordered 1/2" instead of 3/4" thread  pvc to locline adapter, so I need to see if I can get any locally now in the morning. I want to finish up the plumbing so I can get everything into the stand and out of my living room and foyer and garage. 

Sump is built but no pictures of it yet. Plumbing pic tax. 

 

Printer had a layer shift lately and I'm not sure why. It's bad enough to bother me but not bad enough for me to take it apart and start checking that all the rods and threads are good. Seems to be the same movement at the same height every print though. 

I'm printing up a 3rd locline tip now because I accidentally printed them in Grey instead of black. 

I also finally got full access to control the lighting. 

The app is so cool yet so terrible at the same time. 

[patback]

After spending all day and a shit ton of money, I leaked at the threads of my bulk head and had to cut just beneath them, making alot of what I did today pointless. #### this hard plumbing. I think I'm going full soft plumbing just for ease. Sucks, because the schedule 40 looked so much better. 

[seabass]

Smaller diameter tubing is pretty flexible, but the wider stuff can be pretty rigid.  But whatever works for you.  Nobody, but us, will probably ever see it anyway.

 

My wife is always amazed at how many trips to Home Depot I make when doing plumbing.  Good luck!

[spectra]

I am not even sure I have ever used a bilk head with threads........ always glue the pvc to them..... 

 

I do remember one on the 750 but it was a soft like that I swapped out to a rigid pvc like on the return. It did weep a little but was in the sump so didnt matter.......

 

Did you use tape on the threads ? Any way to try and snug it up ? 

[patback]

5 hours ago, seabass said:

Smaller diameter tubing is pretty flexible, but the wider stuff can be pretty rigid.  But whatever works for you.  Nobody, but us, will probably ever see it anyway.

 

My wife is always amazed at how many trips to Home Depot I make when doing plumbing.  Good luck!

I am utterly embarrassed to even try to count up how many trips and how much money I spent to make this plumbing look nice... I was even going to color code the pipes once leak checked.