2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

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Author Topic: The nightmare begins!  (Read 12869 times)

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Offline Steve

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #50 on: May 28, 2018, 23:59:49 »
Looks really nice Jeff!

Offline Keith92

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #51 on: May 29, 2018, 07:41:02 »
Looks great Jeff. You did an excellent job on the stand

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #52 on: May 29, 2018, 11:25:11 »
Jeff that is really nice looking. I am so glad you decided to build a new stand. Everything is looking fantastic.

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #53 on: May 31, 2018, 23:29:54 »
Thanks for all the kind words.  I worked on the plumbing tonight.  I got the overflow lines run and the returns installed in place.  So far the biggest problem has been getting the tank level.  I had about 1/4 inch difference between the rt and left side of the tank.  I shimmed the left side with 1/4in pieces of wood under the two by four frame but had to work towards the rt side adding shims.  My main concern is having the weight evenly dispersed so as not to stress the tank seams. I will pick up another packet of shims and install them to try and make it as solid as I can between the tank frame and tile floor.  With any luck I should be adding some water tomorrow.
Jeff

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #54 on: June 01, 2018, 04:56:52 »
Jeff, I’m not seeing a valve for your main siphon in the picture. Am I missing it?

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #55 on: June 01, 2018, 08:26:08 »
Jeff, I’m not seeing a valve for your main siphon in the picture. Am I missing it?
I installed a 1 in gate valve on the line going to my sump that is in the sump room behind the tank.  I was going to put it in the down line from the overflow but it was too hard to reach in behind the tank to adjust it.  My arms are too short :)
Jeff

Offline JMM

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #56 on: June 01, 2018, 09:50:36 »
Hope to see it with water tonight. One nice thing about the gate valve being in the other room is getting the tank a bit closer to the wall. Love the stand and it’s finish.
You asked about my return pump. It’s a reefflow if memory serves. Lots of volume but it’s going to run a 120 and 180 and a 100 gl. sump. Still, it might be overkill. Another issue I have yet to see is noise. I don’t want anything overly loud. I bought the pump 2 yrs. ago and have since learned it’s better to have patience and keep learning before buying major equipment.
Don’t know if you follow any threads on R2R but there is a guy over there with a very successful sps tank that uses potassium as his flatworm dip. Says it really knocks the tough ones out. Goes by Farmer Ty. Might be worth your time to look it up.
Have a great day and here’s to seeing the tank wet!🍻
Jim

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #57 on: June 01, 2018, 13:00:54 »
Hope to see it with water tonight. One nice thing about the gate valve being in the other room is getting the tank a bit closer to the wall. Love the stand and it’s finish.
You asked about my return pump. It’s a reefflow if memory serves. Lots of volume but it’s going to run a 120 and 180 and a 100 gl. sump. Still, it might be overkill. Another issue I have yet to see is noise. I don’t want anything overly loud. I bought the pump 2 yrs. ago and have since learned it’s better to have patience and keep learning before buying major equipment.
Don’t know if you follow any threads on R2R but there is a guy over there with a very successful sps tank that uses potassium as his flatworm dip. Says it really knocks the tough ones out. Goes by Farmer Ty. Might be worth your time to look it up.
Have a great day and here’s to seeing the tank wet!🍻
Jim
Lazy and I have actually bought from farmer ty.  Really great guy and easy to work with.  I hope after 6 weeks of back to back dips with Bayer I would hope that any pests will be completely gone.  It was a real pita treating, took almost 2 hours to get everything dipped and I think it was as stressful for me as it was on my corals.
I bought a used red dragon pump for my return pump last year and boy what a pump!!  Dead quiet and pushes an amazing amount of water.
Jeff

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #58 on: June 01, 2018, 20:58:20 »
I was able to get a good days work on the tank today.  I like to build rock columns inside the tank.  I start with a pvc pipe back bone and attach the rock to the center pipe using zip ties, building up to the top of the piping.  Most of the rock have small holes in them you can attach the zip ties to.  Several didnt have holes where I needed them so I took out the drill and masonry bit and made my own hole.  I put all the rock work into the tank except the pieces that are in the 55 gallon tank with corals on them.  Filled with the water that I had made up.  I had enough made to fill the tank about 3/4 full.  So far so good with no leaks.  I have the ro/di running to make as much as it will.  Hopefully by tomorrow evening I will have it full and running through the filter system.  I will probably give it a few days to settle in before adding the rest of the rock and corals.  Getting real close now.
Jeff

Offline JMM

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #59 on: June 01, 2018, 22:52:58 »
Be so much simpler if we could just use tap water, eh?! Back when I first did reef tanks that’s just what we did. Grew green hair algae real well. Looking great!

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #60 on: June 02, 2018, 13:25:18 »
The way you're building the rock structures looks really smart. I may steal technique for future builds.

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #61 on: June 02, 2018, 22:27:49 »
The way you're building the rock structures looks really smart. I may steal technique for future builds.
Help your self to the idea.  That is what this forum is all about, sharing, tips, advise, etc.
Jeff

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #62 on: June 03, 2018, 23:35:30 »
yesterday and today I moved all the rocks into the tank.  Today I moved the fish and corals into the tank.  Everything went pretty smooth getting everything moved over.  I still need to place the frags into position.  It been a hard 2 months on the corals.  I have lost several pricey reefraft corals and have some corals with stn damage on them now, hopefully they will stop and recover.  When starting up my lighting one of the section of whites are out.  I will deal with that tomorrow.  The worst thing was when I found a small puddle coming from underneath my 75 gallon tank that I am using for a sump.  The tank was a freebie with the top and bottom frames both cracked.  I scrambled and found another used tank down in hamiliton and picked it up tonight.  Tomorrow I will have to shut down the system and remove the bad tank, cut out the baffles, and reinstall them into the new sump.  Seems like this work is never going to be over.
Jeff

Offline JMM

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #63 on: June 04, 2018, 05:46:38 »
You’ve come a long way. Hang in there a couple more days and it will be complete. Looking forward to a full tank shot .

Offline erky

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #64 on: June 04, 2018, 13:13:40 »
yesterday and today I moved all the rocks into the tank.  Today I moved the fish and corals into the tank.  Everything went pretty smooth getting everything moved over.  I still need to place the frags into position.  It been a hard 2 months on the corals.  I have lost several pricey reefraft corals and have some corals with stn damage on them now, hopefully they will stop and recover.  When starting up my lighting one of the section of whites are out.  I will deal with that tomorrow.  The worst thing was when I found a small puddle coming from underneath my 75 gallon tank that I am using for a sump.  The tank was a freebie with the top and bottom frames both cracked.  I scrambled and found another used tank down in hamiliton and picked it up tonight.  Tomorrow I will have to shut down the system and remove the bad tank, cut out the baffles, and reinstall them into the new sump.  Seems like this work is never going to be over.
Jeff

I still have that option for you if interested.

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #65 on: June 04, 2018, 17:56:16 »
I have the new sump cleaned up and all the  baffles silicon-ed in place. I added extra corner and bottom silicone, factory silicone seemed pretty weak.  Just having to wait on the silicone to set up overnight.  Still running on the old sump.  It is a very small leak that I just can keep a towel down next to the tank to catch the water.  worked more on coral and rock placement after I finished up the sump.  I think my wife is getting tired of me being in the basement all the time:) She'll get over it.
Jeff

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #66 on: June 04, 2018, 18:54:28 »
Wow Jeff, what a massive undertaking!

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #67 on: June 07, 2018, 22:28:25 »
Well the sump is now in place and everything is running just fine.  I didnt have any filter socks in the old sump and I was amazed as too how much detritus was built up.  I will be installing socks into this sump as soon as I am able to.  I have pretty much everything up and running and am slowly bringing up the lights to full strength.  I have a lot of small loose ends to tie up but I am happy with the the way things have come together.  Here are two fts, one shows the corals in natural light but the stands finish isnt correct.  the other shows the stand and hood in a more accurate color.
Jeff

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #68 on: June 08, 2018, 05:54:12 »
Beautiful Jeff!

Offline Keith92

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #69 on: June 08, 2018, 07:56:06 »
Looks awesome!
You should be very proud of your project

Offline Nbehnken

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #70 on: June 08, 2018, 07:59:05 »
Looks really good, awesome job!


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Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #71 on: June 08, 2018, 08:14:18 »
Thanks for all the encouragement and support over the last 2 months.  I wish I could get a better pic, maybe Jesse can help with a better fts.  Keith I am done with your lights, appreciate the use of them. 
 thanks again
Jeff

Offline soldiers4christ50

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #72 on: June 08, 2018, 10:25:44 »
Absolutely stunning. Great job!!

Offline Steve

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #73 on: June 08, 2018, 12:10:01 »
Nice work Jeff! Love the stand and hood. I know your fish and coral are happy.

Offline lazylivin

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Re: The nightmare begins!
« Reply #74 on: June 08, 2018, 13:35:43 »
Looks AWESOME! love it

 

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