kriswaters Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 Awww....and finally after a bit over 2 months...I accomplished this. Water and bubbles: Better picture to follow when I have BATTERIES in my camera! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 OMG Water and bubbles!!!!! OHHHH MY Nice to see water in it again:) What is under the cabinet?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 For me...nice to see bubbles and water in it in the first place! I even traded places with my hubby at the dinner table so that I can see the tank....it is beautiful...I love it. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Well your on the way. You have a great start. It will be, well I'm not sure anymore what year I can get back to mine. Alls good. I'll just watch yours:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgreenthumb Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Looks great!!! I bet it feels good to have some water in there!! Can't wait to see this progress!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 Yeah...it's also stressfull! I have a temporary return pump (mag 5 POS) and am trying to balance out the overflow to it's tiny flow!!!! This just to get some circ and the temp up! I am at 65 degrees right now, and a long ways to go. My little temporary sump is only 13.5 gallons, so I think I will shut it down for the night and while at work tomorrow...hopefully by then the other acrylic sump (built again thanks to the dogs) will be ready to hold some water. It has been curing for about 48 hours now! The reef-flo I got was used, and it is hella loud...plus every five or so minutes, it seems to have a period where the pump gets really loud and the motor body gets hot. I hear these things have a 3 year transferable warranty, so I will look into that. Fun fun... And the question of the day from Rylie (my daughter)...how are you going to stick your corals onto the lower rocks? Good question...I know my arm is not 30" long!!! Also, the pH is goood...look like the DIY rock finally cured completely. I will check it daily and keep track of that! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgreenthumb Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 snorkel and goggles haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share Posted November 4, 2008 I am thinking the same thing! I finally got the overflow and the return to an equal spot...I am waiting for my return pump decision...I am still thinking of the Ehiem 1262. Once I decide, then I will set the rest of my sump up! Sent an email to Reef-flo regarding the dart...waiting for a reply. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Update...I contacted Reeflo today about the awful noises the dart was making...the company was awesome and didn't hesitate to help me out! They are sending me a replacement, as the pump I have is still under warranty! That is priceless in this hobby. I set up a few plastic totes as sumps and finally have equalized the flow from the OF's and the return...I wish that ball valves were digital! It was amazing what a fraction of an inch did! The tank is moving water (even with the limping dart) and the temp is up to 70+ degrees! Amazing since I think I have 1-300 watt heater for the whole system right now...planning on adding a 400 watt this weekend! I ordered my new return pump! I went with the Ehiem and I am excited to get this...between that and the dart, the turnover should be crazy! Sooo..once I get the temp up, I will start adding rock (select pieces that are Mojano free) into the tank. I am going to add sand this weekend as well...just enough to cover the bottom! The more I look at the rock, the more I love it. I will get somemore pictures up this weekend! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Brandy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I like your rock work too! How did you get it so stable? Magic? (scratch) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 I like your rock work too! How did you get it so stable? Magic? (scratch) I drilled a 1/2" hole in the desired area of rock and put a 1/2 CPVC pipe through the hole. I then filled the pipe with sand and sealed it off. It still wiggles, but it is quite stable! It took me about an hour to drill the holes and three days to figure out the configuration! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanmike01 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Do you have the base of the cpvc plugged into some sort of foot or stand of some sort? Again awsome idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 In the bottom rock, I drilled a hole nearly 3/4 of the way through. I then epoxied the HECK out of it...it's pretty strong. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Well, today was Christmas! I got my new Eheim and my new dart! I put the emheim "in sump" for now and was able to actually open up the drains a bit! This was great since the little mag five didn't do much! The threads on the Dart fittings were treated and I will turn it on tomorrow nite after things cure. We will see how this one goes! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Oh the joy of "dialing things in". And the nice thing about PVC plumbing....how easily one can change it! I was having so much trouble balancing the overflow (drains) to the return pump. Even with the new, quieter then heck, love it to death, Eheim, I couldn't balance (2) 1 1/2 drains. Sooo...I cut the darn pipe and reduced to 1". I also tee'd into (1) single drain instead of two...I then added a 1" ball valve (that I turned on and off about 250 times to make sure it was smooth) and wha lah...got the dang thing equalized! I had to add about 3 more gallons of water to the display, but as of now...things are peachy! I have tested the "what if's" and the "have nots". Now to get the SG back and the temp back..... Then the BIG MOVE (scary) Kris OH...and PS...regarding the Nitrate problem with the 55...has anyone heard of Purigen? It knocked my parameters to "right on" in three days...like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Sounds like things are coming along nicely Kris. Yeah Purigen was huge when it first came out and is still used a lot. Just remember it is more of a quick fix than anything permanent. You need to get down to the root of the nitrate problem or it will always come back. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Oh yeah...I completely understand that! The purigen has done a ton better then the sugar! As for the root of the problem>>>>my small tank with too much rock and not nearly enough flow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Well get it moved and let's see it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 OMG...I just had about 5 hours of the most stessed out time of my life...I moved my livestock! I was going to start slow, you know, move a few rocks here and there...place a few corals...then, my tank started looking really ugly, stirred up detrius and gunk...no wonder my nitrates were off the charts.! Anyhow, I ended up pulling ALL of the rock and chasing down the fishes...finally caught all then did an acclimation process with the new tank water. Threw some of the established rock in the sump, the corals in the tank, the cheato in the sump...skimmer and then the fishes! They hid out for some time, but are now cruising the tank! Here are a couple of pics... Almost everything in The old tank...far cry from this morning! Half of the rock done and the fish in! A peek inside the "wet area" Tomorrow will be filled with trying to clean up the rest of the rock I want to keep and drill holes to mount it. Plus head to Dennis' for the meeting! I hope I get to bring home a new BTA for the fishes! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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