Who's Into Saltwater?
- Thread starter Tony
- Start date
callsign4223
Staff member
I got my 55 fresh off of Craigslist. Also, if your worried about the temps let me know. I will steal the wife's minivan and take the back seats out. Should transport everything in climate control.
Tony
Staff member
Well, I was going to pull the trigger on the 120g pictured on the other page. But the jackass decided to screw me. That's life I guess. So the wife and I are thinking about what we are going to do. I have a very strong feeling I will be putting my 55g back up with a custom built stand and custom built sump. Sucks but it is what it is.
Tony
Staff member
Finally picked up a new tank. It's not exactly what I wanted and there is a LOT of work that needs to be done on it, but I got this thing for a STEAL! The price I paid won't even cover the cost of the rock that is in it. I will be making another thread on the cleaning and setup of this tank. It will take me a while to get it setup with work and everything, but it will get done. Can't wait to get it finished lol.
Here are some pics of the tank. As stated, it will take a lot of work but if I play my cards right I can sell what I don't want and more than likely get my money back out of the tank. Free 150 gallon reef tank, not too shabby lol.
Here are some pics of the tank. As stated, it will take a lot of work but if I play my cards right I can sell what I don't want and more than likely get my money back out of the tank. Free 150 gallon reef tank, not too shabby lol.
callsign4223
Staff member
That is a NASTY looking tank. It may turn out to be cash neutral, but the elbow grease to clean it is gonna be EXPENSIVE.
Finally got pictures of my 55, here they are. The larger of the two fish is a longear sunfish. The smaller one is a green sunfish. Both were caught from a nearby creek and have grown to about 4 times the size they were originally. The green is a little torn up from the longear harassing him when they were smaller, but the green has finally gotten large enough to hold his own, even though he is smaller he is a lot meaner.
Finally got pictures of my 55, here they are. The larger of the two fish is a longear sunfish. The smaller one is a green sunfish. Both were caught from a nearby creek and have grown to about 4 times the size they were originally. The green is a little torn up from the longear harassing him when they were smaller, but the green has finally gotten large enough to hold his own, even though he is smaller he is a lot meaner.
Tony
Staff member
You are correct, the tank is nasty. It has VHO lights on it, and the wiring caught on fire. Instead of fixing it, he just left it. The tank was low because of evaporation lol. That will tell you just how long it's been sitting with no water flow.
As for the cost, it's not going to cost me anything but a gallon of vinegar. The tank will mostly clean up with simple razor blades. The salt creep that is on it will wash of with the water hose. The back over flow box will be the hardest to clean, but it will get done. So total cost will be about $5 to clean the tank.
We are trying to figure out where we are going ot put it. We did not anticipate getting a tank that was this heavy, but it is what it is. I do want to replace the sump, so that is something I can buy, then sell the old one. I hate bio-balls and this sump has them. I want a refugium to grow macro algae and keep the nitrates under control. The sump is going to run me about $400 for the one I want. Not too bad when you see it lol.
I will also need to get some lights and that is going to be about $500 to reach the depth of this tank. It's 38" deep and it takes a LOT of light to get down that low with any intensity. I'm really thinking about going with LED's this time and not the T5's that I have used in the past. So I have a long way to go on it, it just takes a bit of time.
and your tank looks really good. You should have talked to my wife about putting real plants in there lol. I have a strong feeling I will still be setting up my 55g as a planted fresh water tank. I hate freshwater lol.
As for the cost, it's not going to cost me anything but a gallon of vinegar. The tank will mostly clean up with simple razor blades. The salt creep that is on it will wash of with the water hose. The back over flow box will be the hardest to clean, but it will get done. So total cost will be about $5 to clean the tank.
We are trying to figure out where we are going ot put it. We did not anticipate getting a tank that was this heavy, but it is what it is. I do want to replace the sump, so that is something I can buy, then sell the old one. I hate bio-balls and this sump has them. I want a refugium to grow macro algae and keep the nitrates under control. The sump is going to run me about $400 for the one I want. Not too bad when you see it lol.
I will also need to get some lights and that is going to be about $500 to reach the depth of this tank. It's 38" deep and it takes a LOT of light to get down that low with any intensity. I'm really thinking about going with LED's this time and not the T5's that I have used in the past. So I have a long way to go on it, it just takes a bit of time.
and your tank looks really good. You should have talked to my wife about putting real plants in there lol. I have a strong feeling I will still be setting up my 55g as a planted fresh water tank. I hate freshwater lol.
callsign4223
Staff member
Ya, I wasn't talking money expensive, more time and effort expensive on the cleaning.
I'm not sure that real plants would survive these two. They think everything is food. Kid dropped in a small piece of plastic from a toy, never saw it after the big one inhaled it. I tried to put some minnows in the tank cause it looks a little empty just with these two. They looked cool when they were schooling. Unfortunately, I forgot to feed the big boys for a day, and then there were no more minnows, and the big boys wouldn't eat their pellets for a few days. Just sat in there giving me dirty looks and saying in their little bubble voices "WE WANT MORE MINNOWS !!!!!". It is fun to catch a cricket on the porch and toss it in though, they love those suckers like no other.
I'm not sure that real plants would survive these two. They think everything is food. Kid dropped in a small piece of plastic from a toy, never saw it after the big one inhaled it. I tried to put some minnows in the tank cause it looks a little empty just with these two. They looked cool when they were schooling. Unfortunately, I forgot to feed the big boys for a day, and then there were no more minnows, and the big boys wouldn't eat their pellets for a few days. Just sat in there giving me dirty looks and saying in their little bubble voices "WE WANT MORE MINNOWS !!!!!". It is fun to catch a cricket on the porch and toss it in though, they love those suckers like no other.
Tony
Staff member
Yeah, they look as if they could be pretty aggressive. I think you should start up a saltwater tank. Even if it's just a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) tank. They are great to look at and play with (all of the wiring and plumbing, for me anyway lol).
We are trying to figure out what lights to put on this tank. I know with the depth of this tank (38") I will need something pretty intense to reach the bottom with the right PAR rating. I'm pretty sure that T5HO's will not work for coral so we are now left with LED's or Metal Halides. They will both cost about the same and I think the LED's are going to win out. They don't get as not, they don't heat up the tank water and they use far less energy. Not to mention I don't have to change the bulbs for the life of the light whereas with T5's or Halides I will have to change them every 6 months or 10 months respectively.
And this is on top of the sand, salt, power heads, sump, return pump and so on. Yes, the tank came with everything less the salt, but I would feel much better going with new stuff. I do still need to test everything. Hell the tank is still sitting in the back of my truck lmao.
We are trying to figure out what lights to put on this tank. I know with the depth of this tank (38") I will need something pretty intense to reach the bottom with the right PAR rating. I'm pretty sure that T5HO's will not work for coral so we are now left with LED's or Metal Halides. They will both cost about the same and I think the LED's are going to win out. They don't get as not, they don't heat up the tank water and they use far less energy. Not to mention I don't have to change the bulbs for the life of the light whereas with T5's or Halides I will have to change them every 6 months or 10 months respectively.
And this is on top of the sand, salt, power heads, sump, return pump and so on. Yes, the tank came with everything less the salt, but I would feel much better going with new stuff. I do still need to test everything. Hell the tank is still sitting in the back of my truck lmao.
Tony
Staff member
Well after recuperating from getting this tank down from a second story apartment, I decided to do a few things to it today. I woke up a little early and sucked down a cup of coffee to gain a little energy then went out side to unload the tank stand and canopy, not in that order lol. I first took the canopy off and took it in side the house. Then, decided to unload the stand. This was interesting since the sump still had water in it where we drained the over flow in the tank before we moved it. So I had to get the stand down, turn the sump upright just so I could get it out of the stand and took the stand in the house with the sump.
The final thing I was wanting to get out of the truck was the tank. The tank is 48" long, 18" deep and 30" tall and is made out of 7/16" glass all the way around. Yes it's heavy to say the least lol. Somehow I was able to get it out of the truck and on the ground. I think I left a nad out there now that I think about it
.
This tank had sat for so long that everything in teh sand bed had died. The smell was horrible! thankfully we pulled the truck right to the water hose and I flushed most of the detritus out of the sand. However using freshwater to flush the sand will kill off anything else that was living in there. So I decided to just remove the sand and purchase 80lbs of new sand to put in it. Once I looked at the tank, I realized there was only about 20lbs of sand in this tank. NOT EVEN CLOSE to what this tank needed.
After flushing out the sand bed that was in it, I took into the house (where I left my other nad lmao) and the wife and I took the razor blades after the tank. This thing actually cleaned up really well and will look great once I get the right light on it. Right now it's still sitting in the floor since we have to move some book shelves to place it. I think this will be a great tank once we get all of the old coralline algae off of the over flow.
I'm still looking for a bigger sump but I will just have to deal with what I have for now. Eventually I will put a 40-50g sump it in with a refugium and some macro algae. It's taking some time, but it's getting there.
The final thing I was wanting to get out of the truck was the tank. The tank is 48" long, 18" deep and 30" tall and is made out of 7/16" glass all the way around. Yes it's heavy to say the least lol. Somehow I was able to get it out of the truck and on the ground. I think I left a nad out there now that I think about it
. This tank had sat for so long that everything in teh sand bed had died. The smell was horrible! thankfully we pulled the truck right to the water hose and I flushed most of the detritus out of the sand. However using freshwater to flush the sand will kill off anything else that was living in there. So I decided to just remove the sand and purchase 80lbs of new sand to put in it. Once I looked at the tank, I realized there was only about 20lbs of sand in this tank. NOT EVEN CLOSE to what this tank needed.
After flushing out the sand bed that was in it, I took into the house (where I left my other nad lmao) and the wife and I took the razor blades after the tank. This thing actually cleaned up really well and will look great once I get the right light on it. Right now it's still sitting in the floor since we have to move some book shelves to place it. I think this will be a great tank once we get all of the old coralline algae off of the over flow.
I'm still looking for a bigger sump but I will just have to deal with what I have for now. Eventually I will put a 40-50g sump it in with a refugium and some macro algae. It's taking some time, but it's getting there.
callsign4223
Staff member
MORE PICS!!!!!!!!
This needs to be documented just like a build!
This needs to be documented just like a build!
Tony
Staff member
lmao. We just now got the tank where we are going to put it to gauge placement. still needs some cleaning but that should not be too hard to do. We also need to clean all of the salt creep off of the stand and canopy. I will get more pics when we start adding the salt and water, then the sand and finally the rock. The tank will go through quite a change after the rock is put in there. It will turn all kinds of nasty colors lol.
I did check the main return pump today and it's working just fine. I still need to take it apart and clean out the impeller to improve the flow. I did mean to take a picture of where it is placed now, but ran out of time before I came to work. I will see if I can get one when I get home in the morning.
I did check the main return pump today and it's working just fine. I still need to take it apart and clean out the impeller to improve the flow. I did mean to take a picture of where it is placed now, but ran out of time before I came to work. I will see if I can get one when I get home in the morning.
callsign4223
Staff member
GABA jr here, talking all sorts of stuff with no proof
;p
;p
callsign4223
Staff member
How long did it take to get that grass cutting video????
Tony
Staff member
Haters... hahaha.
- - - Updated - - -
I did get a little more done today. When I woke up, I checked the internet to see where my shipments were. The large (160lb) shipment was supposed to be here tomorrow but it said it was delivered already??? So I opened the door and there was nothing in my entry... Crap, maybe he dropped it off with one of my neighbors that hates me lol. so I walk out side and there were 3 boxes next to the door. I guess my dog scared him lmao. The 60lb box was my salt, and there were two 40lb boxes with live sand.
I brought them inside, bad back and all, and started opening boxes to check on them. The salt was fine, the first sand bag was fine, but the second bag was busted open. I made one call and there is yet another 40lb bag of sand on it's way. So I will have 120lb's of sand in this 110g tank.
the funny thing about this is I have another box still on it's way. It has my two Hydor power heads in it, new pads for my mag floats and a test kit so I can keep an eye on the levels in the tank. It came from WI straight to Dallas. They went too far lmao. That is where it sits now. I will either get it tomorrow or Saturday. Once I get that, I can put the salt in the tank and fill it up with some water. Once the salt is dissolved I can put the sand in there and get my rocks in there for the tank to cycle.
It's coming along though. I did clean up some of the salt from under the aquarium today. But my back is just killing me from all of this moving. so I had to give up until later. I figure I will kill my back tomorrow and have a couple days to recover on my days off. I was going to get some pics of the tank, but it was dark and I ran out of time before I could get one before I had to run to work.
I do have to run up to Moore and pick up a new sump when I get off work in the morning. It's 6" longer and we are going to put in a baffle so I can run a refugium in the sump. This will help out teh tank a lot. Once I get that, then all I need is a skimmer and my LED lights. That is only about $1200 worth of stuff lmao.
- - - Updated - - -
I did get a little more done today. When I woke up, I checked the internet to see where my shipments were. The large (160lb) shipment was supposed to be here tomorrow but it said it was delivered already??? So I opened the door and there was nothing in my entry... Crap, maybe he dropped it off with one of my neighbors that hates me lol. so I walk out side and there were 3 boxes next to the door. I guess my dog scared him lmao. The 60lb box was my salt, and there were two 40lb boxes with live sand.
I brought them inside, bad back and all, and started opening boxes to check on them. The salt was fine, the first sand bag was fine, but the second bag was busted open. I made one call and there is yet another 40lb bag of sand on it's way. So I will have 120lb's of sand in this 110g tank.
the funny thing about this is I have another box still on it's way. It has my two Hydor power heads in it, new pads for my mag floats and a test kit so I can keep an eye on the levels in the tank. It came from WI straight to Dallas. They went too far lmao. That is where it sits now. I will either get it tomorrow or Saturday. Once I get that, I can put the salt in the tank and fill it up with some water. Once the salt is dissolved I can put the sand in there and get my rocks in there for the tank to cycle.
It's coming along though. I did clean up some of the salt from under the aquarium today. But my back is just killing me from all of this moving. so I had to give up until later. I figure I will kill my back tomorrow and have a couple days to recover on my days off. I was going to get some pics of the tank, but it was dark and I ran out of time before I could get one before I had to run to work.
I do have to run up to Moore and pick up a new sump when I get off work in the morning. It's 6" longer and we are going to put in a baffle so I can run a refugium in the sump. This will help out teh tank a lot. Once I get that, then all I need is a skimmer and my LED lights. That is only about $1200 worth of stuff lmao.
Tony
Staff member
Moving along slowly but surely. Tank finally cleared up from the sand and the rocks are now put in the tank. However this will no be a 110g tank come next weekend. The wife and I have decided to order a new 90g tank with the over flow in the center of the back and not the corner. It will be here Wednesday. We did weigh the rock before putting it in the tank, and with it day it weighed 120lbs. That is over $700 worth of rock.
so why am I having to change over to the 90 from the 110? because the 90 I can actually reach the bottom without going swimming. It's only 24" high vs 30" on the 110. It will also look more full. However this is not the main reason. the main reason is because the center brace on the 110 is broke and when we filled it up with water it separated the brace by 1/2". That was a bowing effect on teh 7/16" glass of 1/4" on the front and back panel. I did make some braces for the tank and I did pick up a new brace for the top to replace it, but the seals on the tank are pure crap and need to be replaced. I did pick up some silicone to reseal this tank, but I think I will just sell it and keep the 90 when it's done.
So that is where i am right now. Rock and sand is cycling, the ammonia is starting to come up and when we change over to the 90 we will be doing a very large water change. I will need to order some more salt and once the ammonia breaks down into nitrites and finally into nitrates, then I will be able to put a few fish in it to help it along a little faster. After that I will have no choice but to order my lights and then it's game on. But I don't think that will happen for a long time. So we will be starring at rocks and a couple fish for a few months after all of this.
And for you haters, here is the pic after I put the rock in. This is not the final placement of the rock, I just needed to get it started. It will look much better once I get proper placement and lighting.
so why am I having to change over to the 90 from the 110? because the 90 I can actually reach the bottom without going swimming. It's only 24" high vs 30" on the 110. It will also look more full. However this is not the main reason. the main reason is because the center brace on the 110 is broke and when we filled it up with water it separated the brace by 1/2". That was a bowing effect on teh 7/16" glass of 1/4" on the front and back panel. I did make some braces for the tank and I did pick up a new brace for the top to replace it, but the seals on the tank are pure crap and need to be replaced. I did pick up some silicone to reseal this tank, but I think I will just sell it and keep the 90 when it's done.
So that is where i am right now. Rock and sand is cycling, the ammonia is starting to come up and when we change over to the 90 we will be doing a very large water change. I will need to order some more salt and once the ammonia breaks down into nitrites and finally into nitrates, then I will be able to put a few fish in it to help it along a little faster. After that I will have no choice but to order my lights and then it's game on. But I don't think that will happen for a long time. So we will be starring at rocks and a couple fish for a few months after all of this.
And for you haters, here is the pic after I put the rock in. This is not the final placement of the rock, I just needed to get it started. It will look much better once I get proper placement and lighting.
Whirlybird
Member
Don't forget the RC Sub 
callsign4223
Staff member
Looking good, doesn't look so nasty anymore. Sucks about the problems with the 110 though.