Just for My Fishtank.net

KcMopar

KcMopar

Superstar Fish
#21
May 11, 2011
1,854
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Louisiana
www.americanhotrodsolutions.com
#21
Sounds like you did a lot today. I made my own water heater(s) today with water heater elements bought from Lowes. I have a water reserve setup with a couple tanks that sit outside which are powered by a well pump. It does get a little cool down here in the south so I need to heat the water a bit before I fill my tanks after vacuuming the gravel for a water change. I am NOW able to get 60 gallons of water heated to 84+ degrees when the outside temp is 50 degrees. Its usually not really TO cold here so this is going to be great!!!!!!!!!! I even built a new LED enclosure for my scrubber too!!
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#22
Dec 21, 2008
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#22
Well, I guess this is an update of sorts, nothing done on the build but I did spend some money today. Went to the LFS and picked up new filters for the RO/DI water filter. Premium Aquatics got a nice order. Dosing pump hose holder, magnet probe holder, 5 bags of Tropic Eden Reeflakes Aragonite sand. Everything else on the order was water test kits, and med's for the quarantine tank. Tried to make a order to Bulk Reef supply, but couldn't. Wanted to order Magnesium, calcium, Akl for the dosing pump, all three were in stock but the 1/4 inch netting for the display tank and the quarantine tank wasn't, will wait till it is before I make that order. Almost forgot, ordered my third AI LED light, a 20g long tank for the quarantine tank.
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#24
Dec 21, 2008
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#24
At a cross roads on which tank to choose and from which vendor. I can get a standard type tank from DSA Aquariums or Miracles Aquariums 48x30x25 Euro Braced, Internal Overflow box centered on the back panel of the tank. Price for the tank from Miracles is around $200 to $300 more than DSA tank. Or I can buy this tank from Miracles, which I really like, kinda my dream tank, want ya'lls thoughts on this tank. Either of the standard tanks from either company, I can order today. My dream tank, might cause me to have to save for the tank a bit longer. Is my dream tank a better tank design and worth waiting a bit longer for or should I go ahead and get the standard tank?

 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#26
Dec 21, 2008
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#26
Well, the tank has been ordered :( not the one above. The tank above wouldn't work out for me, I forgot about the light rack, I couldn't use it if the tank had an external overflow box. I ordered the tank from DSA ( Deep Sea Aquatics) have no idea how long it will take to come in. I do have a question though. I have 5 bags of sand coming, I thinks its like 30 pounds per bag. Someone told me that when it comes in, I should wash each bag of sand with the garden hose till the water runs clean, then take the sand put it in tubs and fill with RO water and then each day stir the sand and replace all of the RO water with fresh RO water. Good advice or Bad??
 

KcMopar

KcMopar

Superstar Fish
#27
May 11, 2011
1,854
1
0
Louisiana
www.americanhotrodsolutions.com
#27
Thats good advice. The problem with sand is its so hard to clean 100% The last two SW tanks I set-up I washed the sand with water from the hose then rinsed it with RO/DI water. I have not seen any bad effects from this yet. Every other time I have done like the advice above and had the same results as this time so far. I know I was risking an algae problem but with all the silica in sand anyway I figured it couldn't be to much of a gamble.
If you have the time and RO water I advise the thorough cleaning.
I never even thought about your light rack not working with that tank. Its good you realized that before you bought it and found out later. Either way its going to be spectacular!!
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#29
Dec 21, 2008
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#29
UPS Driver stopped by the house last nite *thumbsups Recived the 5 bags of sand, 2 boxes 400 gallons of salt, Probe holder, holder for the dosing pump hoses, watertest kits, and the meds for the qurantine tank. Guess I will spend my Super Bowl Sunday washing sand :rolleyes: Pretty much finished mounting everything in the stand last nite except for the manifold and the Vortech pump controls. Tell you what, the tank will be 48x30x25, I made the stand 6 ft long so that I would have the extra space for all of the equipment, I am running out of room quick. If I had just made the stand big enough for the tank, no way to fit everything in there and still beable to get in there to work. The sump and the Top Off tank, both wouldn't have fit under there, much less everything else.
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#31
Dec 21, 2008
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#31
I got the sand washed and soaking in two different tubs, will stir it in the morning and replace the RO water. Guess that will be my plan every day till the sand goes into the tank. Someone told me that the sand will leach out phosphates into the RO water that is the reason the water needs to be changed on a daily basis, any truth to this? Got everything mounted under the tank today, everything I can do till the tank get here so I can hook up to the drain and return lines., then hope there aren't any leaks :) Also ordered a PH probe this morning.
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#33
Dec 21, 2008
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#33
Didn't do any work on the tank tonight, tired from work. Did get a package from BRS today though :) got the Calcium, ALK , Magnesium for the dosing pump and also got the netting for the display tank and the quarantine tank, this week ends project. Went to the LFS and picked up my third AI LED light, a 29 gallon quarantine tank and a Aqua Clear 40 to 70 gallon HOB filter, also paid the bill for the new display tank. The down side, was told the tank will ship out next Wednesday the 15th but most likely won't get here till 3 or 4 days later. The plus side, have another order from Premium Aquatics coming tomorrow, the day after that, another order from BRS. Also went to Lowes this morning, picked up some Velcro strips to mount the MP40 controls and a bit to drill a hole in the back of the stand to run my power strip from the stand to the plug, another project for this week end. So, I do still have a few more things to do before the tank gets here. Almost there though :)
 

KcMopar

KcMopar

Superstar Fish
#34
May 11, 2011
1,854
1
0
Louisiana
www.americanhotrodsolutions.com
#34
Sounds like we will both be doing some Fish projects this weekend. I got some acrylic boxes coming so I can build a couple algae scrubbers this weekend. I am also going to arrange my cabinet so I can put some pre mixed jugs of Calcium chloride, Calcium hydroxide, Magnesium sulfate, and sodium bicarbonate. I am getting those jugs for camping that can be vented at the top and have a valve at the bottom to dispense with. I think this will be much more convenient then the five gallon buckets I am using now. This way I can quickly fill my dosing containers and top off. Anyway I hope it makes it easier, one of these days I will get one of those auto dosing and top off deals with the controller.
If its of consequence I found a cheap source for calcium chloride at the local pool place, 10 pounds for less then 18 bucks out the door.
Well good luck on your project this weekend, have a good one.
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#37
Dec 21, 2008
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#37
*SICK* LOL Just wish I knew how to use all that equipment. Have a friend that is going to try and get me up to speed on the controller, just hope its not going to be over my head.
 

KcMopar

KcMopar

Superstar Fish
#38
May 11, 2011
1,854
1
0
Louisiana
www.americanhotrodsolutions.com
#38
It looks a little daunting to me just because of the trial and ERROR!! I do not mind learning new things but learning usually involves a little error when it comes to tank stuff. I would be the nervous nilly and use up my tests kits daily LOL, until it was dialed in. I think when I do the auto thing I would like all my tanks except and a small QT on a common community water system this way I can just dose one water source that would feed all of the tanks.
I am sure you will have a grip on it in no time at all. Obviously you are a hands on type of guy so once you get it running it will all come together.
 

S

strout

Superstar Fish
#39
Dec 21, 2008
1,009
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#39
One thing I forgot to mention, and you would only want to do this with someone you really trusted. The friend that is going to help me with the controller, he is a computer nut, he can link my controller to his computer, don't ask me how I haven't:eek: a clue. If I have something I want to change in the controller, I can call him and he can watch me do it, to make sure I do it right, ain't that cool.*SUNSMILE*
 

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