Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[Buffy]

Youre definitely getting somewhere. This is generally the time I get most excited with my builds cause its where the action really happens.

Sounds like a nice night planned, do the grandkids know they are getting a fish tank yet? You did buy some for them didnt you on your grande shopping trip at petco?

Yes 1 knows, she's already picked out her gravel (freshwater), grandson I guess is going to get a "lizard" tank or something. 1 Granddaughter still too young. Other granddaughter has tank already.

kk Now update.

I got some RO/DI fixture to work using my outside spicket. Appears that ALL my inside faucets are slowing my pressures down too much. For now making ro on the deck is fine but not winter time. My house pressure is about 80 psi according to water company. I bought a PSI gauge and am going to measure all my connections to see what is what.

I've got a final rinse to do on my black sand, put that in and then put the rock in yay (Gosh I need energy).

Questions:

Can I go ahead and mix the salt in the tank this time since I've "started" over?

I have two AquaClear 50 powerheads. Everything is showing them as hang on but I see they are submersible with suction cups. I've read that I should place each one at the back of the tank and to the sides and try to direct the flow to the front center, is that correct? These nozzles don't appear to be adjustable so where I place it, it appears water will be directed from there. Suggestions?

Also, what the heck is the "air line and valve" on the AquaClear for?



Carey - I'm not a handy man or creative lol, I've just learned to try to jerryrigg cause I never had money. So I kept parts of anything that broke, in case I needed them. (P.S. case anyone hasn't figured out yet, I'm not a guy hehehe, I hate plumbing and homeowning crap, and I forget to have my oil in my auto changed, but I've no one to turn to (my dog just watches-won't help) so I have to try to fix stuff myself--and it takes me forever and numerous redo's and trips to store and more redo and don't forget LOTS OF CUSSING and smoking)

 

[Buffy]

Picture of contraption I made to find my water pressure

Since having problems making RO water, I was able to come up with a way to find out what my water pressures are in my house (I'm no plumber so please have a heart...this was all I could figure out). Yes I leaked out threads (was a temporary thing), I wasn't gonna use plumbers tape and all for a quick rig.

My outside hose connection shows 75psi.
My bathroom faucet shows 81 psi.

I have plenty of pressure for the RO/DI, no booster pump needed. So why can I make the design amount for a short time with my bathroom faucet then slows to a trickle? And why does it NOT seem to slow down but maintain from the outside hose connection (I did not run it long yet-but I had greater flow from outside so I knew flow would last longer)?

Any ideas?

 

[Buffy]

So I'm making water ever so slowly, am down to almost trickling again even with the outside faucet now. I do have a leak, in my DI canister. I contacted the company tonite and am waiting for reply. Don't know if that has anything to do with my flow output, it may since the leak is on the pure water side.

Maybe I'm just not meant to have an aquarium. :-(

 

[carey]

Now Buffy, don't start crazy talk! You have taken to this hobby like crazy so just keep plugging away/

If you bought from purewater I'm sure they can help you. Have you checked that all the hoses are pushed firmly into the connectors? And that there are no kinks in the line? Silly questions but you never know.

Can't waut to see this tank all filled up with the sand. You have worked so hard on it I bet it's gonna look spectacular

 

[Grizz]

Let me try clear things up for you think of the glass pane as a step ladder you hang the filter on that and lean it against the back wall of the tank slide a 1g freezer bag over the back of the filter to keep the motor dry What your doin is lowering the filter instead of raising the water level
Hope this helps cant do pics

 

[Buffy]

Now Buffy, don't start crazy talk! You have taken to this hobby like crazy so just keep plugging away/

If you bought from purewater I'm sure they can help you. Have you checked that all the hoses are pushed firmly into the connectors? And that there are no kinks in the line? Silly questions but you never know.

Can't waut to see this tank all filled up with the sand. You have worked so hard on it I bet it's gonna look spectacular

Another long one:

I got the black sand on top of the white last night. I like it (thought I know my critters will mix it around) Stayed up to 4:30 am AGAIN before I finally shut off water, my container is only 1/2 full and that's after 2 days of running when I'm home. I was gone yesterday for 4 hours. Slept for 3, and never mind, ran it alonggggggg time.

I contacted purewater, they are sending me a replacement DI section, all connections are tight. The leak is at the bottom blue cover of the DI section. I have it sitting in my lunch box to catch the water and keep emptying it. It started leaking last night. Before that I checked it and rechecked it for leaks and it wasn't leaking.

My incoming water pressure is 80-83 psi at all incoming points. Outside spickets and all 4 inside faucets (minus tub and shower lol). Like my 26 dollar pressure contraption? That took bout 3 1/2 hours to figure out (told ya I'm not a plumber)

Anyway, I got the rock, rinsed and dried on the living room floor and can't figure out how to place it, I want caves and tunnels and such WITHOUT using drilling or glue or rods. Have mixed feelings on back wall or not and how far down in sand to push the pieces and how much of each piece should come in contact with sand.

I looked at pictures for hours and hours and looked at mine, cause I saw alot of nice layouts and I just could not picture mine into anymore than rock sitting on my floor. So I sat staring at my rock and trying to picture something and my brain sees nothing.

Played with it, trying to set them on each other to form some of the shapes I saw and topple topple without seeing anything form

 

[Buffy]

Let me try clear things up for you think of the glass pane as a step ladder you hang the filter on that and lean it against the back wall of the tank slide a 1g freezer bag over the back of the filter to keep the motor dry What your doin is lowering the filter instead of raising the water level
Hope this helps cant do pics

Yes it makes perfect sense now, and I only had to read it 3 times this time LOL.

But if I do that my filter won't be vertical, it'll be slanted back, won't that be a problem. The bottom of it is almost touching the sand now.

I'm hoping to get the rock in today so I won't have to do that but will definitely keep it in mind for my other tanks.

 

[carey]

I never have any idea how my rock is gonna go when I put it in. Just load it in and start messing with it. I had a huge pile of rock just sitting in the 125g til I could figure out how I wanted it. And that was just by moving pieces around until it looked good to me. I also didnt use any silicone or rods to hold my rock, just lots of patience to make sure it is stable.

I would recommend putting your bottom pieces in as far down as the glass, just in case you get critters that like to dig, if it's not secure on the bottom then the whole formation could come down.

Youre doing good, albeit youre not sleeping, but youre making progress. cant wait to see what you come up with!

 

[Grizz]

As long as the water can flow out of the spillways your good I've been taging along from day one your doin great when it done you'll look back at this thread and say yes it was worth it

 

[Buffy]

Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to some color sometime lol. I've seen so many beautiful tanks that no way do I want to stop. I know there are gonna be obstacles but jeezzzzzzz so much friggin plumbing. Guess that's the case when working with water lol.

Off topic - Any recommendations of where to look for a BASIC lizard tank for a little boy, am gonna use one of the 10 gallon tanks I got.

Off topic - Tomorrow, I'm taking my other granddaughter shopping (6 years old) to finish her tank. Freshwater. Any good links to look at for her. Want basic also, good hearty fish so mama doesn't have alot to do, needs low maintenance.

Thanks.

"Tossing" in the rock now and see where it lands. Well wait, I'll put my light together so I can see, will take a pic of mess and post it. Will be power filter, heater, circ pump, sand and dirty looking water and glass.

 

[Buffy]

Quick question - how do I make any pieces smaller or flatter, I don't want to smash them but I may need some flatter ones from the looks of them for "shelves"?

 

[carey]

I've had to bust up a few pieces but not to make flatter ones. I asked last time I ordered for some flat pieces and I got a few. I wouldnt worry too much about creating flat pieces for corals, you will be sticking them in nooks and crannies as you go, at least thats what i do. LOL

 

[Grizz]

To me the flat rocks look odd 'Man Made' if you will. You can chip away some of the rock to flatten it,(hammer and screwdriver) were eye protection i scratched my cornia (sp) once drove me nuts felt like there was something in my eye for 3 weeks
Save any rubble as you'll find a use for it
For color i put pics of the fish i wanted on the back wall of my tank while it cycled my friends asked me are you drinking the water? lol

 

[Buffy]

@Grizz, that's funny lol. But hey I like the idea.

 

[Grizz]

It's been 7 yrs and i still have the pic of a hippo tang in the upper right corner Promised myself Nothing that was'nt captive bread. Come on ORA im still waiting hehe Even looks real

 

[Buffy]

Obstacle number (lost track), Lighting fixture help pleaseee

I bought this.

The legs that hold it on the tank don't fit right. Doesn't matter if screws are on outside or inside for this fixture. The width of the legs is 1 3/8". My Rim is 1 3/8" including inside lip. The fixture won't rest on the ledge because it isn't wide enough. Also only half the screw contacts the rim, not stable to me, should be full contact. When they were made, the 1 3/8" should be the inside measurement to accomodate the rim. So, is this a defect? I can't "spread" the legs (no pun intended lol) to fit over the rim because it's not flexible and would break. Also when I do set it on my tank, with light the lamp fixture is too short by bout 1/4" or so. I.E. Left side flush, right side is "inside" the tank and vicea versa. Enough that I'm scared that if my dog or grandkids run, the light fixture will fall in. If I center the light on the legs, then the leg ends are outside of the fixture and not "clicked" in.

I have vaulted ceilings and no I do not want open another can of worm to drill my ceiling and hang it. I got enough worms as it is that I could fish the pacific ocean. I like the feature of lifting it back.

Help please. I need this to be sturdy.

Thanks

 

[carey]

is this fixture for your 75 sw? You are going reef with it right?

Also, that light takes a special kind of bulb i believe, so you can't upgrade them and the ones that do fit aren't sw type bulbs....

Not to rain on your parade, I'm sorry....

 

[Grizz]

Yup Return it if it dont work dont chance it. if can happen it will.

 

[Buffy]

is this fixture for your 75 sw? You are going reef with it right?

Also, that light takes a special kind of bulb i believe, so you can't upgrade them and the ones that do fit aren't sw type bulbs....

Not to rain on your parade, I'm sorry....

Huh?????? Now I'm gonna cry, honestly are you serious?

Yes for my 75 Gal. Brand is Zoo Med and says to use with (6 different bulbs, but holds 2) so I bought 2 bulbs......a Zoo Med's T5 HO 54W Coral Sun Actinic 420 ("for optimum viewing pleasure of live fish and corals") and a Zoo Med's T5 HO Ocean Sun 10,000K ("for a more subdued "deepwater" tank effect").

No where on any of the 3 boxes does it say no saltwater, nor in the instructions sheet.

 

[Buffy]

too late crying. dang dang dang.