Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[jsmith]

Full picture of 1 of the boxes on my coffee table (pink underneath is the foam I used between my stand and tank). The next two are the same, just one side of the table and the next, you can see where they overlap. Tomorrow I will do the same with the "damaged" box.

Whatcha think of this base rock?

I think tshat looks like great baserock

 

[Buffy]

I like it. Should I rinse it off so ro/di or can I use tap?

 

[carey]

I just rinsed in regular water. And yeah, their rock is awesome! I've seen some poor base rock but this stuff looks really good.

 

[Buffy]

K thanks. I'm gonna post pictures of the other box after I get home. I borrowed a tds meter from here til I get one ordered. Gonna test my tap water see what shows up.

 

[Ricksreef]

I like it. Should I rinse it off so ro/di or can I use tap?

It is always better to rinse with the Ro/di if available.

 

[Buffy]

It is always better to rinse with the Ro/di if available.

I think I'll use RO.


Sorry bout not posting pictures of the 2nd box of base rock. Got my plumber's putty tonite, and an expensive submersible pump to get me til I can order.

Yay!!!!!!!!! Adapter for RO/DI came in today!!! But Booooooo.......Hard week. Base Rock is still on coffee table, splitting headache and gonna laydown. Hoping I can nap then get started putting the new faucet in so I can start making RO/DI, rinse rock and put in tank and start a cycle. Oh and use my borrowed TDS Meter to see the before and after

 

[Buffy]

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! my adapter for the new faucet I bought FITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't hook up yet, have issue with removing drain pipe... Check thread in Equipment (I think that's where I put it).

Going to granddaughters bday (6 years old) party then coming home and getting this done. I hope there are some tricks people post in the other thread so I can get moving on my tank.

 

[Buffy]

Update:

Still fighting with sink drain, sooo my tank is on hold, and rock is still on coffee table.

 

[Greenmaster]

Still no pictures of the second box?

 

[Buffy]

Still no pictures of the second box?

No sorry, gonna get to that now. Been so busy with work/b'day party and stupid sink.

Good news...finally got drain off bout midnite. Was too tired to attach new sink/drain, gonna finish attaching new faucet/drain today.

 

[Buffy]

2nd box Base Rock Pics

This is from the damaged box.

 

[carey]

Save the rubble. You will eventually have a need for it.

I saved a bag of it and put some in my refugium, some in my pico and the rest i plan on attaching corals to. very handy to have

 

[Buffy]

k. As you can see from the picture, the rock was definitely tossed around. The bottom row/s in the table picture are pretty small. Bottom of box picture doesn't do it justice, there's alot in there. From the looks of the pieces on the table and in the box.....I could tell they were "freshly" broke.

I'm not worried bout that too much as I'm sure I will find uses for them. But 2 questions.

Does the rock in the 2 different boxes appear the same?
What size is considered "rubble"?

Thanks

 

[carey]

To me, the rock looks the same. i consider rubble anything that can fit in my hand. lol

Did you buy the 50lb box and then buy some by the lb? Cause it's all the same rock, just more expensive if you buy it by the lb.

 

[Buffy]

To me, the rock looks the same. i consider rubble anything that can fit in my hand. lol

Did you buy the 50lb box and then buy some by the lb? Cause it's all the same rock, just more expensive if you buy it by the lb.

Yes that's what I did. The pictures looked different. So I thought it was shaped different. I bought the 50lb box and then bought 50lb by the lb. So that's whylol lesson learned.

 

[Buffy]

@Carey....Sorry bout your fishie too, didn't post anything cause didn't know what to say. No experience to help.

 

[carey]

@Carey....Sorry bout your fishie too, didn't post anything cause didn't know what to say. No experience to help.

It's ok. I still don't really know what to say either. :-(

I was at the point one part of yesterday where I was considering giving it all up. Silly thought, but I just don't believe he died.

 

[Buffy]

While reading your posts, you mentioned bout wishing you had the rock against the back wall. I've read we shouldn't do that. But after reading your posts am wondering why not. I would think that it's space that can't be seen and would give more room in the front plus fishies wouldn't get stuck back there, besides how do you clean a small length like that.

Also if it rested against back wall, tumbling against it and breaking the glass would be no worries then. My kids said. "you gonna put all that in the tank" I said yep, but have been unsure how to do it WITHOUT getting it on walls AND leaving space for cleaning.

So now question to all:

Your ideas on placing rock against back wall or not and why please?

 

[Smitty]

I am just now setting up my tank and I do have a lot of rock resting along the back wall. I'm never going to be able to clean it anyway so didn't see the point in giving a space. I've seen a LOT of tanks that are set up the same way as well and don't see any problems with it. I did make sure my bottom pieces were firmly touching the bottom glass though to make sure they didn't shift.

I did leave room along the sides and front for cleaning.

 

[Buffy]

I am just now setting up my tank and I do have a lot of rock resting along the back wall. I'm never going to be able to clean it anyway so didn't see the point in giving a space. I've seen a LOT of tanks that are set up the same way as well and don't see any problems with it. I did make sure my bottom pieces were firmly touching the bottom glass though to make sure they didn't shift.

I did leave room along the sides and front for cleaning.

I've seen both ways also, and all I want is to clean sides and front too. I don't want to damage tank or anything, but I also have short arms and need to use a step stool to reach in my tank so I don't want to clean or have anything I can't get to back there (sorry Carey-I'm kinda nervous cause of your fishie) so I want to "block" back there.