90 to 125 upgrade

[artur]

So it is time to start. I know maybe it is not a lot of difference in water volume, but I love 6 ft. tanks. But it is a lot of work ahead of me. It is tuesday evening. On wednesday morning i will start the stand. Later, I will take everything apart. Brake down this stand <part of the wall>. Clean everything and prepare for next day. I will have to clean and tape walls. My new stand will be free standing. This stand sits on tile, my new stand is 2 ft. longer and it will go over the carpet. Next month i will replace carpet with floating floor. But now i need to build 2 feet into a carpet tile floor just under stand so it is strait tile line for the tank. And that floating floor will go around stand. I plan to move back and run new on saturday - the latest. So this is my question for you. Live rock <around 100 pounds> and fishes < yellow, hippo tangs, maroon clown,flame angel, midas blenny, strawberry dottyback will go to 55 gal with, maybe, skimmer, 2 power heads with water from display tank, mandarin and small frags, crocea clam will go to my 20 gal. QT fully cycled running for the last 3 months with some live rock if still be some place i put there some corals. Big corals will go to 20 gal. plastic bin with just power heads and old water. You think everything will survive till saturday with almost no light. It will be like 3 days. What you guys think? God please help me!!!!!!!!!

 

[SeverumGuy]

The coral is my main concern with no light. It might not die, but will look bad and might take a little while to recover. If there's any way you can put some light on it that'd be great. I'm with you though. I love 6ft tanks. I have a 55g right now, and I'd love to upgrade to one, but right now I'm not in a permanent location (still with my parents for a little while) and I'm in no way financially able to upgrade that big right now (other things I wanna take care of first). Although I have FW and not SW.

 

[SeverumGuy]

Really pretty setup by the way

 

[artur]

O.K. Five hours of work and couple trips to Menards and stand is done. Later in the evening i will put stain and varnish. Trim and doors can wait till next week . Now lunch and start to move livestock and tear old stand apart.

 

[Jimbo7]

That crocea will suffer the most. I have an extra 70w Viper K-2 that you can borrow till saturday if you want to put over that 20g. I'm in hoffman estates/schaumburg, LMK.

 

[artur]

That crocea will suffer the most. I have an extra 70w Viper K-2 that you can borrow till saturday if you want to put over that 20g. I'm in hoffman estates/schaumburg, LMK.

Thanks but i put corals with fishes and live rock in 55 gal. and i can run my t5 and MH for couple hours. Maybe they survive.

 

[artur]

It is 11 pm and I'm dead. Today I did a stand, moved everything from 90 gal. and took apart stand. It does not look good. I will do some drywall and tile work tommorow. Tank coming tommorow evening, I should be ready. Three questions for you guys. 1. Should I use old sand? Have 2 5 gal. buckets. Or just around 30% to seed bacteria.2. I asked before should I use foam like Larry between frame and 2/4. 3.I think is the good idea to use egg create on the bottom of the tank so live rock if slips it does not touch directly glass. I think egg create is saltwater save. What do you guys think????? Please let me know...

 

[mdaniel2882]

It is 11 pm and I'm dead. Today I did a stand, moved everything from 90 gal. and took apart stand. It does not look good. I will do some drywall and tile work tommorow. Tank coming tommorow evening, I should be ready. Three questions for you guys. 1. Should I use old sand? Have 2 5 gal. buckets. Or just around 30% to seed bacteria.2. I asked before should I use foam like Larry between frame and 2/4. 3.I think is the good idea to use egg create on the bottom of the tank so live rock if slips it does not touch directly glass. I think egg create is saltwater save. What do you guys think????? Please let me know...

1. Yes use the sand. Are you going to add anymore? you will probably see a diatom bloom it it is a significant amount
2. Only if the take is acrylic. glass tanks are made to be supported by the edges.
3. Eggcrate will work on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Jimbo7]

1. No, do not use the sand. You can use a couple handfuls off the top to seed the bacteria, but there is a lot of nasty crap that accumulated in the sand after awhile. If you have enough fresh SW to rinse it all through, then you'll probably be fine. Otherwise, don't.
2. No foam, use some shims if you need to level the tank.
3. Eggcrate works really well if you do eggcrate first, secure the rock to it with some putty, then put sand over it.

 

[thuffman03]

That looks like a lot of work. WOW. Though I too also like 6' tanks and it should look great when you are done!

 

[artur]

O.K. It is almost midnight. 15 hours of work. Stand ant tank in place. Looks huge. Tommorow I will try to do a plumbing and put all livestock to new tank. They still look o.k in their temporary homes. I have to buy new sand and eggcreate. Another busy day.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Looks really nice. I look forward to seeing it finished

 

[SnowZz]

im upgrading my 20g to a 55g right now and your making this look easy, very pleased will tag along +1

 

[artur]

My plan was to do plumbing today and put all livestock in the tank. But you never know...Yesterday my wife got stung me bee in her feet. Today her leg looked terrible. So swallow and dark brown. She was in so much pain. So she went to doctor, and i have to take care of my boy so my plans changed. All i could do was plumbing. Tommorow i check again make sure everything is tight and start put send and live rock, corals and fishes . Hope everything will go well. I hope those drain lines are o.k. they could be little shorter. Thanks guys.

 

[artur]

The drains go to sump and i stiil need to put pipes under plastc <around 5"> and filter sock. That how was my old set up. What do you guys think? Looks o.k.? No big mistakes??

 

[SeverumGuy]

Looks fine to me. When you get done you can come to my house and do one for me =D

 

[melosu58]

Looks pretty good to me. Great start.

 

[artur]

O well. Everything was going well until yesterday.I turn on the system and... I got a leak in both return lines. One just moisture but you can feel when you touch with your hand a little water second on the picture one drop every minute. System is on and I put like 50% livestock. Just set in the tank and still have to make display. Still havea lot of staff in my 20 gal QT under T5. I'm really depressed. I have to fix that leak but I'm not sure how. I tight nut , do not want to brake glass. I put some teflon tape too.It looks like it is coming from between nut and glass and nut and thread. The second problem is my pressure.That pump <Gen-X 40> was so strong and powerfull in my 90, now the water coming from the nozzles really slow it can not even move the surface. Have no idea what is wrong...< water goes from pump to chiller and i have check valve, tee and to two overflows. After 4 days hard work the end is not what I was expected. I don't know is something stock in pipes or check valve defected??? I'm so depressed...

 

[Mitchell0605]

Keep positive! It looks great so far! You get through!

 

[artur]

So on sunday I put rest of my corals in new tank. Yesterday and today I set all live rocks and corals in right place. So that how it looks. My camera is not so good. Looks pretty nice. I still did not fix thouse two issues. That leak is like 1 drop every half hour or longer. And that pressure I think is not right. Maybe somebody from Chicago area now some people who can help me???? I will look on internet try to find somebody. I still need to put some trim pieces and stain some, stain the doors to. Thanks for reading me thread.