Magic Kiwi's Tank Journal Thread

[michika]

Originally Posted by Magickiwi

Yes, they are amazing. Too bad they don't wash themselves.

If only, if only.

[Magickiwi]

Big night last night for the set up of my large aquarium. Got most of it pieced back together, still a couple small items outstanding. The following was assembled last night:

- sump installed and hoses, pumps, overflow and return set up

- small cracks along the bottom of the sump where the main bulkhead meets the floor. I siliconed them inside the sump, I hope they won't leak...

- UV sterilizer installed on return from sump
- Dual media reactor and pump installed
- Protein skimmer installed (HOB)
- Heater and controller installed
- ATO unit set in position to be configured when system is wet
- MP40 unit installed, still need to position and configure the controller

Not bad for a guy that went home from work sick earlier in the day. For some reason I am taking a long time to get better...

Remaining items:
- hang light fixture and solder/install moonlight LEDs
- configure ATO when system is wet
- position and install MP40 controller
- configure protein skimmer when system is wet
- rock work! (this could take forever...)

I haven't touched the nano-cube set up yet, it's been a big job getting the large tank set up again. Will take pictures of the set up tonight when I get home.

[Dearth]

I stressed when I got my 33 gallon going was so much stuff to buy then when I started my 95 gallon I stressed again because so much stuff to buy again and learning how to make it all work.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of your tank

[Magickiwi]

Originally Posted by Dearth

I stressed when I got my 33 gallon going was so much stuff to buy then when I started my 95 gallon I stressed again because so much stuff to buy again and learning how to make it all work.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of your tank

If I had it to do from scratch again I'd probably just buy one of the larger all-in-ones like the RSM 250D or possibly even one of the smaller S series systems. I've spent enough on the larger aquarium that it would make it economical to do.

[Magickiwi]

Wow! Sick as a dog again this weekend but for some reason I couldn’t just sit and stare at an empty tank during my misery. I managed to set up the entire tank on Friday night and almost the entire day Saturday in between vomiting and napping.
Friday night:
- Completed rockwork and placed it in the aquarium on white egg crate (matches the sand better than the black)
- Installed heater in display tank (There wasn’t enough room in my sump with my very large circulation pump and small reactor pump)
- Heater controller was installed in cabinet
- Installed UV sterilizer in cabinet
- Installed dual media reactor in cabinet
Saturday:
- Ran plumbing for main sump, return pump (Quiet 6000), UV sterilizer, media reactor (Ehiem Universal 600)
- Installed media in reactor chambers (.8 Carbon in chamber 1, Phosban in reactor 2)
- Purigen and Coppersorb in sump
- Installed protein skimmer (HOB style, not as pretty but couldn’t fit one in sump)
- Mixed water and pumped into tank
- Pressure tested all plumbing, fixed one small drip on return but touch wood it all seems to be tight
- Started circulation pumps
- Started protein skimmer
- Started heater (500w heater brought water to temp overnight)
Sunday:
- Half dead by this time
- Tested water in the AM and ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=0, phosphate= not measurable by test kit
- Went to Gold’s looking for live rock but they didn’t have any pieces that were interesting to me so I went to Pieces and bough 20lbs of very well shaped rock with at least some coralline and remnants of leather corals, sponges, etc with the hope that some may come back
- Placed rock in tank
- Installed HQI bulbs in fixture and holy hell they are bright as the sun


Once again everything was done as a sprint so naturally the setup process has NO pictures. OCD > Me... This morning I did find a nice blue sponge that is attached to the LR I bought. Hopefully it survives

[Dearth]

Sounds like you had a very productive weekend despite the fact you you were busy trying to see your insides


When your done dying how about posting some pictures so we can ohh and ahh

[Magickiwi]

Originally Posted by Dearth

Sounds like you had a very productive weekend despite the fact you you were busy trying to see your insides


When your done dying how about posting some pictures so we can ohh and ahh

I thought I was going to see my shoelaces if I kept it up...

Will post a picture as soon as I can figure out how to share from Google+. The first one was a fluke lol.

[Magickiwi]

As promised here is one crappy camera phone picture. You can't see my DSLR off to the right side on a tripod. Will be looking forward to working my macro lens

Yes I do know the rock work looks like crap but I was TRYING for a natural reef look while maintaining lots of ledges, cracks, tunnels etc. More reminiscent of my recent trip to PVR. The two pieces on the far right are actually for my daughter's tank and will be removed in a few weeks.

Oh yeah, and you can see one of my dog's bum in this picture. He's just shaking his booty for you.

[michika]

Congrats on your second photo linking fluke! It looks good. Whats in the back left? A little bit glow-y in the corner?

Tell your dog he? she? needs a cameo from the front end.

[Dearth]

It's looking good