Lessons Learned

It's running now. It doesn't vibrate much at all. However the dampener I made doesn't cut it. If I place a finger on the center of the pump and push down, the noise is cut to nearly silent.

I'm going to tie it down with wire and turnbuckles. When I'm done it will look good and be silent.

 

Here are some photos of what's going on.

After removing all the LR from the 90, I was able to snag the Tang with no stress. Here's the 55 with him and all the other livestock.



The wet/dry is in place with the external pump attached. It houses the skimmer and the reactor as a hang/on unit.





I wanted mechanical filtration again, and here it is.



I have only enough bio-balls in the bottom to deaden the dripping sound. It's silent.



I've taken Geek's advice (and my wife's) and I'm starting from scratch. Here's all my LR soaking in bleach-water. In a few days I'll put it back in the 90, with a bottle of some nitrifying bacteria product.

 

Thanks, man. Yes. I'm ruling EVERYTHING out. As far as I'm concerned, this is a new setup.

 

You said you are running only enough bio balls to keep it quiet. As I am thinking of taking the nitrate producers out myself did you ever have problems with them?

 

No. Not personally. I think if they're kept clean, they shouldn't be an issue.

 

I agree with Casey, coming along. You are evenually going to put everything back in the 90........right? Luna

 

Yes. Very soon. Right.

 

I should mention that after I removed the last LR from the 90, I was finally able to get the Powder Blue Tang out, and into the 55.

The day after he was put in the 55, I found him lying on the bottom, skeleton exposed, with a handful of voracious hermits ripping what was left to shreds. I have no idea what led to his demise. The 55 houses all my corals and remaining fish--2 Banggai Cardinals and my Percula clown. They're doing fine.

I should have just left him in the 90. I know Tangs are delicate fish. I so hate death in my tanks, but I'm sure everyone does. That was a $50 fish.

On a lighter note, I've removed the LR from the bleach water, and submerged them in 20 gallons of new RO/DI water to lose the bleach. Tonight, I'm about to remove them to yet another fresh 20 gallons of RO/DI water. I'll do that until there's no trace of bleach scent left on them.

Within a few days, the LR will be back in the 90. I'll pour in the bottle of bacteria I got sometime back, decide upon an appropriate ammonia source; and the cycle will commence.

Until then. .