Two new 100 G starfire glassand tank and one 80G tank incomming

Yes i know but Concept are very good, and one good thing comes out of it. I'll be able to take my sump out if i need too from the front of the stand. Thats a plus otherwise it would of been impossible other than emptying the 150G and moving the whole thing...... much more practicle this way

 

good news Mud!

 

Sculptures are in

Well my sculptures are in the tank, while i'm waiting for my new sump. Since Concept has built me a new one and shipping it this week it should arrive next week. Its in 2 part; part one, drains and skimmer; 32"X19"X16" and the reactors and return module 18"X19"X16" . Both part will be loaded from the from of the stand which will be more practicle actually, if i have to change, sump in the future... Done at no extra cost since they'd build it and not tried it under the stand before sending it, they stood behind their service . Extremely good service with that company.

Well here's my finished sculptures, in the tank and backwalls






One reason i said in my videos about having your tank when you do your sculpture is to have a better sense of scale. Well here's a good example of this. As you can see the piece is stuck to the backwall. The sculpture is actually too big for the tank; still usable but i made it without the tank and could ajust the scale correctly. Because of that its off center, and pushed back. It would be more at home in a 30" wide tank rather tank a 24". I'm still using it and happy about it, but food for thought.







Because i didn't have the tank the height as also been miscalculated. The plexiglass has risen the piece; replacing the 1/2"pvc with 1" pvc as well . So now the sculpture will be partly out of the water . It doesn't compromise its use but changes ; the lighting, the waterflow expectations, and the stalactite position and lenght as a result.



I plan to have little crab climbing outside the water onto those selves, got to find the species that does that lol. Some sargasum can grow near the surface as well.




The stalactite will still look cool there.



The waterflow has to go throught this now eeewweww grrrrrrrr





Two inch of sand will cover the plexiglass and the feet of the support structure. One inch will be clear for water to flow through and under . A cave will be formed with corals positioned around the feet and the structure hiding most of it.


The 2 " sand covering the eggcrates will make these branch rise from the sea floor and stand on their own, one covered with green star polyp, the other with zoas and keeping the shape of the branch will make a stunning effect.





The refugium

 

Looking good Mud. I might take off the top two rocks, no? on top of the stair like structure. When are you thinking your tank will get wet? a couple weeks? You've gotten so much done. Great job!

 

Everything is held with cement and its going to stay like it is , lol . No kidding if i sell my place i sell it with the tanks, lol. As for the water, the air-exchanger is put in on dec 3-4 , so the water will go in on the 5, or 6th. That was the plan all along, because of the amount of humidity these generates. Besides i'm still waiting for that second sump so i can't finish the plumbing because the mesurements have change somewhat with the new sump. So got to wait. Yes i'm excited to and impatient , well not really , i'm anxious to see it done but it'll take the time it has too . I rather take my time than have to redo things a second time. That sculpture was almost too big because i started without the tank and look at the result almost didn't fit. So , i'm still happy with it, i've done the stalactite today, i'll finish it tomorrow, and post picture later. Beside i enjoy taking my time now, unlike the days i was working for the shipping company, always rushing and never taking my time and enjoying the moments. 27 years of almost killed me, litterally, you kno that.... So no i got all the time in the world now and the build up is the most fun actually in the set up. After that you just wait for stuff to grow.....the boring times, lol, or routines, really. Have a nice weekend.

 

Did the sand bed today

Did the sand bed today





















I thought the sand bed was too flat but i was told it wouldn't stay flat too long, with critters and waterflow going. And if i add a goby and a pistol shrimp anyway. I still have a few bags of sand if i want to add to it. My heat exchanger is due next week my second sump is not here yet but i'm told i still can put water in for a few days , get the system going it the humidity wont hurt anything. I can't finish the plumbing without the dam sump. I'll get the sump in a few days, then the heat and air exchanger dec 3, what to what to do... my smal fuge is full of bacteria , just have to transfer half the live rock and sand in there and the cycle is started.............decisions decisions

 

getting closer and closer Mud! I am really excited to see this system or I should say systems up and running. Such a unique concept and it's come together so well!

 

Thanks i'm getting impatient now lol , freaking out actually, lol waiting for that second sump they're making for me and i can't finish the plumbing without it grrrrrr. Dec 3 the heat exchanger is being put in dec 5 the water should be in , but man its been a long haul......Thanks for your support you've a friend.

 

Stormy day

During the snowstorm yesterday this was my doing, a bit of this a bit of that. I ended up with my hands full of glue anyway. Talked to the Concept guy my sump should be here next wednesday same day their installing my heat exchange unit.



No its not sewage plumbing, lol its my return line, my whole plumbing is black, i whent for the star Trek Borg look, the stands are black steel and their was no way i could hide any of the plumbing between the two tanks so why not make them part of the decor and go for a them like, so i when for it; The Borg have assimilated my fishroom and cat room. lol. Those are my cat stairs behind, so they can have their excersises.


The return line will have some weight to it so along the way i've braced it at different point, don't worry , its not harming the pipe i have a cushion between the harnest and the pipe.





Those little clamps are great , they hold 57Lb along the route of the line. By the way you see the little black tape between the clamp and the wall? Its a vibration absorbing membrane , to stop any vibration to radiate into the wall and to the rest of the condo.



This is the membrane i was talking about Sorbothane . Absorb 98% of all vibration i also put it into my sump under my pumps and skimmer. Cost $25 a sheet on Ebay. Impervious to oil, detergents water of any kind.




I've put a piece between every clamp or anything that hold a pipe conducting water.




I'll paint those hooks black later on, got to keep the Borg theme going, lol





Yes i want it to hold so i drilled every holes



Funny i found that their was a second resistance when i was drilling, never happened before couldn't understand why......This by the way is set up so i can unhook it and fill bukets, or my QT or other tanks. This is the Refugium feed to the 150G reef.





I got my answer as to why i felt a second resistance while drilling.....this is in my bedroom on the otherside, DAHHHH , HEY if you can't laugh at your self who will, life is too short to miss on that.I'm the first to laugh at you so...lol And when i'm great i'm the first to say so too lol i share my emotions, lol anyway thats easy to repair , i couldn't stop laughing when i closed my bedroom door that night lol.



Back to topic, the spout is directional hopfully it will work, lol. Got to find a way to remove the ink from the pipe.The gate valve gives me complete controle on the flow comming from the refugium. Eventually it'll drop in a 3" pipe that will be decorated with rubbles and foamed , inside will be special sheets of plastic where pods can multiply undisturbed, but a futur project.



Behind the fuge, the cats hallway, in the begining, all the tanks were on the opposite wall and this wall was for the cats exclusively, but the plan changed because the floor couldn't take 3 tanks on one side.





I glued these sucker good , i red that more was better.....If their's a leak i really don't know how to undo this really.... By the way you see now my hight tech early warning system for the cats. I call it the green sphere. Its compose of gree duranium and has at its core a plutonium bell tha gingle when the cats passes through, the sound is so awfull , it travels for light year around.......go a keep in character here lol.




The emergency drain, fuge.





The dripping has been taken care of, lol.





I finally put my toys in, as you can see they fit perfectly, specially the Tunze 6095 in the $20 wavebox, lol . The other 6095 will generate the current while the one in the box will make the wave by emptying the box in succession.




Inside the box, i hade to mesure the pump size on a glass to tell Concept Aquarium exactly how large and wide to accomodate the pump but also the magnets, the size of the hole. They nailed it!!!!



They black out the box, the only thing is either they forgot or they didn't think about it is the front toward the tank lol. but By the way to all the guys who helped me, i know how much more difficult it was to move and carry the tank with this box on the side, because we couldn't get a good grip on the dam thing because of it.



When i ordered my tank and Concept told me they did waveboxes in the overflow, i was surprise, and i asked them if they could make mine on the side, and they said sure, inside or outside. I couldn't beleive it. I was so happy , no need to camouflage it and no lost space in the tank, and for $20 instead of $ 600 . My only regret is not knowing more about wavebox at the time. The position its in now, i would asked that to put it right up front, but P. F., are great Guru , who i personnaly admire and think he'sone of are greatest asset in the hobby said it still going to work anyway.










The Tunze 6055 in the refugium is aiming straight at the separation screen hopfully it'll help in its cleaning and in moving water between the two sides. The 1" feeding buklhead right beside it.





Since i've blocked the side with a ceramic panel because of the sun(heat issue) the powerhead has to be put on the front glass. But the foot print is actually very small really. Tunzy 6055 as well on the seahorses side. The other side of the refugium will be for the Anglers.



My RODI mixing container for the moment, i'll have another mixing station later on. For now this 30 G fits perfectly in the corner.




Perspective look from the otherside of the room



My little fuge running for 2 months now, will seed my big system as soon as i get that sump.



All the equipment is waiting, my Octopus 3000,2X DC 3500diablo pumps , 2X little fishies reactors, and the plumbing part roughly cut because now the size of the sump has change since its in two pieces now, have to wait to see how it fits.

 

Stormy day

Under the fuge, will be the QT that is now the little fuge i've got going, and the Apex Neptune controller. Under it will be the mixing station. and if i can an auto feeding fridg project.



This is the view from my computer chair.



The same powerhead from inside the tank, behind the sculpture.