BlankFrank
22-07-05, 01:57
Hi Folks
Thought Id post some details of what we've been upto for the last few months. :D
We've had our 48x15x21 (sump-less) tank setup for almost a year and although it gave lots of enjoyment, there were clearly mistakes made while setting it up due to lack of knowledge and poor advice.
So around Christmas we decided to setup a new (larger) tank with sump and spend a bit more time planning it (not that I expected it to take 7 months though :rolleyes:)
So - here is the progress on the new tank.
Around April when the final decision was made to go for a 6x2x2 I started work on the stand.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/stand/stand1.jpg
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/stand/stand2.jpg
At the start of June the tank was delivered (by one guy so him and I had to lug it round the back and in the house - my back still hurts! :huh: ) so this is it - still unpainted and the plumbing not finished for a test fill!
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/test%20fill.jpg
Back painted and return pipework in place
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/return%20pipework%20in%20place.jpg
For the rockwork Gill decided :whistling: she wanted two outcrops with a canyon in the middle. This also allows access all round for cleaning (and swimming) which we didn't have in the old tank.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Gills%20racks.jpg
Plumbing finished with a closed loop spraybar under the rock powered by a OR6500. And filling with RO :D
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Tank%20filling.jpg
After the water had been heated and salted the first LR was added. Some of this had been in a storage tank for 3 months (things took longer that I expected :whistling:) and some had come from someone elses tank.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/First%20Liverock.jpg
At this stage the tank wasn't completely full as the remaining 6 inches of water would come from my existing tank, along with the sand (never seem so many worms :o and the rest of the liverock) but the sump was filled heated and salted seperately and the mud added - nice and clear!)
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Mud%20in%20Sump.jpg
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Cleared%20Liverock.jpg
And finally - Tuesday was the big day - the move of existing rock, sand and livestock from one tank to the other. To aclimate rather than have loads of buckets or bags of water dripping for several hours before the move, because the tanks were side by side I managed to set up a pump in the new tank pumping water to the old tank and one in the old tank pumping to the new. This allowed the fish and corals to slowly aclimate and the water to mix so when moving things over we could take livestock from the old tank and drop them straight into the new. This worked extremely well and minimised the stress to all concerned (including us)
And here we are - Wednesday moring after the dust had settled :D
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Doors%20on%20-%20clear%20water.jpg
Thought Id post some details of what we've been upto for the last few months. :D
We've had our 48x15x21 (sump-less) tank setup for almost a year and although it gave lots of enjoyment, there were clearly mistakes made while setting it up due to lack of knowledge and poor advice.
So around Christmas we decided to setup a new (larger) tank with sump and spend a bit more time planning it (not that I expected it to take 7 months though :rolleyes:)
So - here is the progress on the new tank.
Around April when the final decision was made to go for a 6x2x2 I started work on the stand.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/stand/stand1.jpg
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/stand/stand2.jpg
At the start of June the tank was delivered (by one guy so him and I had to lug it round the back and in the house - my back still hurts! :huh: ) so this is it - still unpainted and the plumbing not finished for a test fill!
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/test%20fill.jpg
Back painted and return pipework in place
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/return%20pipework%20in%20place.jpg
For the rockwork Gill decided :whistling: she wanted two outcrops with a canyon in the middle. This also allows access all round for cleaning (and swimming) which we didn't have in the old tank.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Gills%20racks.jpg
Plumbing finished with a closed loop spraybar under the rock powered by a OR6500. And filling with RO :D
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Tank%20filling.jpg
After the water had been heated and salted the first LR was added. Some of this had been in a storage tank for 3 months (things took longer that I expected :whistling:) and some had come from someone elses tank.
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/First%20Liverock.jpg
At this stage the tank wasn't completely full as the remaining 6 inches of water would come from my existing tank, along with the sand (never seem so many worms :o and the rest of the liverock) but the sump was filled heated and salted seperately and the mud added - nice and clear!)
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Mud%20in%20Sump.jpg
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Cleared%20Liverock.jpg
And finally - Tuesday was the big day - the move of existing rock, sand and livestock from one tank to the other. To aclimate rather than have loads of buckets or bags of water dripping for several hours before the move, because the tanks were side by side I managed to set up a pump in the new tank pumping water to the old tank and one in the old tank pumping to the new. This allowed the fish and corals to slowly aclimate and the water to mix so when moving things over we could take livestock from the old tank and drop them straight into the new. This worked extremely well and minimised the stress to all concerned (including us)
And here we are - Wednesday moring after the dust had settled :D
http://www.ianbryden.co.uk/fishystuff/new_tank_diary/Doors%20on%20-%20clear%20water.jpg