pootsnickers Tank

[pootsnicker]

Ok well its a little late but I thought I would start a tank journal. I started building my tank in April of 09. That is buying equipment and such. It wasn't until around July that It was up and ready for live Rock and sand. Its a 55 gal with a 20 gal sump/fuge. I am running a mag 7 return pump, a 16 watt Uv filter, a skimmer, phosban reactor,auto topoff, pinpoint ph meter, and a RK lite controller. Lighting consist of 4, 48 inch VHO 2 actinic white, and 2 super actinic from a Icecap ballast.





I put 40lb of base rock and 50lb of live rock , and 80lb of live sand in around august.










The tank is still cycling its been around 7 weeks . algae is starting to go crazy.
Salinity:1.026
Ammonia 0
Nitrate: 10
Nitrite.: 1.0
Alk: 5 meq/L
Ph 8.1
temp 78-79

[pootsnicker]

me and my wife just bought a house and hope to close on the 27 of Oct. so all live stock have been put on hold until I can get the tank moved and back to a stable condition. Not to mention I have not set up or even purchased a QT tank yet.. All the funds are going to the house at the moment. Hopefully by December I Will be set up with a qt tank and some live stock. I will prob go ahead and get a clean up crew once the tank is set up again in the new house. I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to move this tank. we are not moving in to the house right away we will be doing some remodeling for the first few weeks. everything is going into storage untill we finish the house and we will be staying at my parents house. I'm thinking since I don't have anything but live rock and sand I will prob just transfer it all to a brute can and keep it in the garage for a few weeks. the temp here in az has been mild not too hot or cold so I don't think I will have any temp issues. just need to find out if I will need to light the rock or if it would be alright for a couple of weeks with out light.

[CarmieJo]

I absolutely love the oval viewing areas and portholes!

Do you have any corals on your LR? If not they will be fine in a Brute in the garage. Just add a powerhead for flow and a heater in case the nights get cool. Drop a pinch of food in every few days to keep the bacteria going.

[V]

hey bud, good to see ya!

Im loven the fact more people are chalanging the real of conventional design well done. You make this tank or did you buy the design like that?

congrats on the new tank, but more importantly, on the new house. !!

[pootsnicker]

V I bought the stand but made a few mods. I built the hood for it. It didnt have anything on the top. It was blue, so I sanded it down and painted it black. and used some wood glue and added some extra support to the stand.
Carmiejo I don't have any corals yet just rock and sand... so glad to know I can just put it in a can until I get the tank is up again.

[rayme07]

Awesome looking tank I like the port hole view it makes it look really cool. Wish you the best of luck moving your tank and your house.

[meoklmrk91]

I love the tank design, I don't think I've seen anything like it. Should be an awesome tank when it's up and running.

[V]

poot, im going to suggest moving a great deal of that rockwork to the sump bud. A tank of that design,( in my opinion only), looks choked! keep a simple approach on the DT & you'll be happier for it bud . Select pieces that would compliment the design.

[pootsnicker]

V, you don't know how many times I have gone round and round with the aquascape . I have 50lb of live rock and 40 of base rock. I have some of that in the sump now. I don't know how much more I can squeeze in the sump. I'm taking the whole tank down tomorrow to move into the new house. so when I get it up again Ill give it another try.

[V]

good luck on the move bud, you feel ready?

i hate the unpack stage.

i hear you on the aquascape, can be tricky till you find the right balance. think creative & you'll be fine.

[pootsnicker]

Well Its only been around 8 months and I finely am getting back to my tank.... The new house needed so much work we were living with my parents for 4 months just to get the house to a point to move in. but its finely to a point where I can set up our tank again. if anyone remembers I had got my tank to just finish the cycle when I tore it down. my live rock has been surviving in brut cans for the last 8 months. hope its alright, the worm tubes have grown so I think it kept. the sand is another story having to start fresh with that. Soo I got the tank plumbed and water in Salinity is right on and Ph is holding at 7.8 and ready to start cycling again... going to get some shrimp tonight and get her goin.

[CarmieJo]

I am glad to hear that you are moved into your house and that you are getting your tank going! Your rock should still be populated with bacteria. Did you drop some food in the Brute on occasion to keep up the capacity?