Another 180 is born

[mandarin_watchr]

After months of this and that, I finally have my 180 up and running.
I did a 180 with a 75gal sump, 3 x 250 MH. It has a ASM G4plus skimmer.
I soft plumbed it (I believe that is the term.) did not use PVC just hoses and clamps. Never plumber anything before, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible on myself. Plus I live in a third floor apt. so if the time comes to move,(hopefully not in the near future) it will be easier to break it all down.
I am using a Mag 24 for my return pump.

Well that is all I can get to load for now. But you get the ideal.

 

[mandarin_watchr]

I realize the pictures are not that good, But spent all my $$ on the tank, the only camera I have is my camera phone. So got to deal with what you have.:lol:

 

[Krish]

Really nice setup!! It looks like you really got some nice assortments of rock as well. Well done and thanks for sharing

 

[Mauisreef]

Pretty good for a camera phone.
Enjoy your new setup.

 

[shallowreef]

I think that is great for a camera phone. Thats pretty cool that your land lord lets you keep a tank of that size. Most landlords would be freaking out knowing that there is that much water sitting on a third floor.

 

[mandarin_watchr]

Heck, The first Land lord was more than ok with it. I think he was more excited about the tank than I was, and he wasn't even into fish. He sent an engineer over the check out the building to make sure the floor could support the tank, And then he turned around a had his guys come over and rewire the wall where the tank would be. Unfortunatly he sold the complex at the begining of June, and the new landlord wasn't so excited. But he had promised the old landlord not the change any of the deals and setup that he had made. That included my tank. The old landlord showed the new the engineer survey, and he reluctantly said ok. We filled it with tap water to test the tank out and let it sit. It sat full from June 5th until July 14th no problems. Emptied on the 14th, took apart, put my sump in hooked up the plumbing, and had her ready to go on the 16th of July. So the tank basically sat full for 6 weeks and no sagging in the floors. walls look good upstairs and in the apartment down stairs. We check the tank level. and it is still perfect. So I guess the engineer was right. The new landlord is breathing a little easier now. So is the people in the apartment below me. (Thier sons room is right under the tank). Now everyone is all excited about the 180, they want to go out and get a tank. But the landlord feels one reefer in a complex is enough. If they want to look at a tank, they should come up and look at mine. (Maybe I should charge admission, then I will have enought $$ to cover my rent) LOL.

 

[shallowreef]

There you go!

 

[Ed Hahn]

This tank is going to be awesome! I like your land scaping. If you can let it mature for 8 weeks and keep the flow around it, You should be ready for about anything. A little bacteria from a fish goes a long way!

 

[mandarin_watchr]

I was thinking mid Sept before I add the fish and corals from the other tanks, Problem is all the fish from both 75's are now in one. With hardly any sand, just left enough for the snails, and I think there is maybe two or three pieces of live rock. So I will try to hold out as long as these guys don't start showing ill effects. Same as with the corals, they all had to go in the 29 that my daughter had in her room. But if they can make it until the middle of Sept. then so can I.

 

[jetaero]

Great looking tank!

-Josh-

 

[mandarin_watchr]

Here are a few more pic's, It wouldn't let me post them the other day.
These are more of a close up of the rock work.
Test after 2 weeks, Amon 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 13, ph 8.4. All is well!

 

[Krish]

Very nice! I love the open spaces for flow and for the fish to enjoy!

 

[mandarin_watchr]

Well Sunday my seio 1100 ku-put, It was brand new, but it may be my fault.
The sand I am useing in this tank is a very fine sand. And me being stuborn and one track, when I was fighting with my rock work the second time, I forgot about the pumps being on. The seio sucked so much sand into it, you couldn't open or close it. It wouldn't budge. And of course it was in the closed position. I did move water around, so I didn't worry about it. I had other things to worry about, like the tank temp. running low 82.5 high 86.8. I had to figure out how I would get a chiller, and get it hooked up the the tank. Then Sunday I noticed the tank was finally at 77.7. WOW, I don't know how I did that, but I was happy. Monday I got home from work (work midnights) the tank is at 76.4. I got up about 3 in the afternoon, 77.3. This super great. I was wondering what happen to all of a sudden cool the tank down.
Well I was hoping to make it until the end of the month before I had to put the fish from the old 75 in, but my sailfin wasn't doing so well. He was loosing his color, and his appitite. so Last night I put the fish in the 180. It had been reading zero across the board for the last two weeks. So I had to try to save the fish I had, The reason for the 180 in the first place. While putting them in I notice that the seio 1100 wasn't blowing out anything. Checked everything out. and nope, It is Ku-Put. So now I know why the temp dropped, so much. and why it was high to begin with. Lucky it didn't short out.
The fish are settled in the 180. and are all doing well. The color is coming back to the sailfin. I thing he just has a little ways to go. But he is one happy little critter. He is also a hamm when it comes to getting his picture tanken, all the others are very camera shy.

 

[Krish]

No way!!! A Seio added that much heat! Glad you figured it out. It's so much nicer when you can have a cool tank without the need of a chiller...Wonder if I'll ever get that lucky

Nice photos!!! You do that phone proud!!