Big Update From Marine Biology Class

[MarineDreamerII]

I had just gotten home from my sisters house when I recieved a call from IAP and they just happen to have made a tank for guy who then changed his mind about what exactly he wanted, of course after they had finished it. So, I now have a 200 gal. Pentagonal Tank made of 3/4" acrylic, heat rounded corners, and complete with back overflow!!! I can't describe my excitement, this 'little' project has really sprouted into a huge project...

There is little need to say how new I am to this hobby, I have already learned so much and I guess I will be learning A LOT more! The shape of the tank really works out well as it happens to fit a workstation that shouldn't be too hard to re-enforce...hopefully. I guess this means I am going to have to ask the district for more money :lol: I really am almost lost for words. If anyone from IAP is reading this I really can't express my appreciation in words...thank you so much!

I can just imagine the tank sitting there in class... I am really glad that Trevor (MarineDreamer and my brother) will be moving up into my area to help out. However that won't come until July, so for now I am on my own. We would still like donations as we are still limited in funding and the money from the school is only a possiblity at this point. For those still wanting to see pictures of our current tank, THEY WILL BE COMING. I have been really busy the past week with tests and homework and haven't had time to get someone with a digital camera in to take some pics. Please be patient....cus I sure am.

Thanks again IAP!!!

 

[NaH2O]

Awesome! Way to go IAP! Congrats MDII!!

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Yeah, aren't they great. Thanks for replying, I was getting sick waiting for someone to reply... I think I am going to need some help.... I might be in over my head, infact I may be 100ft under....

 

[bradreef]

IAP has always been a good company from everything I had heard.

 

[wrightme43]

Congrats man. Just take your time, think it thru, you can do it. All you really need, is a very good skimmer, a quality return pump, 2 good heaters, two tunze streams with multicontroller, live rock, lights, and your ready to go. Dont chinch on the skimmer, heaters, return, flow, or lights and everything will be fine. I did chinch on the skimmer, flow, and lights on my tank and have slowly been buying stuff, again. It would of been cheaper to just do it right the first time. Steve

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Hey thanks Steve, that definately sounds like sound advice. It is just that getting the money for that stuff will be the difficult part....

oh yeah, what is a Tunze Streams with Multicontrol?

 

[GreshamH]

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_powerheads_pumps_tunze_turbelle_stream_kit.asp?CartId=

Words don't do justice for these puppies

 

[MarineDreamerII]

So now that we've named some of the good brands and models, where is a good place to go? Does anyone now of a company that is really friendly and has a good reputation? Maybe a company that would be willing to donate one to us?

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Correction

Oops...I don't know where the confusion came from but the tank we are getting is not a 200G Pentagonal but rather a 180-200G Trapezoidal tank. Given its odd dimensions and sump box that's the best estimate of how many gallons it can hold. It is made from a single sheet of 3/4" acrylic all the way around with heated corners, coast to coast overflow. I should know hopefully by Friday when and where I will be able to pick it up. I found out that it is 28" tall. All I can say by imagining the shape of this tank is that it is very oddly shaped....it's Unique!!!

 

[Scooterman]

....it's Unique!!!

Unique is good I think pictures will be a big help in your planning this micro beast but I'm sure we can get you there.

Congrats to you & your project, also IAP that is the second major effort to help someone in need just recently that I've seen just here, Your recommendations will come highly from many of us.

 

[MarineDreamerII]

hey, thanks scooterman, I really appreciate it. Right now I am just trying to imagine the possiblities. I wrote an e-mail to MarineDepot to see if they could help out with some of the more expensive stuff, I am still awaiting a response, but I just sent the e-mail this afternoon so we shall see....I keep forgeting to get some digital pictures to post...I will try and remember tomorrow while I am at school, Promise.

 

[MarineDreamerII]

So yesterday afternoon, after school, my dad and I drove out to Bellevue and picked up the tank from Salt Water City, which has some great looking SPS's and LPS's, and brought it home in my jeep. So officially, the tanks dimensions are 46"x26"x48"x36" and it is a trapazoidal shape. It is in great condition, although now it has one small dent from my jeep but now we are just waiting to see how much money we can get from the school. I have talked with the administrator incharge of distributing the funds and it looks like we will get less half of what we asked for, they simply don't have those kinds of resources....maybe $500... Salt Water City has said thay they'll do what they can to help us out when we are ready....so just one step at a time.

Even the overflow is on the correct side!!!

 

[MarineDreamer]

Check out the tank donated by I.A.P!!!

(Ignore the High School Senior in the tank... )

 

[NaH2O]

Awesome tank!

 

[wrightme43]

That is pretty trick. Hey have you thought about fundraisers? Maybe a bake sale? If you show the right people that are in the PTA, FBLA, Rotary, and different clubs that help support students what you can do, most will donate time, ideas, money, and what ever else you need. People are generally good and want to help. Nice tank. Have you talked to Dave at vivid aquariums. He might help you out if he can. He is building a new wharehouse right now though. Pretty expensive project in So. Cal. Here is something I figured out, it may help you. If you ask for something the absolute worst thing that can happen is they tell you no. You are in no worse position than you were when you asked. They may tell you yes. This may sound weird, try reading Dale Carnigie's HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUNCE PEOPLE, and Frank Bettgers HOW I RAISED MYSELF FROM A FAILURE TO A SUCCESS. Those are wonderful books on how to get along with the other people in the world. The main jist is to find out what someone else wants, and help them get it by helping you. Like this, Almost every business man or woman wants to be remembered after they are gone. Thats why you see, Carnigie hall, The Smithsonion museum, the Football staidiums at high school named after so and so, the libarary named after someone. All of those come from donations. Find the right person, and your reef tank will be filled, and thier name will live on as a donor to the schools and benifactor of young adults. They get what they want, and you get what you want. The trick is in making sure it will really help them, so that its something they want to do. Man will move heaven and earth for what he wants. Sorry if I sound like some kind of kook. It works to help me get business at hospitols and doctors offices. They want calm paitents, and happy children. They dont give a lick about fish tanks untill they know they make happy kids, and calm paitents who dont mind waiting a little extra, and look forward to coming back to see, Dory and Nemo. The kids want to go to the doctor instead of crying. The people are happy, the nurses are proud of the tank, so the admisitrator pays me. It has nothing to do with a fish tank. If it were a whatever they would be happy. Hope that made sense. Steve

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Yeah, Steve, that makes perfect sense and I guess I hadn't considered asking other school groups/clubs for assistance. I had the thought of maybe putting out collection jugs at banks and whatnot with a little thing about the tank and what we are trying to do to get people to donate some spare change. A little from everyone may work better than a lot from one person...I just wish that we had a good high quality salt water aquarium store here in Snohomish County.... I think Salt Water City should move....

We'll see how much funding we get from a club called the Purple and Gold Club, they help out students with things like scholarships and project funding. They might be able to give us $500 dollars, which would be great, but we'll need more $ or more donations of specific things, i.e. equipment. I had e-mailed Marine Depot telling them about us and what we are trying to do but they never got back to me so I guess that they aren't interested. I think once that we get the stand built and the tank in place that people will start to donate to us. It think Scooterman is going to do some Electrical and Plumbing plans for us, which will help. Of course, PVC piping isn't all that expensive. But I know little about how to set it up.

Salt Water City said that they'll help out with LR and whatnot when we get to that point and I was thinking of a plaque with all the contributors names on it that could be mounted over the tank. It doesn't help that school is wrapping up and graduation is approaching so I am a little busy whatwith finals and making all the necessary plans. That and I am suppose to be contacting a guy to help him out with doing water research on Lake Stevens. So just one step at a time and I hope that things will pan out.

thanks

 

[Scooterman]

Ahh, I see by the design of this tank, the overflow box has inlet and return holes for bulkheads, this will be a nice project. Way to go!!!

 

[Skimmy]

i would be happy to help you with any design, plumbing, and installation of your new system, just lmk

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Yeah!

That'd be great skimmerwhisperer, I am just waiting until the stand is built and in place, that way I have a better idea of how much spacing we'll have and what we'll have to work around. Well I have to run back to school before I am late. Talk to you later then. Thanks,

Ian

 

[MarineDreamerII]

Today Mrs. Summers went and got a Coral Life-Double Linear Strip Setup that jsut happens to the exact same length of the tank....which is perfect. They come is their own hood-of-sorts which contains two hairpin bulbs off-set from eachother by about 3 inches. Each compact florescent bulb is 65 watts (130 total) and together they put out 10,000K. On the top are 4 fans which run constantly to keep the bulbs cool.

In a day or two we will get another of these set-ups so everything will be doubled, 260 watts, and 20,000K. This is for our small 55g but might be used for a while on the big tank once set-up gets underway.

I was thinking of adding 2 additional lights, that we were using, to add some additional light. The Coral Life set-ups give off a blue tint that is counteracted a little by the 2 other florescents.

On the last water check I did, yesterday, I found that nitrate was a bit high, 6.5-7 so I, using the only powerhead we have in there, increased the surface aggitation to help reduce it.... that will work right?

I will attempt to use a vase as a fish trap to get the damsel out so that we can get two clarkii clowns instead, and I am wanting to get a brittle star to filter out the sand.

Coraline is continueing to spread out across the LR and on the acrylic in places. There is also this red algea that the snails don't seem to be eating very well, most of it is growing on the sand, will the brittle star eat this?

Tomorrow I will see about getting some pictures of the new lighting and of the tank for my brother to post. FYI: I have 2 days of High School left....I am not excited or anything, course I'll be back to work on the tank.....