Gregs upgrade to a 80g

[Greg Owen]

might as well start this as a new build thread.

ordering the new tank today :

Aquarium masters 80g frag tank with corner overflow 48x24x16
Marineland majesty pine stand.

this is a bit of a rant but typing it out helps me think it through better.

40b is gonna need to be moved about 5 feet into the right side of the hallway entrance. 10g will get removed. frag station will get moved farther over

I have most of the equipment figured out.

but im having a hard time wrapping my head around the logistics of sunsetting the 40b as I want to move the rock from it over to the 80.

I do plan on buying 30lbs of that recently released dry pukani.

rock should go in before the substrate to create a stable base, but 1 of my favorite rocks has my exospheres and a favia growing on it and my ywg and pistol shrimp living under it. and my chalk bass sleeps In a hole in the middle. so that rock will likely have to wait.

I can probably move the rest of it without issues. might need to run some carbon to make up for the missing rock.

I know I really cant sunset the 40b for a couple months while the 80 stabilizes so maybe ill just have to cut those corals off and dry that rock out for later isr( its kinda big maybe 10-20lbs) which sucks cause I really like that rock I've had it since my first 20g in 2009

ive thought about just keeping the 40 up but then I'd need to buy a bunch more equipment and I dont want to maintain 2 systems.

 

[Greg Owen]

tank and stand have been ordered, $1280 including delivery

 

[Greg Owen]

just ordered :

Sicce syncra silent 4.0
bulkheads
ball valve
another icecap gyre 2k
25lbs of that new dry pukani rock
90lb caribsea select substrate

still need:

heater
go to petco buy 29g for sump
get glass cut at ace for baffles
buy sch80 plumbing (lets make it look nice)
build a durso
build new canopy

anything im forgetting?

im reusing my 3x popbloom rl60, my bubble magus curve 3 skimmer, ato, gfo reactor.hyggar fuge light.

 

[divewsharks]

"rock should go in before the substrate to create a stable base, but 1 of my favorite rocks has my exospheres and a favia growing on it and my ywg and pistol shrimp living under it. and my chalk bass sleeps In a hole in the middle. so that rock will likely have to wait."
You could glue 'legs/feet' onto the rock so the the feet go down and sit on the glass and the rock itself is sitting on sand.

 

[divewsharks]

"I do plan on buying 30lbs of that recently released dry pukani." >> are you planning to get the rock now and place in the sump of the 40B to get a jump start?

 

[Greg Owen]

"I do plan on buying 30lbs of that recently released dry pukani." >> are you planning to get the rock now and place in the sump of the 40B to get a jump start?

I ordered it this evening I dont have room for more than maybe 5lbs in my sump.

aquacave had a really good deal 25lbs for 180 instead of 30 for 250 at other sites

"rock should go in before the substrate to create a stable base, but 1 of my favorite rocks has my exospheres and a favia growing on it and my ywg and pistol shrimp living under it. and my chalk bass sleeps In a hole in the middle. so that rock will likely have to wait."
You could glue 'legs/feet' onto the rock so the the feet go down and sit on the glass and the rock itself is sitting on sand.

the problem is that rock is big maybe 8-10lbs so adding it in later could be difficult once i have the rest scaped. my brother thinks I should just keep that tank setup for a while as a fowlr and either do a predator like a lionfish or an eel.

 

[PjFish]

Is there a rush setting up the new tank? I'd sunset the new tank! and meanwhile
Once you get the pukani Id start soaking it asap in a separate bin in the garage or wherever with used tank water for minimum a month adding sand optional with weekly water changes.Testing phosphates weekly making sure their not Leaching crap but if so just soak longer or can add some Lanthanum chloride which speeds things up.. . Get it curing building up that slime coat toss in some bristle worms/ food/ ammonia etc to cycle the rock... Having the rock already cycled and combining it with everything from the 40b will basically just be a tank transfer/ move,, all should go easy. What beneficial bacteria builds up on the new tank walls and plumbing is minuscule compared to whats on all the live rock and substrate. Have used this method on all my tanks skipping ugly stages. Not sure if your planning on building elaborate rock structures but that can be done with wet rock also as it’s cycling. Can also use the new tank as a container to cycle the rock without actually any plumbing if need be if limited on bins or barrels. If you’re planning on making all the water in advance I do have barrels if ya need but Id try and use most of the water from the 40b and just make up new for the remaining balance on transfer day..
Exciting!!

 

[PjFish]

Keep all your existing live rock wet and rocking which is one of the most vital things you have going with an upcoming move and will stabilize any new tank immediately. I do have diamond blade saws for cutting up rocks so corals stay attached if you go that route also…

 

[richiev]

From having done a temp setup when getting flooring done, I think it will end up that you basically need to treat it like a tank teardown and a prolonged setup somewhere else. Otherwise it's a huge rush job and stressful and if everything doesn't go right you're at risk of big losses.

My recommendation would be borrow a giant Rubbermaid trough. Doesn't require that much equipment. If it's in the garage you can hopefully hang a light from a ceiling, and you only need power heads and heaters.

I will soon have a MP* you can borrow and I'm sure others in the club could give you loaners.

1. Get tub setup with lights and pumps
2. Do a water change moving old water into tub and new water into existing tank
3. Drain water from tank to tub and move things
4. Add eventually some more new saltwater

(2+3+4 can be simplified, but easy way to save some salt and reduce param swings on coral from move)

5. Setup new tank with water and ...

6. Reverse earlier steps, incrementally moving things

Feels like more steps, but it is a lot more flexible

 

[Greg Owen]

Is there a rush setting up the new tank? I'd sunset the new tank! and meanwhile
Once you get the pukani Id start soaking it asap in a separate bin in the garage or wherever with used tank water for minimum a month adding sand optional with weekly water changes.Testing phosphates weekly making sure their not Leaching crap but if so just soak longer or can add some Lanthanum chloride which speeds things up.. . Get it curing building up that slime coat toss in some bristle worms/ food/ ammonia etc to cycle the rock... Having the rock already cycled and combining it with everything from the 40b will basically just be a tank transfer/ move,, all should go easy. What beneficial bacteria builds up on the new tank walls and plumbing is minuscule compared to whats on all the live rock and substrate. Have used this method on all my tanks skipping ugly stages. Not sure if your planning on building elaborate rock structures but that can be done with wet rock also as it’s cycling. Can also use the new tank as a container to cycle the rock without actually any plumbing if need be if limited on bins or barrels. If you’re planning on making all the water in advance I do have barrels if ya need but Id try and use most of the water from the 40b and just make up new for the remaining balance on transfer day..
Exciting!!

no rush on it,

scape is going to be similar to what I have now, 2 big islands and a few fist sized ones is what id like to aim for, but im going to push them to the back wall this time, so much real-estate was wasted centering them in the tank. and probably stack up against the corner overflow. going to cut flat bottoms for the base with my bandsaw and also try drilling holes in the rock to hold frags.

im guesstimating the whole sunsetting process to take 1-2months once the new tank is up and running. ill move my gfo reactor over and the premium rock i got from gulf and a few pounds sand to seed it, and let it marinate. I am kinda tempted to not sunset it and keep both, ive never done a fowlr with aggressive fish and that tank would be pretty low maintenance. plus I think it might look really good with both tanks flanking the hallway entrance

 

[PjFish]

Predatory tanks ar cool!
I do miss lion fish and a banana moray I used to have in Florida !!

 

[PjFish]

How about a Predator Structure !!

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[Kensington Reefer]

That’s just so wrong…..
But it ain’t my box…

 

[Greg Owen]

29g acquired, fucked up though and bought regular IO and not reef crystals. ill return it to petco tomorrow