Hey BAR, it has been a while

[WAR5150]

Hi folks. First of all, I love the new web design! I'm not exactly sure when it went live but looks like it may have been in April.

If this is an inappropriate place for a post like this, my apologies. I went back and forth about putting this in my long-outdated tank journal but settled here instead.

I have been pretty quiet (quiet is an understatement, absent is more accurate) for a few years now. I always wanted to get back onto the site and into the community, but it life has been busy. It is nice to see some of the names I remember from my early days in the club almost 7 years ago. For those that do not know/remember me, I am a pilot at Travis and always knew my time here would be limited. In early 2022 I had an MS diagnosis that required my focus to shift. I had to navigate the career challenges of not flying while attempting to trudge my way through to a waiver that was far from guaranteed and minimum 2 1/2 years away from applying. I did a masters in that time along with an Air Force schooling that essentially is a master's amount of work without the title. Shortly after those were finished, I was able to convince the doctors that I could fly again. That meant 2025 was extremely busy trying to cram 3 years of missed experience into 1 year. We deployed in the fall last year and had it extended further into the spring. All that to say I wanted to return to the community but only checked in on a couple posts here and there. It also meant the tank became neglected. I still have the pictures from when I was super happy with it versus what it became.

That brings me to why I am here: I am about to no longer be in the area. I am moving to Illinois next month so that means breaking down the tank. I have been able to re-home some of my animals, but the tank isn't empty. The breakdown timeline just accelerated and now will have to be done on Aug 16, leaving me less than a week. I have never broken down a tank before since this is my first one, so I would take any suggestions people have for making it a better process. I've gone back and forth on selling the tank itself, but everything inside needs to go regardless. If there is any interest, I can re-join and become a supporting member again because I want to respect the club's rules and not have any sort of discussions here/elsewhere. I just hope to know if there is interest before doing so. Regardless, if anybody has tips they've learned along the way about tank breakdowns, I would love to hear it.

 

[VacavilleFC]

you're on TAFB? im just a few miles away in downtown Vacaville. not many reefers on here from the north bay.

what brand is the tank and what size? ive been thinking about upgrading.

can we get a list of what livestock and equipment you have.

ill definitely take those very stretched out acans

 

[tankguy]

Best of luck to you

 

[Coral reefer]

No need to pay. If we need to upgrade you to post for sale I bet we could

 

[CaseyP]

If it comes down to the wire, you can try reaching out to Islander Corals in Fairfield if they can break it down to take. 6 more weekdays might be tricky to find a buyer.

Btw ever since you promoted it, I've been going to Wings Over Solano every year there's a show.

 

[WAR5150]

you're on TAFB? im just a few miles away in downtown Vacaville. not many reefers on here from the north bay.

what brand is the tank and what size? ive been thinking about upgrading.

can we get a list of what livestock and equipment you have.

ill definitely take those very stretched out acans

No, there's definitely not many of us up here. I still appreciate the community that BAR is though.

The tank is a Reefer 350, new when I bought it. I'm planning to keep the equipment, just probably not the tank itself.

I have one each cleaner wrasse, one captive-bred mandarin dragonet, and one captive-bred clownfish. The mandarin is about 3 1/2 years old; I got it in Feb '23 from Biota. I got the wrasse in Feb '25 from Cali Kid. I got the clownfish in February this year from Sea Splendor in Fairfield.

The acans are one of the very first corals I got when setting up the tank. I tried to take pictures of the zoas, not sure what type people call them. The prevalent green ones are actually from my dad's tank in Michigan. I forget what the coral on the back right is, I believe cyphastrea. I don't know the best way to remove it. I wanted to scrape some from the wall for someone but was worried about doing so. The BTA is accounted for, I just had a hard time removing it earlier. There's also plenty of GSP clearly. I'd be happy to just remove a whole rock if anyone wants that to make it easier.

 

[WAR5150]

No need to pay. If we need to upgrade you to post for sale I bet we could

I appreciate that offer. I do like the community this club cultivates. Even though I'm not active on here anymore, I still listen to Reef Beef every episode and feel slightly connected

 

[WAR5150]

If it comes down to the wire, you can try reaching out to Islander Corals in Fairfield if they can break it down to take. 6 more weekdays might be tricky to find a buyer.

Btw ever and you promoted it, I've been going to Wings Over Solano every year there's a show.

I have not heard of Islander Corals, I wish I would have. Although maybe it's for the better that I didn't have one more place to go and spend money. The livestock is the biggest thing I need accounted for by the breakdown date, the tank can sit empty for a couple weeks if anyone wants it.

We were trying to get back from our deployment this year during the air show, so I missed it. Hopefully you enjoyed it this year!

 

[VacavilleFC]

No, there's definitely not many of us up here. I still appreciate the community that BAR is though.

The tank is a Reefer 350, new when I bought it. I'm planning to keep the equipment, just probably not the tank itself.

I have one each cleaner wrasse, one captive-bred mandarin dragonet, and one captive-bred clownfish. The mandarin is about 3 1/2 years old; I got it in Feb '23 from Biota. I got the wrasse in Feb '25 from Cali Kid. I got the clownfish in February this year from Sea Splendor in Fairfield.

The acans are one of the very first corals I got when setting up the tank. I tried to take pictures of the zoas, not sure what type people call them. The prevalent green ones are actually from my dad's tank in Michigan. I forget what the coral on the back right is, I believe cyphastrea. I don't know the best way to remove it. I wanted to scrape some from the wall for someone but was worried about doing so. The BTA is accounted for, I just had a hard time removing it earlier. There's also plenty of GSP clearly. I'd be happy to just remove a whole rock if anyone wants that to make it easier.

I can take the coral and rock, not a big fan of redsea tanks though, and we can take your fish over to islander but they are closed on Tuesdays. send me a pm.

 

[Apon]

If you can get the fish closer to SF I can adopt them. Never in your area. I remember your id but not your face.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

If it comes down to the wire, you can try reaching out to Islander Corals in Fairfield if they can break it down to take. 6 more weekdays might be tricky to find a buyer.

Btw ever since you promoted it, I've been going to Wings Over Solano every year there's a show.

Watching that f-22 look like it's falling out if the sky is too much fun to watch.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I can pick up the fish this weekend, if no one else does.

 

[Rrchris123]

Hey I’m just down the road in suisun city. I can help move the tank this weekend if you find someone to take it. I can also pick up and drop off the fish at islander coral as well.

 

[clownvan]

thank you @WAR5150

I can take the mandarin please if no one else is interested. I can pick it up from whomever gets there first and picks up all fish, etc.

 

[VacavilleFC]

sen

Hi folks. First of all, I love the new web design! I'm not exactly sure when it went live but looks like it may have been in April.

If this is an inappropriate place for a post like this, my apologies. I went back and forth about putting this in my long-outdated tank journal but settled here instead.

I have been pretty quiet (quiet is an understatement, absent is more accurate) for a few years now. I always wanted to get back onto the site and into the community, but it life has been busy. It is nice to see some of the names I remember from my early days in the club almost 7 years ago. For those that do not know/remember me, I am a pilot at Travis and always knew my time here would be limited. In early 2022 I had an MS diagnosis that required my focus to shift. I had to navigate the career challenges of not flying while attempting to trudge my way through to a waiver that was far from guaranteed and minimum 2 1/2 years away from applying. I did a masters in that time along with an Air Force schooling that essentially is a master's amount of work without the title. Shortly after those were finished, I was able to convince the doctors that I could fly again. That meant 2025 was extremely busy trying to cram 3 years of missed experience into 1 year. We deployed in the fall last year and had it extended further into the spring. All that to say I wanted to return to the community but only checked in on a couple posts here and there. It also meant the tank became neglected. I still have the pictures from when I was super happy with it versus what it became.

That brings me to why I am here: I am about to no longer be in the area. I am moving to Illinois next month so that means breaking down the tank. I have been able to re-home some of my animals, but the tank isn't empty. The breakdown timeline just accelerated and now will have to be done on Aug 16, leaving me less than a week. I have never broken down a tank before since this is my first one, so I would take any suggestions people have for making it a better process. I've gone back and forth on selling the tank itself, but everything inside needs to go regardless. If there is any interest, I can re-join and become a supporting member again because I want to respect the club's rules and not have any sort of discussions here/elsewhere. I just hope to know if there is interest before doing so. Regardless, if anybody has tips they've learned along the way about tank breakdowns, I would love to hear it.

sent you a pm, im free this evening and can bring some buckets

 

[WAR5150]

Watching that f-22 look like it's falling out if the sky is too much fun to watch.

That airplane has no business moving the way it does, incredibly fun to watch

 

[WAR5150]

thank you @WAR5150

I can take the mandarin please if no one else is interested. I can pick it up from whomever gets there first and picks up all fish, etc.

Where are you located at?

 

[WAR5150]

Hey I’m just down the road in suisun city. I can help move the tank this weekend if you find someone to take it. I can also pick up and drop off the fish at islander coral as well.

Appreciate the offer. Sounds like VacavilleFC will probably be swinging by tomorrow to grab all the rock/coral. No interest on the tank at this point

 

[clownvan]

Where are you located at?

Emeryville. Does the mandarin eat pellets, flakes, etc. or is it a picky eater?

@VacavilleFC offered to pick in on my behalf and hold it for me if it is not a finicky eater. I also cannot do a finicky eater atm.

 

[WAR5150]

Emeryville. Does the mandarin eat pellets, flakes, etc. or is it a picky eater?

@VacavilleFC offered to pick in on my behalf and hold it for me if it is not a finicky eater. I also cannot do a finicky eater atm.

I haven't seen the Mandarin eat pellets or flakes during the time I have had it. When I feed frozen, it usually skitters to the back or between some rocks while everything else scooped up the frozen food. I can't say definitively that it doesn't eat frozen, just that it probably was outcompeted. I'd buy a bottle of tigger pods every few months for my own piece of mind, but it seems to be fat and healthy.

@VacavilleFC did come by today and grabbed everything except for the mandarin, clownfish, and cleaner wrasse.

Everyone who expressed interest in the fish, they're still available.