Robs 90 gallon mess

[engineer goby]

So I'm about 21 months late in starting this thread but what the heck. A little bit about the tank it's a AGA reef ready standard dimension 90, 48x24x18 I have approx 100lbs of live rock stacked straight across and midway up in The Wall pattern a very 90's look that I regret ever doing. I originally had 122 lbs but it looked way to b

I am using an Aqueon Proflex model 3 sump again something I wish I had done differently. Knowing what I know now I would of saved that money and built my own sump. The stand is a cheap black pine stand that is going to need replacing I'm just not sure how to go about this.

Another major regret is that I used a very fine grain sand, it lOoks beautiful but makes a mess. The goby tunnels and spits the sand causing mini sand storms and the clown stirs it up constantly then it gets into the current and annoys the corals. This is something I've been trying to figure out how to fix. The sand costs my zoas and GDP forming what I can only describe as cement. My toadstool rarely opens because of this so I came up with a solution I hadn't tried yet. I was going to syphone as much sand as I could then add heavier sand ontop I would pour the courier sand thru a transmission funnel to the bottom . The biggest issue is still the goby digging under the rocks so I might have to do a full breakdown:cursin:I :cursin::cursin:

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

Yeah its a mess and I hope you have good luck working on it. Wish I had your mess, I want a bigger tank!

 

[Singlefin]

Do we get to see pictures of your mess?


...Layered in salt....

 

[sk8rdn]

Great new tank (thread) Rob!
Lol.

...."Fish" Happens!....

 

[engineer goby]

lol and I did it all from my cell phone while waiting for my Ambien to kick in

 

[engineer goby]

My advice to anyone starting a tank. Build your own sump. The aqeon is nice but for the price I could of built a larger and better sump. By the way I'm selling a NIB Aqueon in the dry goods for sale section

This is what I want to tear out and rebuild, I just need motivation. I thought I liked the rock wall but it reminds me of an early 90's reef tank and the way I did it is just plain sloppy.

Another issue I'm afraid of is stirring up a sanstorm and freaking out the Tang, is it worth the stress I would put on him? I haven't added a fish since Dec 29, 2010 because I don't want to stress the tang.

 

[sk8rdn]

I'd actually be more concerned with what gets stirred out of the substrate more than just making a sand storm and pissing off the tang.
Big water change if you do change it up...

...."Fish" Happens!....

 

[engineer goby]

I am a little concerned with that Bill, there are bubbles under the sand that I assume are NO3 pockets. I was thinking if I do a major rework of the rock and substrate I should maybe plan on a 50 to 70% wc

 

[lbiminiblue]

I am using an Aqueon Proflex model 3 sump again something I wish I had done differently. Knowing what I know now I would of saved that money and built my own sump. The stand is a cheap black pine stand that is going to need replacing I'm just not sure how to go about this.

Another major regret is that I used a very fine grain sand, it lOoks beautiful but makes a mess. The goby tunnels and spits the sand causing mini sand storms and the clown stirs it up constantly then it gets into the current and annoys the corals. This is something I've been trying to figure out how to fix. The sand costs my zoas and GDP forming what I can only describe as cement. My toadstool rarely opens because of this so I came up with a solution I hadn't tried yet. I was going to syphone as much sand as I could then add heavier sand ontop I would pour the courier sand thru a transmission funnel to the bottom . The biggest issue is still the goby digging under the rocks so I might have to do a full breakdown:cursin:I :cursin::cursin:

SAME EXACT PROBLEM DANG DRAGON WRASSE CLOUDS UP MY TANK!!! sometimes i can barely see the backwall since he digs so much!! and what am i supposed to do if i get a jawfish???

 

[engineer goby]

SAME EXACT PROBLEM DANG DRAGON WRASSE CLOUDS UP MY TANK!!! sometimes i can barely see the backwall since he digs so much!! and what am i supposed to do if i get a jawfish???

I thought you were getting rid of him.

If I had only thought this thing out 2 years ago :dunce:

 

[Bearjohnson]

Is the base rocks on the glass or on the sand?

 

[PSU4ME]

Offset overflow eh? I used to have the corner overflow on my 90 and I like the offset one better. Tank looks good though - that sump should be an easy switch out assuming you have room to get another one in there.

 

[lbiminiblue]

I thought you were getting rid of him.

If I had only thought this thing out 2 years ago :dunce:

yeah but no one wants a wrasse down here...i'll even give him away for free....yeah i'm a really bad procrastinator thanks for the reminder....

 

[engineer goby]

Is the base rocks on the glass or on the sand?

Some rock is on the glass and some isn't. I was dumb when I set it up and didn't count on the Engineer Goby tunneling under everything so I set it on the sand. Half the rock collapsed last summer so the left side of the tank it sits on the glass, the right side is seconds from disaster.

Offset overflow eh? I used to have the corner overflow on my 90 and I like the offset one better. Tank looks good though - that sump should be an easy switch out assuming you have room to get another one in there.

Thanks. The problem with the sump is getting this one out and a new one in. When I put this in I knocked the center brace out and the tank dropped about 1/8 inch. I nearly had a heart attack and ran for my neighbors house, he's a cabinet maker and fixed it for me. He said he would build me a stand so that has be thinking of changing this one out but if I'm going to go thru all that work maybe I should be shopping for a 180 or 220.

 

[Bearjohnson]

Siphon some water into a Rubbermaid, pull the rock and put it in the same bucket or buckets. Siphon out the sand and replace.....No biggie

 

[PSU4ME]

A 180 would be awesome but I just went through that debate myself. I like to go with good stuff (that's why it took me 7 months to build) and the 180 was just a bunch more cash and I almost did it because the extra 2 feet would be sweet. A new build would be nice and since you're currently sitting on a 90, the 180 makes sense if you're up for it!

 

[Bearjohnson]

Gogogo!

 

[dmatt88]

Id go to town on rock work it doesn't have to b too messy. Just have fresh salt ready. A wc will do wonders. I do some sand stirring now n then without adverse effects. Got reef?

........reefers rock!

 

[engineer goby]

Siphon some water into a Rubbermaid, pull the rock and put it in the same bucket or buckets. Siphon out the sand and replace.....No biggie

Will i upset the bacteria balance and go thru a mini cycle if I do this?

A 180 would be awesome but I just went through that debate myself. I like to go with good stuff (that's why it took me 7 months to build) and the 180 was just a bunch more cash and I almost did it because the extra 2 feet would be sweet. A new build would be nice and since you're currently sitting on a 90, the 180 makes sense if you're up for it!

I really like the 24" of depth the 180 gives and the extra 2 feet would be awesome

Gogogo!

Jen gives a look whenever I talk of a larger tank. To her 90 is huge :smack:

Id go to town on rock work it doesn't have to b too messy. Just have fresh salt ready. A wc will do wonders. I do some sand stirring now n then without adverse effects. Got reef?

........reefers rock!

It doesn't have to be messy but you know it will.
Got reef? PPD will

 

[Built347]

+1.. I just destroyed my tank yesterday... 80% of the rock was out of the tank... I moved around a lot of very crappy sand too.. all is good today tho... get out a sheet of plastic and set all your rock out so u can design while looking over every piece... I wouldn't call it fun but it does kindof have that same feeling of when u put it all in the first time... haha