The Amazing 100

[yungreefer2410]

seriously i would never buy a stand. its much easier and fun to make things. i love DIY stuff. also drill a hole unless you have self-tapping screws is something i learned

[Jeremy0322]

Originally Posted by Reddog170

Not only is it fun it is a learning experiance that will not soon be forgoten. I have learned that when someone says they have a peice of wood held, make sure it will save the skin on you fingers. I have learned that you need to make sure that the drill is set in forward to run a screw in, takes forever with it in reverse. And always plug in the right tool, the saw just wont work when it is the drill you plugged in. Ohh and make sure you sweep up often and do not walk through the shop in just your socks, splinters in you toes hurt like heck and cause you to create new words that would make a sailor jelous. Good thing noone else was in there. And whatever you do do not even think that six cans of soda is enough. It really stinks to run out cause then it is either sucom to tiredness or go buy some more liquid sugar to keep you going. More pics to come, Shaun

6 cans, thats it? We need to have a chat man, you are doing this all wrong. I wont make a stand ever again unless it comes with a setup that I buy, then it makes no sense to make one, just stain it and call it a day..lol

[Reddog170]

Well today i start working on releveling. Aparently the carpet does not settle evenly. I put in abot 25 gallons in the DT and filled the sump and now the entire thing is sittin about 1/2 inch off, leaning backward. I have shims that I will work under the back and sides to get it level. other than that everything is good. I also did the math and found that my Gen X pump puts out 1200 GPH and the Iwaki only puts out 822 GPH so wouldn't it make sense for me to use the Gen X instead? It is physicaly smaller than the iwaki but oviously stronger. I will probably use the Gen X pump. Also I will be staining the cabinet and will get pics up when it is done, maybe more build pics too. Shaun

[Reddog170]

The entire tank and stand are now level. 148 gallons of water later the tank and sunp are full. Who knew aqua-scaping would be that hard with that much space and raock? Accualy it is not that hard I am just picky as to how I want it. I am happy with the center but not the sides and have spent hours working on it. Will work on it some more. Spent most of today sitting in a hospital as my wife had to have an emergency toncilectomy (spelled wrong I know). She went in to see about her sore throat and they found an absess on the back side of her tonciles, well surgery took a while and I was bored off my but. She is doing well and will be coming home in the morning.
I have also moved everything out of the 55 into the 100. I have been running test twice a day and all results look good. Had an LFS try to talk me into using chemicals but I really like going natural. About the closest thing to chemicals I use is some matrix to get rid of phosphates once and a while, seems to get rid of unwanted algae quite quickly.
Ohh also learned that when rocks slip and fall in water they still hurt when they hit your hand. Hopefully I will get more pics up soon, Shaun

[Jeremy0322]

Good to hear the wife is alright! You sound alot like me, being that picky about the aquascape, it took me hours to set mine up when i first set up the 55 gallon tank. I cant even imagine how long this 90 is going to take me, but I do have a ton of rock so I have alot of possibilities.

[Reddog170]

That may be a part of the problem, so many possibilities that I had to see how it could work and what I liked.

[Reddog170]

Well I finaly have the aqua scaping in a way that I like, I think. I was at a LFS yesterday and was checking out his psycodelic manderins. He was telling me how easy they are to keep once you get them eating. I had heard that you needed a good pod population for them and had no intention of getting one but when he brought in the mysis shrimp and put some in the tank the manderins ate like mad. He then told me that if I bought one and it died within six months that he would refund my money I went ahead and got one. This is the point where everyone looks down and shakes there heads at me. Well tonight he was sitting in the front corner of my tank kinda staring at me. So I grabbed some shrimp thawed it out rinsed it and put it in with a baster like the store owner did and he went wild eating like he had never been fed before. I admit I put to much in for him but it did not take long for my serpent star to get there to gobble up the left overs. This little colorful guy also likes posing for pics, so I got some good ones. Once my computer cooperates with me I will get them posted.
Another question I have is this, I use a cotalife skimmer. It works awesome. I do not have any problems and it pulls a LOT of skimate out. People have told me that I need to get rid of it and get a better skimmer. I was going to get an ASM G2 skimmer but just cannot justify spending that much money just to do what my coralife skimmer is doing. My question is this. What is wrong with a coralife skimmer or what is it that it does not or does do that it should or shouldn't be doing that an exapensive skimmer will or won't do? It just seems to me that if it is not broke or malfunctioning in any way why replace it? I like this skimmer and have noproblems with it. Also what flow rate should I have through an 18 watt UV sterilizer? I have never even messed with one before but it came with the tank so I figured why not try it.
With all of my powerheads in there I am moving over 2000 GPH and am using a pump that is rated at 1800 GPH. So I think that I have enough flow. I also noticed that I am getting some mild algae on the bottom of the tank. Ran tests and here are the results: Ammonia 0.0 Nitrites 0.0 Nitrates 10 PH 8.2 Calcium 450ppm ( I have not added any calcium and do not know how it got this high as I use IO salt and thought that it would only get to the low 300's). Well that is it for me tonight, Shaun

[Reddog170]

Well I just used a mag 5 for the uv sterilizer. The wate is noticably clearer this morning. I also got to watch my porcilin crab out running from rock to rock. That thing sure is fast. Little Jouhns tank is going great to. I will update his chronicle. I do appoolgize for not being on much lately. Getting this 100 up and going has been a LOT bigger a project than I ever imagined. Shaun

[yungreefer2410]

i think flow is supposed be really slow in uv sterilizers. i now jeremy has a 6 o 8 volt that says no more then 145gph

[Jeremy0322]

Originally Posted by yungreefer2410

i think flow is supposed be really slow in uv sterilizers. i now jeremy has a 6 o 8 volt that says no more then 145gph

I dont have it set up right now but I know flow has to be really slow through them or you dont kill everything you want to be killed. All UV's have a recommended flow rate, depending on what kind it will differ.

[hma]

Just stopping by .... take a look in there.

UV Sterilizer - Suggested Flow Rates

[Reddog170]

Thanks for the link. Shaun

[Reddog170]

here is a pic of my 100 gal with everything setup

[Jeremy0322]

Love the Aquascape Looking good, keep those pics coming!

[jgking21]

wow, looking good!