My 55g U-Turn and subsequent hijinks!

TomV · 03-15-2005, 06:57 PM

Well.... it begins... the saga that took a U-Turn!!

Here's the short version: GF and I were gonna by a house together. I was gonna upgrade my 10g and 29g tanks to larger tanks. Well, we broke up. She's still getting the house and I am stuck where I am. So.... I already had the 55g purchased and sitting in the backseat of my car ready to go into the new place. It was time to rethink the idea. I decided to put it in my existing place anyways since I wasn't going anywhere and upgrade the 10g like I had originally planned. (The 29g will stay as it is, I guess. :-/ ).

So, payday came and I picked up the stand, some extra salt, and various other things I was going to need. I picked up the stand at Wal-Mart, so It required assembly. It's a nice stand and pretty heavy! It was interesting putting it together and finally putting my cordless drill to some good use.

Here's where it gets interesting. Do I still have your attention?

I go out to the car to get my Tank out (It's still in the box) and I do so setting it on the back trunk lid. I turn to shut the back door and I do so--- right on the tip of the index finger of my left hand!! AIIIEEEEEEEE!!! :-O It's now purplish under my nail. I didn't break my finger, thank whichever gods for that!! But, it hurt like hell and still is really sore. So, I guess I got a battle injury for this one!

Here's a pic of the 55g with the CC in it, and lights on it, but no water yet. I am JUST TOO BEAT to do anything else today!! Tomorrow, I will begin filling the tank. It will be bucket hauling since my Python extension doesn't come in until Friday at the earliest. That and I can't wait to get this thing rolling. I probably shouldn't have put the CC in the tank first because I will be mixing the salt in there. But Ah well, what can ya do.....

My finger hurts. It's hard to type without using it.....

sarah · 03-15-2005, 07:07 PM

hope your finger gets better by tomorrow...cant wait ti see your new project up and running

Sarah xxx

Gina · 03-15-2005, 07:26 PM

Ouch! Karma for the finger and the break up! Sorry to hear about that!
Happy for you that your still planning on setting up the 55!
Post pics as you go!

Woodstock · 03-15-2005, 07:33 PM

Sorry about the break up and purple finger

But what a trooper you are to press on with the upgrade!!

When i was reading your story, I thought for sure the tank was going to slide off the trunk and crash to the ground! ...so a purple finger isn't bad at all compared to that senerio

Witfull · 03-15-2005, 07:55 PM

i thoought the same thing,,,lol,,,,as for the GF,,things will be what they are,,,but you have a tank!! fair enough,,,lol

TomV · 03-15-2005, 08:15 PM

LOl Witty! For sure, huh? As long as the addiction is fed, I will press on ; Broken relationships and purple fingers beware!!

Nahh, the tank didn't slide off the trunk, but it did make some nice scratches though! LOL! I'm so tired that almost nothing can phase me at this point! I'm gonna sleep well tonight!!

TomV · 03-16-2005, 01:26 PM

Well, today is CLOUDY DAY. 11 buckets and 22 trips up and down the stairs later-- the tank is filled. So, this is the good ol cloudy stage now. I haven't even added the salt yet because I am trying to use a power filter to take out the cloudiness. I am afraid the filter will filter out the salt too.

What do you all think? Should I wait to add the salt? Should I turn off the filter and add the salt while just running the powerheads?

TomV · 03-16-2005, 09:41 PM

A bit of an update...

The tank is filled and there are 3 softball/baseball sized pieces of LR in the tank. They were in my former 2.5 pico reef. Only one piece has any coralline on it.

The tank was VERY cloudy for most of the day then cleared out quickly in 3 hours!

Here are 3 updated pictures.

fidojoe · 03-17-2005, 12:52 AM

Looks good so far! Can't wait to see it progress

Sorry to hear about the GF, scratches, and the finger

TomV · 03-17-2005, 08:58 AM

Well, every reef tank costs us.... some more than others!

But hey, it's all for the best.

The tank is crystal clear this morning and that is a welcome sight!

Woodstock · 03-17-2005, 09:09 AM

Great Tom! I can't wait to watch the tank mature!

Gina · 03-17-2005, 03:48 PM

Have you added your salt yet?

TomV · 03-17-2005, 04:28 PM

Yep. Salt has been in there since yesterday. It's sitting nicely at 1.024-5.

I wouldn't have added the LR if there wasn't salt in there.

I also ordered some Dr. Mac LR (20 lbs for now) which will arrive Tuesday.

Base Rock (30 lbs) from Hirocks is coming sometime. Not sure when that will get here since they haven't emailed me any tracking numbers or anything.

TomV · 03-21-2005, 04:51 PM

Here's an update.

Ordered 20 lbs of Tonga Kaelini LR from Dr Mac and it arrived today!

Can't say enough nice things about Dr Mac's rock! Amazing shapes! And there was a LOT more in the box then I though there would be!

The pics look pretty blue because I only have the actinics on right now--per Dr Mac's advice about curing.

So, here ya go! DIAL UP BEWARE! (NOTE: I already had the Zoos and Shroom in there. They didn't come from Dr Mac's!)

Gina · 03-21-2005, 06:44 PM

Very nice! Dr Macs is just a short drive (well, 1-1 1/2 hr drive) from here. I have a feeling we will be making a trip over to see the place sometime this summer.

03-15-2005, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	My 55g U-Turn and subsequent hijinks! Well.... it begins... the saga that took a U-Turn!! Here's the short version: GF and I were gonna by a house together. I was gonna upgrade my 10g and 29g tanks to larger tanks. Well, we broke up. She's still getting the house and I am stuck where I am. So.... I already had the 55g purchased and sitting in the backseat of my car ready to go into the new place. It was time to rethink the idea. I decided to put it in my existing place anyways since I wasn't going anywhere and upgrade the 10g like I had originally planned. (The 29g will stay as it is, I guess. :-/ ). So, payday came and I picked up the stand, some extra salt, and various other things I was going to need. I picked up the stand at Wal-Mart, so It required assembly. It's a nice stand and pretty heavy! It was interesting putting it together and finally putting my cordless drill to some good use. Here's where it gets interesting. Do I still have your attention? I go out to the car to get my Tank out (It's still in the box) and I do so setting it on the back trunk lid. I turn to shut the back door and I do so--- right on the tip of the index finger of my left hand!! AIIIEEEEEEEE!!! :-O It's now purplish under my nail. I didn't break my finger, thank whichever gods for that!! But, it hurt like hell and still is really sore. So, I guess I got a battle injury for this one! Here's a pic of the 55g with the CC in it, and lights on it, but no water yet. I am JUST TOO BEAT to do anything else today!! Tomorrow, I will begin filling the tank. It will be bucket hauling since my Python extension doesn't come in until Friday at the earliest. That and I can't wait to get this thing rolling. I probably shouldn't have put the CC in the tank first because I will be mixing the salt in there. But Ah well, what can ya do..... My finger hurts. It's hard to type without using it..... __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-15-2005, 07:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
sarah Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: england, midlands Posts: 486 View Gallery Karma Komment	hope your finger gets better by tomorrow...cant wait ti see your new project up and running Sarah xxx __________________ I am the way i am..so please be nice

03-15-2005, 07:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	Ouch! Karma for the finger and the break up! Sorry to hear about that! Happy for you that your still planning on setting up the 55! Post pics as you go! __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

03-15-2005, 07:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,862 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Sorry about the break up and purple finger But what a trooper you are to press on with the upgrade!! When i was reading your story, I thought for sure the tank was going to slide off the trunk and crash to the ground! ...so a purple finger isn't bad at all compared to that senerio __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

03-15-2005, 08:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	LOl Witty! For sure, huh? As long as the addiction is fed, I will press on ; Broken relationships and purple fingers beware!! Nahh, the tank didn't slide off the trunk, but it did make some nice scratches though! LOL! I'm so tired that almost nothing can phase me at this point! I'm gonna sleep well tonight!! __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-16-2005, 01:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	Well, today is CLOUDY DAY. 11 buckets and 22 trips up and down the stairs later-- the tank is filled. So, this is the good ol cloudy stage now. I haven't even added the salt yet because I am trying to use a power filter to take out the cloudiness. I am afraid the filter will filter out the salt too. What do you all think? Should I wait to add the salt? Should I turn off the filter and add the salt while just running the powerheads? __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-16-2005, 09:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	A bit of an update... The tank is filled and there are 3 softball/baseball sized pieces of LR in the tank. They were in my former 2.5 pico reef. Only one piece has any coralline on it. The tank was VERY cloudy for most of the day then cleared out quickly in 3 hours! Here are 3 updated pictures. __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-17-2005, 12:52 AM	#9 (permalink)
fidojoe Fish Addict Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,581 View Gallery Karma Komment	Looks good so far! Can't wait to see it progress Sorry to hear about the GF, scratches, and the finger __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* My Tank: 90g AGA, 18g tall sump, CSS 220 w/ meshmod impeller, 4x54w Tek T5 retro w/ IC reflectors, Kalk reactor w/ aquamedic niveaumat system, a few SPS, LPS, zoos, and a few softies, 2 Ocellaris Clowns (hosted by both a RBTA and GBTA), Yellow Watchman, Potter's angel, Yellow Tang, Foxface, Midas Blenny, Purple Pseudo, huge brittle star, 2 tigertail cukes, fire shrimp, snails, and unfortunately two emerald crabs (the bubble algae got out of control).

03-17-2005, 08:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	Well, every reef tank costs us.... some more than others! But hey, it's all for the best. The tank is crystal clear this morning and that is a welcome sight! __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-17-2005, 09:09 AM	#11 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,862 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Great Tom! I can't wait to watch the tank mature! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

03-17-2005, 03:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	Have you added your salt yet? __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

03-17-2005, 04:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	Yep. Salt has been in there since yesterday. It's sitting nicely at 1.024-5. I wouldn't have added the LR if there wasn't salt in there. I also ordered some Dr. Mac LR (20 lbs for now) which will arrive Tuesday. Base Rock (30 lbs) from Hirocks is coming sometime. Not sure when that will get here since they haven't emailed me any tracking numbers or anything. __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-21-2005, 04:51 PM	#14 (permalink)
TomV Neon dottyback Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 632 View Gallery Karma Komment	Here's an update. Ordered 20 lbs of Tonga Kaelini LR from Dr Mac and it arrived today! Can't say enough nice things about Dr Mac's rock! Amazing shapes! And there was a LOT more in the box then I though there would be! The pics look pretty blue because I only have the actinics on right now--per Dr Mac's advice about curing. So, here ya go! DIAL UP BEWARE! (NOTE: I already had the Zoos and Shroom in there. They didn't come from Dr Mac's!) __________________ TomV 10g Nano Re-established 3/06: 96W PC Quad, Seaclone 100 modded, Hagen 301 PH'd, FOWLR for now. 55g 3-15-05: 130w PC lights, 250w Ebo Jager htr., 200w htr., Aquaclear 500 DIY Fuge. Softies Tank

03-21-2005, 06:44 PM	#15 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	Very nice! Dr Macs is just a short drive (well, 1-1 1/2 hr drive) from here. I have a feeling we will be making a trip over to see the place sometime this summer. __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

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