The Great Un-Build

[caitrina]

Yeah, there she is good ol' Cat, she just gotta be different, huh? Yes, you read it right, the un-build. I figure I started a few chronicles here of building, some stalled, some that never quite made it off the ground, but where in these chronicles are you gonna find a step by step procedure of un-building? Right here, ladies and gentlemen. As I was taking the tank down I took pictures every step of the way, there was a method for my madness..it kept my mind from wandering to places it didn't need to go, it kept me focused and I even had a few laughs as many memories came flooding back as the sands and rocks of time became uncovered. It also amazed me that how fast it all came down as compared to the whole building process. However there was no time to think of that because than you go into the negative, sad, teary eyed end of it ......no time for that. Well anyway, tonight I will be taking the final pictures because Lynn will be getting the corals and soemtime between now and then I will be sitting here behind the scenes of RS getting the GREAT UN-BUILD together for your enjoyment and learning experience... See ya in a bit! :scram:

 

[caitrina]

Well this is the beginning, actually this was after I had already done some disassembly when I got this brilliant idea! First you begin with a tank of water, preferably with all inhabitants in place. As you can see I have that step covered, one even came out to say "hello."

 

[sneaks03]

Wow Cait I have to say after reading your other chronicles this is gonna be hard to stomach. I know you are doing it for the right reasons and I will follow the un-build. I hate that you have to tear this tank down. But anyway on with the show!:lurk:

 

[BigAl07]

Very "Creative" ms cat

 

[caitrina]

Well here we go back to where we stopped. This is another picture of the yellow tang. This guy has always been my camera hog. He sees camera and he insists on being in the picture, never fails. I got this guy when he was just a baby. He was a small thing , maybe about an inch long. He was one of my originals. lil fish, thank you!

 

[caitrina]

Here is some lettuce leather. I loved this stuff and it was one of my original corals. There is more on another rock in the tank. In the left hand corner in the back there is a picture of my blue hippo tang. Now this guy was a real tiny thing when I got him. He is just about as big as the yellow tang. He didd not like his pictures taken at all. I tried for the longest time to catch this fish for Dr. Hank. He was not going to be caught! I used fish traps and everything. Well, finally I caught him this time, after of course there were no more places for him to hide. ol'blue, I will miss you!

 

[caitrina]

the tank has been down now for a few days and in its absence I found that it was always something I looked forward to going home to. Never realized before that it was the first thing I would go to when I came in the door. Now it sits empty. Amazing how it is just gone! Anyway, the next picture isn't that great, but it is of one of my clowns, my little girl clown. This lil lady had laid many eggs in this tank. She and her mate were originals and the second fish to become inhabitants. They were real tiny when they came here. I bet they weren't a half inch long when I got them. They certainly brought me a lot of enjoyment and continually kept the tank a buzz with gossip about the eggs all over rocks and challenging anyone to come near. they educated me about many things. I will miss you clowns, I hope you will find a nice good home together!

 

[caitrina]

My favorite fish, Sweet Lips. This fish had so much character and personality. I got him about a year and a half ago and he really grew also. I knew when I got him I wouldn't be able to keep him for long because he would outgrow the tank, but he was just so dog gone cute so I figured I could enjoy him for awhile anyway. Before my decision of taking the tank down I was already looking for a home for him. This guy certainly ruled what I was able to put into the tank as far as shrimp went. That was his favorite meal. He thought the peppermint shrimp I bought to eat the aiptasia were his gourmet dinners. He was certainly a spoiled fish, so neat to watch, particularly when I dropped live ghost shrimp in the tank. lil sweet lips

 

[caitrina]

This rock was an original in the tank. It was a plain rock until I put one or two red mushrooms on it. This picture shows that they are not happy at the moment and are also coming back from the great melt down I had in my tank when I was gone and the AC had quit working. These mushrooms are really pretty though.

 

[caitrina]

Well the unbuild must go on so here is another picture of it in progress. In the unbuild I found it easier to get the fish as the rock was coming out and I was taking water out also. I had gotten several bins and filled them with water. I got a bin for corals, bin for rocks and I got a bunch of Zip lock bags to place the fish in immeddiately to try to prevent catching fish twice just to take to LFS. So here is another picture of the steps I was taking.

 

[caitrina]

Speaking of the LFS, my regular LFS was glad to take my fish and because I was breaking down the tank they did not give me store credit but gave me a check for the fish. When I took them in he looked at them and told me that some of my fish were going to go home to his tank and would not be sold. :yehoo: That made me feel pretty darn good to know that he felt my fish were of a high enough quality for him to take home to his tank. That was pretty cool.

 

[caitrina]

Here are a few corals in the bin waiting for the rest so they can travel to Lynn's (lcstorc) house.

 

[caitrina]

Most of the rock is out here in this picture which I had to do to catch the Smart Ever Elusive Blue Hippo Tang. There he is swimmin around...this guy was a tiny thing when I got him, such a baby...

 

[caitrina]

 

[caitrina]

The rock totaled out to be 122 lbs, I didn't post all the pictures. The sand I took out and weighed totaled to be 70 lbs. After 2 buckets I was sanded out and didn't bother with the rest, there was about an inch or more left in the tank. I had a good sand bed goin on. Oh yeah see those gloves draped over the bucket, yep I used 'em!

 

[caitrina]

Now here we are in the bags...this is the serpent star...when I got him he was a itsy bitsy thing too...he was my first star

 

[caitrina]

One of my favorites, my Engineer Goby. I think Lynn was with me when I got this. He grew to be quite a big guy and was still growing. I enjoyed watching him or should I say his little puffs of sand he would blow around. I had him for about a year.

 

[acemow]

Hi, Cat! Just following your un-build gives me a sinking feeling cuz I know even though it's for the right reasons, it's still hard to do. Hang in there! Ann Marie

 

[seafansar]

That brittle star looks like the one I got when I first started! Still have him too. Sorry you have to take down your tank! Bye fishies!

 

[caitrina]

Sweet lips lookin at me.....

The tang ..... and then everyone in the bags and ready to go

The tube anemone was in the tube and I did not get a picture of it, but a picture of him, Havok, is in my gallery. I remember when I got him, I thought so much Havoc would be created, but there really wasn't. I placed him in the corner and that is where he chose to stay until the day I broke down the tank. I really enjoyed Havoc.