Last 29 hours

Toddrtrex · #1 10/21/2007, 08:18 PM

Whew, it took about 29 hours (( with about 5 hours of sleeping and about 2 hours of smoking

)) to be done with the re-do of my 58.

It had become over run with bubble algae, so a full re do was called for.

About a month ago I ordered 45 lbs of live rock from Foster and Smith. It was now fully cured. I ended up picking up about 25 more pounds today from TropiAquatics. (( in two trips, of course ))

Started yesterday by taking the sump offline and cleaning it all out, and soaking the skimmer in vinegar. Then removed all the old rock and live stock and put them in rubbermaids.

At about midnight I started removing the old crushed coral sand bed. VILE!!!!! (( was about 7 years old ))

Right now the livestock and old rocks are sitting in rubber maid containers. Once the fish and corals are back in the tank, I am going to scrub the rocks and sell them -- some decent stuff, I just don't want to take the time to fully clean them.

Here is the rubbermaids.

Here is an older picture of the tank -- about 4 months ago -- most of the corals had been moved to my 75. The tank had really gone down hill after my having my knee scoped and screwing up my back.

Toddrtrex · #2 10/21/2007, 08:21 PM

Here are the new pictures taken tonight.

And for the heck of it, I put some frags of purple digi in there, after 10 minutes it has full PE.

If anyone is interested in the old rocks, they will be about $5 a rock --- good sized ones, going to sell them later in the week.

Toddrtrex · #3 10/21/2007, 08:26 PM

And because it was such a pain to clean, before and after sump pictures.

after

Larry Waughon · #4 10/21/2007, 08:37 PM

Wow! lots of work. I like your new aquascaping.

Toddrtrex · #5 10/21/2007, 08:40 PM

Thanks a lot Larry, I like it too.

And I got lucky, that was the first attempt at the aquascaping. Pretty please with how it came out. Going to put my PLTA either on the far left side or in that little cove on the right hand side. If I put in on the right side, will get a zoa rock for that open left part, or a couple of clams.

ostrow · #6 10/21/2007, 08:40 PM

I'd take the rock uncleaned. If I can figure out how to get to you. Flying solo with the 2 kids this week, so probably unlikely to happen.

Illuminati · #7 10/21/2007, 11:16 PM

Very helpful thread, I am planning something very similar on my tank.

Toddrtrex · #8 10/21/2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ostrow
I'd take the rock uncleaned. If I can figure out how to get to you. Flying solo with the 2 kids this week, so probably unlikely to happen.

If you want it all --- and there are some purple digis attached, some other SPS, mushrooms, GSP, and yellow polyps --- I can hold on to it. It would all stay in the rubbermaids with heaters and powerheads.

Just let me know your availability. Nights work best, but I could met during the day -- I work 15 minutes away. I am near 355 and 88.

Toddrtrex · #9 10/21/2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by colinadam
Very helpful thread, I am planning something very similar on my tank.

Glad you find it helpful. I would have taken more pictures before and during the process, but my batteries for my cam died, and if I stopped to run and get some, I would have never finished.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I got a little impatient, and put the PLTA and pink skunks back in. The PLTA has already attached to the bottom of the tank.

moon jelly · #10 10/21/2007, 11:29 PM

Lotsa hard work but it looks like it was worth it! Congrats on a job well done! I love the aquascaping. I hope you post pics in a few months to show your progression. BTW, what happened to all the green shrooms?

Toddrtrex · #11 10/21/2007, 11:32 PM

So help me god, if you ever mention green shrooms again.

Thanks a lot, I am really please with the outcome.

Don't worry, I will be taking lots of pictures, might even do them weekly. Have some SPS in my other tanks that I might move to this one.

jcpatella · #12 10/21/2007, 11:39 PM

Wow - what a difference! I picked up some live rock and powerheads from a guy who had bubble and hair algae. While I was cleaning it all, I must have gagged 50 times - it's amazing how much it reaks once it's taken out of the water! Anyway, the tank looks great!

moon jelly · #13 10/21/2007, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toddrtrex
So help me god, if you ever mention green shrooms again.

Sorry- I am still traumatized after seeing them

Toddrtrex · #14 10/21/2007, 11:43 PM

Yea, the worst part was cleaning the sump, in the fuge part there was so much gunk, and the sandbed was so bad.

Lets just say I was very happy that my front screen door was installed last week, needed to air this place out.

Toddrtrex · #15 10/21/2007, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by moon jelly
Sorry- I am still traumatized after seeing them

LOL LOL You didn't have to live with all of them.

moon jelly · #16 10/21/2007, 11:54 PM

Well, after you were kind enough to give me that rock with the green shrooms on it (one of my first corals as a newbie), I thought I would wake up one morning and see a tank like yours!

I have had nightmares ever since.

Ladipyg · #17 10/22/2007, 01:06 AM

HOLY COW...you are one exceedingly brave man to undertake that project on white carpeting....I can't believe it doesn't look like a horde of Huns came charging through there. Nice job there...

Toddrtrex · #18 10/22/2007, 07:56 AM

Moon --- there would be worse things then waking up to a tank like mine.

Ladi --- Trust me if you look close enough it does look like that, and I cleaned up a bit before I took pictures. But you are right, I was brave ( or stupid ) to do this on white carpet. There are a few spots now, but some Resolve will take care of it. And there is one advantage to not being married anymore, don't have to worry about my messes.

Steverino · #19 10/22/2007, 09:24 AM

Hi Todd, I'll take a couple rocks off your hands on my way home one evening.

GrandeGixxer · #20 10/22/2007, 03:17 PM

You inspired me to do a rescape on my tank last night as well. Thanks, now the wife is mad at me cause I didn't come to bed until 2 a.m.
Right side

Front

Left side

Toddrtrex · #21 10/22/2007, 03:30 PM

Steverino --- ostrow had expressed interest in the rocks, I sent him a PM about it, once I get an answer I will let you know.

GrandeGixxer -- wow, very nice. And I am glad that I inspired ya, and if the wife is still mad, have her call my ex-wife.

GrandeGixxer · #22 10/22/2007, 03:32 PM

Todd, sorry for the hijack, just thought I would give you some credit. As for the wife, whe will get over it, she always does.

Toddrtrex · #23 10/22/2007, 03:34 PM

Don't worry about the hijack at all. Glad you posted.

Good wife you have there, my ex wasn't understanding --- Got very upset with me for not being ready to go out with her -- sorry this water leaking out the pipes isn't going to fix itself.

But, I should add, that my ex girlfriend did buy me my blue carpet ( haddoni ) for my other tank, so I got lucky there.
This one,

Toddrtrex · #24 10/24/2007, 08:02 PM

Just a mini update -- Just did a full batch of water tests,

SG -- 1.025
Temp -- 79.5-80.5
pH -- 8.2
NH4 -- 0
NO2 -- 0
NO3 -- 0
PO4 -- 0
Cal -- 400
Alk -- 8
Mag -- 1200
The mag is a little bit low, but over I am really please with the results considering all that I did to the tank. Some of the Digi frags I have in there are a little browned out, but considering that that is how they looked before this, I am not concerned. They are all showing great PE. All the fish are happy and eating like they used too. And the PLTA has never looked better.

Here are a few pictures.

Lawnmower.

PLTA, pink skunk pair and lawnmower.

FTS ( with flash )

moon jelly · #25 10/24/2007, 11:36 PM

great pic of the wrasse! i am jealous of all you people with 0 nitrates!