JCPatella's 90g Reef Build - Page 6

JJ4417 · #**126** 12/29/2007, 01:39 AM

Ok...that's just damn funny right there...any wife that appreciates reef geek humor is a good wife.

Good luck tomorrow...

jcpatella · #**127** 12/29/2007, 01:51 AM

Thanks! It'll be a LONG day!

NanoGurl · #**128** 12/29/2007, 02:36 AM

lol =) Marc you're such a $!$% (:

Goodluck with the transfer!!!!!!!!!

Reeftanks6 · #**129** 12/29/2007, 06:41 AM

LOL

jcpatella · #**130** 12/29/2007, 06:29 PM

Well, I'm over the hardest parts of the transition!!! Now I'm acclimating, which I imagine will take me another 2-3 hours. Things have gone wonderfully smooth, but the day isn't over yet!

Reeftanks6 · #**131** 12/29/2007, 06:36 PM

lol good luck with the rest let us know how it turns out and post some pics if u can

jcpatella · #**132** 12/29/2007, 09:16 PM

I'm taking a short break - almost done, though. I'll post some pics later if it's not too late. The only BIG problem was when I was acclimating. I had a bucket in my left hand and a net in the right. Right after I put the last fish in the tank, the handle on the bucket broke! Thankfully, I have a killer CUC at home to help me clean up the huge mess!

Reeftanks6 · #**133** 12/29/2007, 10:38 PM

lol almost done and the handle brakes sorry to hear that

yellowwatchmen · #**134** 12/29/2007, 10:58 PM

Can't wait to see the tank with everything in it!

Rustylugnuts · #**135** 12/29/2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Right after I put the last fish in the tank, the handle on the bucket broke!

Reminds me of when my dad ran out of gas just in time to coast up to a pump.

Reeftanks6 · #**136** 12/29/2007, 11:06 PM

lol

jcpatella · #**137** 12/30/2007, 12:05 AM

DONE!!!!!! Well, the labor part at least. And the best news of all - NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE!!!! Except my back.

I'll post more in a bit.

melev · #**138** 12/30/2007, 12:17 AM

I bet you feel good that it is finally done. Now just let it grow, right?

jcpatella · #**139** 12/30/2007, 12:25 AM

I spent yesterday morning making room for the new tank. I took the day off of work so I could start early!

I had to pull the old tank 4 feet away from the wall, which consisted of 2 inch pulls, switching from one side to the other. It's only a 55, but it looks so much smaller when it's not on the wall!

Once we moved the stand into it's final place, it rocked! Quite literally, actually, so I had to use a mat underneath one side. With the stand perfectly leveled, it was time to move the tank!

Thankfully, my wife has super-human strength. I can't tell you the last time I had to call a buddy to move something!

And yes, that is the plumbing sticking out of the bottom of the tank. I had already clamped and screwed everything on during testing, and I didn't feel like removing it!

In place!

It's interesting to be able to see the plumbing from the BACK side. I'll put myself in a vulnerable situation and let you all see my cheap solutions to reefing.

Take a closer look folks - this should be good for a laugh or two.
The lifereef drained into my sump (a.k.a. kitchen trash can), which contained my skimmer. That drains into the fuge (a.k.a. 10g mini-sump).

NOT ANY MORE!!!! Now I have some type of normalcy!

I hooked my new RO/DI unit up straight to the tank. I already had about 45 gallons of water prepared. Off to a good start!

I enjoy strange photos like these, because I'll never see the tank like this again (hopefully).

It took all night for it to finish filling, but this is the amount of water in the tank after I put in the water I prepared the night before.

I filled the tank up (1 inch below the overflow) and got the salinity and temperature prepared for the switch.

To me, this is one of the funnest, most stressful parts of this hobby! I'll probably post the tank switch (today's events) tomorrow. I'm pretty tired of thinking!

jcpatella · #**140** 12/30/2007, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
I bet you feel good that it is finally done. Now just let it grow, right?

I do feel good. Everything went wonderfully, but I have been planning this for weeks! Just let it grow? You must be kidding! The 55g was understocked!

flyguy7150 · #**141** 12/30/2007, 12:33 AM

looking good, how come your overflow seems more offcenter than mine, like more to the left

melev · #**142** 12/30/2007, 12:37 AM

I'm going to have to come over there and steal that cute wife of yours. And to think you are merely one state away.

Great pictures. I agree, it is so fun to set up a new tank. I was toying with the idea of replacing my current 280g with a new one, just because. How rediculous is that!

jcpatella · #**143** 12/30/2007, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by flyguy7150
looking good, how come your overflow seems more offcenter than mine, like more to the left

Good question - I'm not sure. I don't know the brand of this tank. It's an interesting placement, though. I can see it creating a corner that will be difficult to hit with flow. We'll see, though.

jcpatella · #**144** 12/30/2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
I'm going to have to come over there and steal that cute wife of yours. And to think you are merely one state away.

Melev's dark humor surfaces!

Sorry, she's here to stay! Plus, she's not into professional strippers.

jcpatella · #**145** 12/30/2007, 12:44 AM

Oh, and I forgot this one. The beautiful ingredient that separates us from the fresh folks.

melev · #**146** 12/30/2007, 12:50 AM

Ah, the good ol' London Fog look.

NanoGurl · #**147** 12/30/2007, 01:30 AM

Congrats on the move =) Glad that everything worked out for you guys and it's looking good!!

jcpatella · #**148** 12/30/2007, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoGurl
Congrats on the move =) Glad that everything worked out for you guys and it's looking good!!

Thank you.

We'll have to aquascape tomorrow. I was more worried about getting everything back the tank tonight.

NanoGurl · #**149** 12/30/2007, 02:27 AM

I know how that feels =)

Reeftanks6 · #**150** 12/30/2007, 07:00 AM

looks like it worked out well congrats