[dougc]

After my 210 gallon tank broke a couple of months ago, AGA kindly replaced it even though it was out of warranty. I arranged with my LFS to swap it for a 180, since I had grown to dislike maintaining a tank too deep for my arms. It took a while, but the rock is in, the plumbing is back together, and one of my return pumps is running. There is still a a few things to do, but I might achieve my goal of having fish in the tank before Christmas. I have 4 orange-lined cardinals in QT waiting for the tank to be ready.

Part of the reason it took so long to get running again is that I decided, as any right-thinking reef geek would, to make some engineering changes.

I added recirculation and gate valve mods to my ASM skimmer. The skimmer is much more controllable and productive with these mods.

I increased the size of the return from my skimmer/growout tank with a diamond grinding wheel to accomodate a bigger bulkhead. I replaced the ball valve that controls the flow into the growout tank with a gate valve.

I moved my surge suppressors and UPS to a cabinet outside my equipment room. The equipment was sitting on a counter where it could have gotten wet.

I moved one of the heaters to the main tank. I now have one in the sump and one in the tank. The AquaController temperature probe has been moved to the main tank. That way, even if the return pumps are off, the tank temperature can be maintained.

I hooked up a float valve to the AquaController. This detects if the water level drops too low in the sump and turns off the returns. When my tank broke, the return pumps emptied the sump and ran dry. If I hadn't been there to turn them off, they would have burned up.

I replaced the hard-plumbed lines from the return pumps to the tank with vinyl hose. I found that the PVC transmitted a lot of vibration and pump noise. It is much quieter with the soft lines.

After I get the lights running again, I will take some pictures, but there's not much to see yet.

[Reefland]

Oh man, you can;t imagine how glad I am to hear this. I know you were very, very dissappointed after the mishap and thought that the hobby lost a great caretaker. I can't wait to see some pics and watch this beauty develop!

[charlie]

I'm always into seeing a new tank develop!! I'll be waiting and watching for pics also.

[zhenya]

Good luck with everything, Doug. If you need anything just give me a holler...frags and all that.
I think the improvements you maid are exellent choices and very well worth the time doing them.
What are exact plans for this tank? Full blown reef I'm assuming?

[dougc]

I'm not planning any major thematic changes. A lot of SPS, but maybe more favids than last time. As far as fish, I'm still determined to do a butterfly-dominated tank. I was so close last time. Probably pyramids again, but I'm also thinking of trying some lemon butterflies this time. That may govern the corals that end up in the tank, since they are not guaranteed to be 100% reef-safe. I want to get the lemons in early, before the tank is full of corals. That way, I can learn incrementally what they will leave alone and what they won't.

Thanks for the offer of frags. Do you still have your green slimer or did you get rid of it?

I figure that I'll be ready for acros and such by the end of January. I am thinking that I'll try to make a run down to Dr. Mac around February or March. I'll also know whether the new local store, "In Living Color", lives up to its promise by then. They will be setting up an aquaculturing facility in the basement and promise to have some really spiffy corals.

[zhenya]

Hi Doug,

Yes, I still have the slimer and it is ready for good fragging.
You can simply come over and choose what else you might like when you are ready. PM me and I'll give you my address.

[almostdiva]

Originally Posted by dougc

I am thinking that I'll try to make a run down to Dr. Mac around February or March. I'll also know whether the new local store, "In Living Color", lives up to its promise by then. They will be setting up an aquaculturing facility in the basement and promise to have some really spiffy corals.

Doug,

Where are they exactly? I mostly split my time between Aquarium Center in Clementon and Hidden Reef in NE Phila...

Rebecca

[CSeaSee]

Glad to hear you have a new tank, and are still going to pursue this awesome hobby! BTW, how's the wife's hand?

[dougc]

The broken finger is almost healed. Still a twinge now and then to remind us of that fateful day.

I am in Cherry Hill. I occasionally make a trip to Aquarium Center, but it is too far for a casual window-shopping trip. This means that I only go there when I am actively looking for livestock. Their prices on drygoods don't warrant the trip.

I barely achieved my goal of having fish in the tank by Christmas. I moved the cardinals on Christmas Eve. I recommissioned the QT tank yesterday with a female swallowtail angel (Genicanthus melanospilos). She came as part of a pair, but some dunderhead bought just the male. The angel had been at Aquarium Discount for about 6 weeks and appears quite healthy. I also picked up a green Turbinaria Peltata. The tank will look pretty bare for a while yet.

No pictures of anything yet. I discovered on Christmas that the flash on my camera is no longer working. The camera still works without the flash, which works ok for aquarium photography, but not for much else.

[chris&barb]

yes, thanks