210g Move and redo (Lots of Pics)

[RayAllen]

Over the last several days Ive been making big changes to my tank. I figured why not document it. Lets begin

Before (tank running with HOB overflow and in family room)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Front_edited.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/IMG_1376.jpg

AND NOW

DAY 1 Sun Feb 17

Ace and his family were kind enough to take time out of their day to come help me drill my tank and install my new Calflow built by ACE. He drilled 2 2" Holes and the calflow is 42" long. It was a little messy; still had a little sand in the tank. The 1st few pics are of the tank on its side for ease of drilling and calflow installation

Sand out
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/lotsofsand.jpg
Woo Hoo
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/funDay1.jpg
One of the holes
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/2hole.jpg
Calflow in
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/calflow.jpg
2" Bulkheads
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/2bulkheads.jpg
Tanks new spot
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/210snewhome.jpg

Later Day 1

A couple of friends helped me move the beast
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/DiningroomDay1.jpg
Back view of holes and calflow
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1backview.jpg
Sideview
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/calflowday1side.jpg
Wife so Happy Family room is no longer a wreck
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/wifeissohappy.jpg

Day 2 Feb 18 Mon

Painting the back flat black
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/painting.jpg
Finished "I Like"
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/FlatBlack.jpg
Sump and Top Resivoir in place
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Filtrationcomeingalong.jpg
Start Plumbing
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Plumbingstarts.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/anotherplumbingview.jpg
Mag 12 back in with return
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Mag12plumbedDay3.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/return.jpg
Mag 1.5 came today UPS (For Auto Topoff)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Mag15.jpg

[RayAllen]

Day 3 Feb 19 Tue

Fill test to make sure there are no leaks ( There was not 1 leak!)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Leaktestearlyday3.jpg
Calflow in Action
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Overflowinaction.jpg
Lockline return
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Locklinereturn.jpg
Most of the filtration compenents in place
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/topview.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/filrationsystemDay3.jpg
Deluxe Auto Top Off finally arrived
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/TopoffDay3.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/topcompenents.jpg

Later Day 3

Salt and Sand go in (Salt first then sand)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/SaltinDay3.jpg
Rock is in; just put it in with no paticular structure yet
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/sandandrockinDay3.jpg
shot of Calflow
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Calflowinaction.jpg
Hydors are awesome
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Hydor4.jpg
Before bed time
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day3.jpg

Day 4 Feb 13 Wed

Auto Top off in and ready
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Topoffreadytogo.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Newsystemrunning.jpg
Cool LED Module
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/LEDModule.jpg
Future Corantine/hospital tank spot
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Courantinehome.jpg
Before Bed- Rock work is done and im happy with it.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Day4.jpg

That was a lot of pics lol. I hope you enjoy the redo. Plan on restocking the tank with fish in a few days.

Ray

[RayAllen]

Sorry about the size diffrences in the pics. I resized them on photobucket but they all didnt change.

[Texreefer]

Looks great,,, I'm NOT looking forward to putting in my new tank

[RayAllen]

yea its a lot of work. Could have probably gotten it done in 2 days, but didnt want to rush it. Think i made a dozen trip to homedepot,lol. I like HD but not that much.

[ismvel]

Before Bed- Rock work is done and im happy with it.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/Me/Day1/Day3/Day4/Day4.jpg

That was a lot of pics lol. I hope you enjoy the redo. Plan on restocking the tank with fish in a few days.

Ray
Looks good Ray....funny thing...my rockwork looks almost identical to that one island off on one side, and a structure on the other side...LOL...at least for now, I am going to change it up...

[RayAllen]

LOL, thanks. I really like the way it came out. I didnt post a pic but the island on the right of the pic is sitting on a eggcrate platform with pillars to raise it up. The rock on the far left that towers above the rest is one large 30lb rock standing up.

[bigmoe21]

cool rockwork..is it gonna be a reef now or just a fowlr?

[RayAllen]

cool rockwork..is it gonna be a reef now or just a fowlr?

Shhh... my wife doesnt know this yet but I will slowy converting it to a reef:ph34r: over the next few months.

I do not have the lighting yet, Going to do T5 or VHO. Im a big Soft coral fan myself.

[dark8nge1]

what is that light coming from the rocks, a heater? Looks like a demon or something lurking in the depths. hahahha

[RayAllen]

LOL, sorry my camera has this little red/orange light that I need to change the settings on. Think its a red eye light.

[LoneStar]

Nice work. Looks like you planned it out well.

[RayAllen]

Nice work. Looks like you planned it out well.

This time around I did, lol. Made sure to make things the way I wanted and to take my time.

[Paul28]

Very nice man , GO softies noone ever does i love them you will to:bigsmile:

[RayAllen]

Ive had smaller softy reefs and loved them. The 210g as a softy reef will be awesome. Told the wife and she doesnt mine. VHOs are affordable. I will keep a look out for good deals in the 4sale section.

[Paul28]

Softies love MH mine blew up in color when i yoused them

[RayAllen]

How far are yours off the water? I do not want to have to make adjustments to my canopy. Right now its 8" so the MH would be close to the water. Not only that, I have a older Oceaninc tank with a almost 2ft wide glass center brace so I couldnt light the center with MH.

[Paul28]

id say mine is 12 inch off water to the bulb , yeh center brace would over heat

[Paul28]

that close to water 8 inch you would need a chiller the tank would over heat so your looking like 5 to 6 inches from bulb to water , you might spash the bulb that close then pop

[RayAllen]

Im going to try and get at least 800watts of VHO. Start with the 660watt VHO kit and and on to it.

[Paul28]

reason i love MH over t5 is that sparkle that thay give when your surface water is moving dont get me rong im going t5 actinics there are so many varitions you can do to mix up colors

[Richard]

I would skip the vho and just do three 250w mh. Something like reeflux 12k. No need for actinic supplements.

[RayAllen]

cant do MH because of 2ft glass center brace and canopy heigth. 800watts of VHO will be plenty for softies and not cause any heat issues with my closed canopy. When I get my 300g in a few years then I will run MH 400watters........ Im dreamin untill then.

[Paul28]

if you have a Icecap 660 thay will run t5 overdrive 4ft 54w to 80 i think and the 5 ft 80w to 110 ive been reading alittle on them nice Bal for t5s but instead of lasting 14 to 18 months thay only last 12

[RayAllen]

if you have a Icecap 660 thay will run t5 overdrive 4ft 54w to 80 i think and the 5 ft 80w to 110 ive been reading alittle on them nice Bal for t5s but instead of lasting 14 to 18 months thay only last 12

Interesting, good to know. Thanks Paul. I will have to check your tank out in person one of these days...

[RayAllen]

Pic I just took. Not as dark as the other. Took from angle to cut down on Glare. Dining room has a lot of natural light.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frogguy1/IMG_1492.jpg

[Paul28]

o yeh for shur :bigsmile: im fixing to buy this combo just not shur what bulbs yet sooooo many ways to go with actinicshttps://diyreef.authsecure.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=55_89&products_id=459&osCsid=b4ada9ca938a58f1ea2a2fa00988ed3f

[Paul28]

man thats nice wish my wife would let me get a tank thats more then 60 inchs :(

[BA]

so whats ur plans on the fish list??? decisions decisions decisions.. haha. i forget were you gonna go FOWLR? or fowlr with some softies?

[Bill S]

Very, very nice... You will LOVE the calfo...

[SKNR]

Very nice tank

[jrsatx20]

saw tank in person today and must say very nice rock work. thanks for the overflow.

[RayAllen]

No Problem Ruben. BA Ive decided to go Softy reef so im doing away with all my invert and coral eaters. So basically all im keeping in my Christmas wrasse. Which meens im pretty much starting from scratch. Want to do a group of something. Was thinking of 3 or 4 Yellow tangs; maybe a group of Square anthias. Havnt really decided.

[aquasport24]

Ray, i have the same tank as yours and planing to do the same thing very soon, so what is your suggestions of ( DOs and DON'Ts) from this....thx

[RayAllen]

Ray, i have the same tank as yours and planing to do the same thing very soon, so what is your suggestions of ( DOs and DON'Ts) from this....thx

When you say same things. Do you meen you are moving it to another location or redoing the rock work.

[aquasport24]

redo rockwork,sand bed, calfo box,stand..major overhaul, it will be at the same location

[RayAllen]

redo rockwork,sand bed, calfo box,stand..major overhaul, it will be at the same location

Take your time and do it right. You know Ace is the man to contact for a Calflow and drilling. You may also want to talk to him about the stand. As for sand and rock you will want to remove it all and put in what ever water tight contianers you have. Run a pump or something in them to keep the water circulating. I did not do this and had some die off, but the critters that died were mostly fire worms so I was not to concerened. My copepods are all still alive and busy. As for fish I pretty much sold everything because I want to start from scratch and go with smaller fish to establish more of a community since I am going reef. You will want to move them into something large enough and again provide pumps etc... Rock work is all you and your imagination. I was thinking of doing foam but did not want my rock out of water that long because I obviuously did not want to kill all my pods etc... the foam takes hours to cure. I did make one platform from eggcrate but everything else is rock just stacked in a way to make it look pleasing and not like a stack of rocks.


Id be glad to give you a hand when you start doing all this. Doing it on a weekend and I will make time to be there. Just let me know and I will make sure I dont have anything planed.

Ray:bigsmile:

[aquasport24]

thank you Ray, i will notify you when that time come..