My Switch To Saltwater.

[Allen]

Well, I managed to offload my jack dempsey and now my tank is empty.

Time to build the unit into the alcove where it will sit pride of place next to the wall mounted LCD TV.

Anyhow, build the main shelf and load bearing uprights, just the bottom shelf for the sump to sit on and then the doors and its there.

Time to test its strength, I sat on it - weighing in at 130kgs, its a pre-stress test, the tank is around 160kgs.

Put the tank on, wandered outside, dragged the hosepipe in and place it in the tank.

Back outside and turned the tap about halfway.

On walking back into the house, I noticed a kink in the hose and promplty straightened it out.

As I walked around the sitting room door, theres a 25ft bright yellow hose, swinging around wildly like a king cobra hosing down everything in the sitting room until it rests on a 4 socket extension lead filling it with water.

Bang, Flash, Fusebox to the rescue.

But on the plus side, the shelf held up !!!



Just uploading photos.

 

[SkiFletch]

Sorry, but I had to have a laugh over that one. Glad to hear the fusebox saved you though . Look at it this way, you're getting your tank disasters out of the way first

 

[Allen]

I just need to sort a sump next to go in the bottom, then I can crack on and get this saltwater setup underway.

Getting kinda excited now !

 

[Mr.September15]

your advertising american airlines!

 

[Matthew5664]

great post!!! loving the enthusiasum!!!! (I'm a lover not a speller)

Give me a PM if you want to got to a reef meeting in the sur hamp berk area

 

[SkiFletch]

"sur hamp berk area"

Thats the name of a town/city/county/whatever?

I suppose we shouldnt talk around here, every other township is an indian name in buffalo (tonawanda, cheektowaga, lackawana)

 

[Matthew5664]

LOL sorry Ski

Surrey Hampshiere Berkshire ( Please say it Barkshire they are people who fight over the name)

 

[SkiFletch]

Huh, so when I say Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet's investment firm) I should say Barkshire from now on? You got it man.

 

[Matthew5664]

you got it

 

[SkiFletch]

/unhighjack

Sorry about that Allen, got a little carried away . What are your plans for the sump? Drilled or hang on overflow? How big of a sump are you going to have? Custom, or standard tank?

I cant wait to see what you come up with

 

[Allen]

Im looking at drilled.

Sump size, probably 2ft x 1ft x 1ft.

I dont think in all honesty I need a sump, but I want the heater and all that hidden away from the main tank.

If I drill, do I drill the back of the tank ? or a side ?

 

[SkiFletch]

People typically drill the back or the bottom (so long as the bottom isnt tempered). If you drill the back you can paint the background and hide the sump supply and return tubes Drilling the bottom allows you to build an interior overflow box and durso contained therein. In the states if you buy a "Reef Ready" tank they typically have bottom-drilled overflows. But if you have to drill a tank here, you almoast always have to go with the back cause our tank bottoms are tempered. I understand that many tanks in the UK are NON tempered glass.

Either way I prefer a back drill cause you use less space that way

 

[andywg]

I don't think I have seen a tempered glass bottomed tank yet over here. I have done tanks that are drilled in the side, back and bottom, and I find the best way is the bottom. You lose a little more room (as opposed to a mini weir) but it all seems to work a lot better.

Shame you aren't a little closer, or I could have drilled the tank for you.

 

[Allen]

OK, the substrate has been washed, water mixed to correct salinity and added.

Went to buy live rock today from World of Water in Romsey - £12.00 per kilo.

When I asked if they could move on the price, I was told it's £12 per kilo but our scales are inaccurate.

Anyhow, I bought 10 kilos, but when I weighed it when I got home, there is 13.5 kilos

Every piece I picked up at 2.6 kilos the chap listed as 2.0 kilos and even the 3.8 kilo lump was added as 3.0 kilos.

Its all in the tank, loads of feather duster worms swaying in the current.

Now its time to wait for the cycle I guess.

 

[barker_23]

Pics Allen Pics!!!!