I had extreme bad luck in finding the right person or persons for tanks

OldManOfTheSea

AC Members
Mar 21, 2007
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Hillsborough NC
Hi again everyone, I can never understand many of those who put in our tanks or to if rebuilding a tank has become necessary that why it takes one so long to either start in the setup or rebuilding, for which as yet, im not as yet even been told to what the cost will be and the guy been around more then three months ago. The whole problem in this is that im no longer able to do such things myself anymore due too my disability. Maybe because they know that im not able to do this myself anymore, is why its been taking so awful a long time. I moved into my new home almost six years ago, and still I not started up my SPS dream tank.

Of course now, it will never look as the dream tank that I planned and paid for so long ago, for the person who I first had for this tank, has giving me nothing in what I paid for, but lowered the quality of equipment that I did pay for to something far less expensive. I mean, look at this, the return pump he put in was a Rio in which pumps only 900 gph :(

Meanwhile, im planning to have something like a main return pump which is 3200 gph, plus what the closed loop adds as well. Also on the closed loop idea, the person who up to now who is or was to rebuild this 240 gal tank, acts as his no idea on what a closed loop is.

The new man who I gotten for this, was to have called me this past Friday night, but didn't, and I no way of reaching him unless he answers his cell phone. Also, the LFS who gotten me in contact with James in the first place, I already told them that if im no answer by the end of this month on what is the rebuilding cost of the tank, I will switch over to the lfs owner who I was first talking to.

I mean, I believe that the cost will be greater then the $3200 already down, still I need to know of what is to be the complete cost, and this had as yet, nothing to do with the lighting system as yet.

Maybe im jinx in some way, for why else is it that im waiting all these years to finally enjoy a SPS tank, and im no where as yet ready to begin such a tank?

This is another thing why im seeing that I should make another change in my aquarium man. Since I was told that in the next two weeks form almost three months ago was told that he would start on the tank, his cell phone and Internet/business email, is by no means any method of communications with the guy. His cell phone is always full of messages in which he tells me his no way to hear them, and his business email is also not available or able to open. So if these things are acting up so badly, why didn't he take care of it? make some switches to another cell phone provider and Internet as well.

I have no means in how best to contact James, other then to call all the time, until he answers his phone, but I grow tired of this. I did tell James that the tank would not be started up with saltwater, not until all the work is nearly completed, on both tanks, the 40 gal breeder QT, with the 240.
So is it so, that I have bad luck in finding the right person for helping me with my tanks?

Buddy
 
Dang that sucks. I wonder how much your location and lack of skilled people for the job in your area is playing into your problems. My area is the same way, I wouldn't trust any LFS owner to work on my tank. Just south of me in Los Angeles though I know there are many skilled and trustworthy people that would be more than willing to do the job right. I would guess the closest big "reef" city for you would be Atlanta.
 
I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully you can get the fella out there to do what he was supposed to be doing. maybe the LFS can help you get in touch with him. Best of luck to you.
 
I do only fresh water right now but am planning on upgrading to salt in a year or two (When money allows). Anyway there is a group in my area that does only salt and since we're pretty much just over the mountain from you I thought this would help. My girlfriend went to a couple of their meetings and said she learned alot. Hope maybe it helps.

http://www.easttnreefclub.com/
 
Sounds to me like someone is scamming you.
The one person in which I know that did scam me was Jeff Veot of fish world, all the others so far not measure up to their promises.

I wonder how much your location and lack of skilled people for the job in your area is playing into your problems. My area is the same way, I wouldn't trust any LFS owner to work on my tank.
Like you said Ace, the same thing is all over the world inside of the lfs, as a matter a fact, its been that way since my starting days in the hobby. As for doing it right, I know what I want for as this James, he said his no idea to what is a closed loop, and I told him that its additions piping on a different pump, giving the tank much needed circulation.

As for now, my grandchildren do happen to keep me quite busy, but im no wish to wait another six years before starting the SPS tank. As far as I can see this, it might be that Ill not be able to start the tank up until after I paid my property tax just before the end of the year. And then im still the other two tanks which im looking to start as reef and eels system, two tanks on one sump, a 70 and 130 gal tanks, and their will be some minor rebuilding their as well.

Buddy
 
James has finally contacted me on the possible rebuilding of my 240 SPS tank!

James has finally contacted me on the possible rebuilding of my 240 SPS tank!

The email he sent me:

In regards to the closed system option – I do not think that with the combination of animals that you want to house together it would be a wise or ease undertaking.

The lights that I am proposing for your eel/reef aquarium would include 4x t-5 54 watt actinic lights on the outside edges and 2x 250 watt metal halides with 10k bulbs in the inside areas. This would provide the eels with areas that are a little less lit up, and the corals with the light they need to thrive. The t-5’s would have IceCap ballasts, and waterproof end caps.

The protein skimmer that I got for your aquarium is a Kent Marine Nautilus Ex unit with a Little Giant inline pump, type U62. This combination will provide you with great skimming. The skimmer will be placed on the outside and a bulkhead will connect the two. The issue of the return pump is an interesting issue. I propose using 1 Quiet 1 model 4400 HH pump for the far side, and a Quiet 1 model 3000 for the near side. That brings the return rate at around 1800 GPH.

We should bury the PVC, 4” diameter pieces to create two separate buried lairs for the eels, and we can stack the live rock over it to provide the corals with placement areas. It will be much easier to do it now.

For ventilation in the canopy we will add 2x 6” intake fans, 1 per side, to take in cool air. We will also install 3x 6” vent fans in the top if the canopy to blow out or vent the hot air. I am confident that this combination will help dramatically with the heat issues.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I told James that it will be just fine for the drawf eel as long as their accustom to well lit areas to were any number of eels aren`t, I also told him that im not in the slightest of agreement on his lighting ideas. Also, I told him that after waiting more then six years, I might pass on the idea of the dwarf eels in the 240. He and I was in agreement on the Bubblemaster 250 skimmer, the slimmer he suggest now, I cant even find anything on it, he mentions when speaking with me that it has four pumps, im thinking he means a different type of skimmer, he did say the skimmer is 23" in height.

As for the pumps, I believe I could have something different or better. I also told James that if were to stick with the bubblemaster skimmer, we will also go with one return pump at 3200 gph or better. its will split into two return pipes. His idea right now is two return pumps of 1800 gph each I believe.

Again, the chiller will be added on much later, I will use fans to help reduce the tanks heat. Now its needed for some better ideas then this in what was suggested thus far. I still think that on the lighting part, I have the specs in which I first sent to James, in which I told him that I wanted it with a bit more blue at cooling down, prior to shut off.

There will be no PVC tubing under the sandbed, even if I were to go with a SFE or chainlink, their be plenty of places to which it could hide. There will when the time comes, be PVC tubing in the 70 and 130 gal tanks, and im planning those with T-5 lighting at this time.

Buddy
 
If this is simply going to be an Eel tank and not a coral thank then I would recommend just going with T5s and skip the MH lights all together. 2x 250w that were originally suggested would be great lighting for an SPS reef tank but terrible lighting for an eel tank like you mentioned. I would probably just go with 4 54w T5s on a normal electronic ballast, no need to overdrive/shorten the lifespan of the bulbs to make them brighter with an Icecap ballast. The lights will still grow macro algaes just fine if you wanted that in your tank.

Bubblemaster skimmers are great, no way you can go wrong with one of those. I am not a fan of QuietOne pumps myself. Many other brands I would recommend over those.

The closed loop.. well.. they are about equal in their risks/benefits in my opinion. I have a closed loop on my current tank and while it works good, it is a lot of extra work to setup and one more thing to have to worry about leaking/failing.
 
Hi Ace, through out my waiting to starting this tank, im more or less to do without the drawf eels in the 240, only because im to have eels still in my two tank on one system with corals and im looking to have T5 lighting. I been waiting for the longest time to enjoy this tank, and through the time of waiting, available money on hand has taking a twist, or should I say that I can not save as much as I once done so, I know that I could get together $4,000 to $5,000 a year. Figure mostly at $4,000 and I still have some minor rebuilding work for the two tank system as well, so cash is rather short handed I would say.

So with the lights James giving here, I figure there could be some issue on which SPS coral I will not be able to manage under them, and im to have some clams as well. And as far as leaking/failing, that goes without saying, no matter what tank system we maintain, wouldn't you say?

Buddy
 
Ace, do take another look over my request

The lights that I am proposing for your eel/reef aquarium would include 4x t-5 54 watt actinic lights on the outside edges and 2x 250 watt metal halides with 10k bulbs in the inside areas. This would provide the eels with areas that are a little less lit up, and the corals with the light they need to thrive. The t-5’s would have IceCap ballasts, and waterproof end caps.

The problem in his saying that was, I told him that sometime much later, I want to get the two aquarium tank system moved from the room their in now, out to were the 180 gal tank use to rest. But it is these tanks that im to call my eel and reef system. James in his email hasn't even mentioned anything on what is to be done on the 40 gal breeder tank as my fish and SPS coral QT. The other thing is, his taking so long to tell me anything in what he would purpose to do, that he twisted around which tank is which here.

As for the 240 gal SPS tank, being I already waited more then six years already to when I might enjoy this tank, I a while ago had changed my mind on the dwarf eels in the 240 gal SPS tank. that was ever sense the time when I decided to turn the eel only tanks into a eel and reef system. I not however decided on exactly which species pairs it will be at this time.

The protein skimmer that I got for your aquarium is a Kent Marine Nautilus Ex unit with a Little Giant inline pump, type U62. This combination will provide you with great skimming. The skimmer will be placed on the outside and a bulkhead will connect the two. The issue of the return pump is an interesting issue. I propose using 1 Quiet 1 model 4400 HH pump for the far side, and a Quiet 1 model 3000 for the near side. That brings the return rate at around 1800 GPH

The skimmer his listed in this email, I couldn't find anything on it, I did find a few models, but nearly any to what description James told of of on this skimmer. Its to be an external skmmer and his idea is to have two return pumps at around 1800 gph flow rate. My idea in this makes me to believe to stay with the bubblemaster 250 skimmer, and being I would have a in sump skimmer, the return pump should be not less then 3200 gph flow rate, in which will split off into two return pipes.


One other said that he not favors the Quiet pump, as I often readied from others that they always looked for some other pump to rely on, and i wish for some better ideas in this, other then taking the idea from one person only. I mean, there are any number of excellent pumps, and no one person knows them all.
 
This is the lighting set I was to go with, besides perhaps to have just a bit more blue then white at cool down, prior to shut down
So im looking for better ideas on the tank pumps, or anything else for that matter to which to make this better then what it was.

The lights for the 240:
==================================
I told Keith that I will look to go with these lights>
4x250w MH.
Two Reefoptic 3 on Icecaps with 14K Phoenix.
Two Aquamedic pendants with 14k Phoenix.
8x54w T5 on Icecaps
4 total Blueplus
2 Aquable specials
2 6500

It went 2 Bluepluses in the front
Then the MHs
1x blue plus
1x6500
1x blue plus
1xAquablue

It drew about 1200 watts at the MH ballasts
And 800 or so watts for the T5s
So around 2000 watts total for 1600 watts of light.
===================================
Buddy
 
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