The 265gal Reef Build (and other associated nonsense)
- Thread starter Sploke
- Start date
I had the week between xmas and new years off, so we got a fair amount done at home, although a lot of it was spent dealing with tank issues.
I decided to repaint the area that will be behind the wall since there were some mildew issues from water spillage and moisture. I picked up some Zinsser bathroom primer to redo the section - I did all three walls and the ceiling. I covered the 200gal with a dropcloth, but being the wintertime all the doors and windows were closed. That was on Sunday night, 12/26. I woke up on Monday and looked at the tank, I found it to be very cloudy with two fish gasping at the surface against the overflow screen, the puffer and a female tomato clown.
I netted both fish out in a hurry and dropped them in the biocube upstairs as a holding tank. I couldn't locate the other three fish in the tank (I found them later after the tank cleared up and I could start moving rocks around, they were most likely all dead at this point). I cranked up the skimmer, set up a HOB running carbon and did a water change and started making RO water to mix more SW. I went back up to check on the other fish, the tomato clown was dead but the puffer was looking ok...then I realized when I turned the light on that the biocube was clouding up too, so I pulled the puffer out of there and put it in one of the 30gal rubbermaid holding bins that is keeping LR/LS for the new tank.
By Wed morning my main tank, the 55 reef, had started clouding up too. I set up a spare canister running carbon on that and did a few water changes. By wed night I lost one clownfish and probably the royal gramma (still haven't found it). The other clown was obviously distressed, so I netted it out and put it in the now-clear biocube (after three 80% water changes and running carbon for three days). About the same time, the holding system downstairs had also started clouding up, so I moved the puffer into the biocube with the clown. There was some initial aggression, but they seem to be fine now.
I'm still running carbon and purigen on the 200gal, the 55, and the holding system. I spent pretty much all day Mon-Thurs either transferring RO, mixing SW, messing with filters or skimmers, or hauling buckets for water changes. I believe the puffer and the one ocellaris clown are the only two fish that survived.
On the upside, whatever toxin got into the tanks, it did not seem to have any effect on invertebrates. All the corals, even the SPS, never looked stressed. The snails and hermits were unaffected, as were the other organisms in the rock and sand bed. I'm thankful for small favors because if that stuff took a dive at the same time, I would have nothing left but a big stinky mess. I'm still skimming like crazy on the 200gal and the holding system (skimming very wet and taking off about 5gal per day of cloudy tea-colored skimmate, and very very foamy).
On the actual progress side, I was able to get the stand for the new tank finished and in place. I was also able to get the crate built around the new tank in preparation for moving it. I'll have to get Liz to take some pics of this, as it is going to be quite a spectacle. The tank is currently on cinderblocks inside a 2x4 crate with foam blocks, just inside the shed doors about 1000' from the house. I'm going to pick the tank up with the forks on the tractor and drive it down to the house. The tank has to go in through the bulkhead and it takes four people to carry it safely; the door is too narrow to fit two people side by side carrying the tank. So, the tank will be placed on the lip of the bulkhead stairs and strapped to the tractor. It will basically slide down the stairs, being controlled by the tractor. Once at the bottom, it will be moved on furniture dollies across the basement next to the stand, so the only real lifting will be off the dollies and onto the stand.
I have some pictures of the stand and area around the tank, I'll post them when I get home tonight.
I decided to repaint the area that will be behind the wall since there were some mildew issues from water spillage and moisture. I picked up some Zinsser bathroom primer to redo the section - I did all three walls and the ceiling. I covered the 200gal with a dropcloth, but being the wintertime all the doors and windows were closed. That was on Sunday night, 12/26. I woke up on Monday and looked at the tank, I found it to be very cloudy with two fish gasping at the surface against the overflow screen, the puffer and a female tomato clown.
I netted both fish out in a hurry and dropped them in the biocube upstairs as a holding tank. I couldn't locate the other three fish in the tank (I found them later after the tank cleared up and I could start moving rocks around, they were most likely all dead at this point). I cranked up the skimmer, set up a HOB running carbon and did a water change and started making RO water to mix more SW. I went back up to check on the other fish, the tomato clown was dead but the puffer was looking ok...then I realized when I turned the light on that the biocube was clouding up too, so I pulled the puffer out of there and put it in one of the 30gal rubbermaid holding bins that is keeping LR/LS for the new tank.
By Wed morning my main tank, the 55 reef, had started clouding up too. I set up a spare canister running carbon on that and did a few water changes. By wed night I lost one clownfish and probably the royal gramma (still haven't found it). The other clown was obviously distressed, so I netted it out and put it in the now-clear biocube (after three 80% water changes and running carbon for three days). About the same time, the holding system downstairs had also started clouding up, so I moved the puffer into the biocube with the clown. There was some initial aggression, but they seem to be fine now.
I'm still running carbon and purigen on the 200gal, the 55, and the holding system. I spent pretty much all day Mon-Thurs either transferring RO, mixing SW, messing with filters or skimmers, or hauling buckets for water changes. I believe the puffer and the one ocellaris clown are the only two fish that survived.
On the upside, whatever toxin got into the tanks, it did not seem to have any effect on invertebrates. All the corals, even the SPS, never looked stressed. The snails and hermits were unaffected, as were the other organisms in the rock and sand bed. I'm thankful for small favors because if that stuff took a dive at the same time, I would have nothing left but a big stinky mess. I'm still skimming like crazy on the 200gal and the holding system (skimming very wet and taking off about 5gal per day of cloudy tea-colored skimmate, and very very foamy).
On the actual progress side, I was able to get the stand for the new tank finished and in place. I was also able to get the crate built around the new tank in preparation for moving it. I'll have to get Liz to take some pics of this, as it is going to be quite a spectacle. The tank is currently on cinderblocks inside a 2x4 crate with foam blocks, just inside the shed doors about 1000' from the house. I'm going to pick the tank up with the forks on the tractor and drive it down to the house. The tank has to go in through the bulkhead and it takes four people to carry it safely; the door is too narrow to fit two people side by side carrying the tank. So, the tank will be placed on the lip of the bulkhead stairs and strapped to the tractor. It will basically slide down the stairs, being controlled by the tractor. Once at the bottom, it will be moved on furniture dollies across the basement next to the stand, so the only real lifting will be off the dollies and onto the stand.
I have some pictures of the stand and area around the tank, I'll post them when I get home tonight.
That's strange... Aren't inverts usually more sensitive to water toxins than fish are?
Good to hear the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been!
Looking forward to updated pics.
Good to hear the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been!
Looking forward to updated pics.
Here are some pics of the new stand. Its getting pretty exciting there is actual progress. Were hoping to get some friends over to help lift the tank onto the stand on Sunday :dance: Then we can start filling it up and moving in the sand, rock, coral and the two fish we have left 
and begin building the wall.
So the VERY crucial question left to answer now is what color should the wall be painted ?????
The tank in its crate ready to be driven down to the house
and begin building the wall. So the VERY crucial question left to answer now is what color should the wall be painted ?????
The tank in its crate ready to be driven down to the house
Que
I wish I was a fish I wish.
Black.
Q
PS: Your week sounds much more hectic than I would ever want. Better you than me. I think I would have hurt myself trying to break something out of frustration. I'm glad you were able to limit the casualties.
Q
PS: Your week sounds much more hectic than I would ever want. Better you than me. I think I would have hurt myself trying to break something out of frustration. I'm glad you were able to limit the casualties.
BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
i also vote black for the wall, it'll look great with that tile flooring.
can't wait to see this all set up!
can't wait to see this all set up!
why did it get clouldy
how much are the zoas give me the size and price$50 at the max more than that is total:bs:
We actually had it dark blue before, and since its a basement it was really dark down there and it was a little overwhelming. Since then the one window in the room now has a deck over it so its even more of a problem....................while I really liked the dark blue Im thinking something a little lighter this time around.
