Moving the tank into the house
as of 23/3/2012
Firstly a massive thanks to everyone who helped. I couldn't have done it without their help !!!
The tank is finally back in the house !!!!!
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332494630_IMG_5549.JPG
The move seemed to go well, although I was so focused on the task at hand I forgot to take pictures along the way
Anyway, it went from something like
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1323207217_IMG_5445.JPG
to
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332494630_IMG_5549.JPG
Started to prepare the holding tubs, empty the stock, empty the fish, corals, rock, (save what clean water we could) and sand bed at 7am. The tank was empty by around 10:30am
Next we moved the tank, removed the plumbing and rescued what parts I could re-use.
We cleaned the inside of the tank (why not take the opportunity) and prepared to move it back inside.
Moved the tank in and slotted it into the wall - this went a lot smoother than I anticipated. There was a gap of around 10mm each side and it went straight in. Once in we notice 1 corner of the stand was approx a few mm out although the tank was level - inserted a shimmy under the foam and presto - the tank is level and all the foam had weight on it.
Next all my helpers did an ace job on scaping the base layer of rock into the tank, followed by the sand bed and then the remainder of the rock (I bury some rock to add stability to the structure so sand sifters and alike can't shift the structure by burying under it).
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332912749_IMG_5561.JPG
We tipped what water we had saved and filled the rest from the storage tanks below - this was completed by about 2:30pm.
I finished the plumbing at about 6pm and had to take a break. Got back into it and transferred the fish and corals. I gave the system a test run at about 8pm. 2 issues - 1 major and 1 minor.
The temp seems to be running nicely around the 25/26 mark even with the lights on although I have been running a fan in the room as I have now discovered I don't have enough (any) ventilation. Until the sparky comes this week I guess it will be door open and fan on.
The minor - small leak from the isolation ball valve to the skimmer - I think it may have some crud in the actual valve. Thank god for double union ball valves.
The major- it seems my 3rd sump (the return sump) doesn't have enough volume to run - basically it runs dry. I have fixed this by moving the second largest sump there – it now has enough volume to run and handle a power out.
More luck than skill I managed to get the drain/backup tuned almost perfectly.
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332431142_tuned.jpg
I have basically run the tank for 6 days now without a skimmer and am getting a bit nervous. I have since completed a 30% water change just in case of any ammonia spikes - all fish and coral seem to be OK. I will do another on the weekend, making it a total of 60% in 7 days. At least the plumbing is all in and with the exception of the small leak everything seems fine. I just want to run it for a few hours while I can keep an eye on it before I leave it to run overnight.
When giving it a test run I need to have a fair amount of water in the sump or else it sucks air
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332431142_sucking_air.jpg
Currently running with all 3 x 6105's (looks like I have blown yet another of the transformers) and a heater in the DT.
Hopefully everything will last until I can get the skimmer on.
Livestock transferred to tank (Happy to be correct on the scientific names)
1x Six line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
1x Kliens butterfly (Chaetodon kleinii)
1x Orange Shoulder tang (Acanthurus olivaceus)
1x Foxface (Siganus vulpinus)
1x Scopas Tang (Zebrasoma scopas)
1x Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavesenes)
1x Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Pyjama Cardinal (easily the oldest fish - I've had this one for 10yrs+) (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Pair of Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in their BTA
Tasks still to do
• Pull valve to skimmer apart to see why it is leaking. It only leaks when the valve is open, and on the pressure side. Close it off (so there is pressure) and it stops – go figure. At the moment it only leaks into the sump so it’s not super urgent, but still needs to be fixed and/or replaced. Done - skimmer replaced
• Get ventilation fan installed. Done
• Hook TLF 550 up so i can run Rowaphos. Done
• Think about how I could get a refugium under there – maybe the existing big sump will be OK. Maybe not. Refugium (if I ever get one) will be mounted above skimmer and gravity feed back to DT.
• Tidy up power cables and get everything mounted and off the floor. Done
• Start adding some new stock (in a few weeks). Started - better late than never
• Get powerhead/s rotating for a more true “Random” flow. I have programmed a PICAXE to control a Futaba s3003 servo. Works well in theory. All I need to do is mount it into a case and mount the servo onto the bracket and attached the pump. Controller finsihed. Just need to purchase a bracket.
• Get a second magnetic cleaner for cleaning front glass. Thanks Rob - scored a Tunze cleaner.
• Fix trimming to wall at the front of tank and paint. Half done. Trimming fixed. Holes filed. Needs snading and painting.
• Think about some sort of backing instead of see through to wall. A few options here:
o Paint wall behind the tank
o Mount some painted 3mm MDF sheet to back of tank
o Sign writers Vinyl
o Do nothing (definitely the easiest)
And way of in the future.
• Replace MH’s with LED’s to save a few $$$ on electricity
• Downsize skimmer. Done - now running a Tunze 9420
• Get a Reef Angel or similar for online monitoring. Control of all equipment remains on separate components/controllers – 1 to monitor and a separate one to control. At least if something goes wrong with a controller I have a better chance of picking it up. Wating to copy Rob's DIY Pi
• Did I mention adding more stock. Never ends ;)
Firstly a massive thanks to everyone who helped. I couldn't have done it without their help !!!
The tank is finally back in the house !!!!!
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332494630_IMG_5549.JPG
The move seemed to go well, although I was so focused on the task at hand I forgot to take pictures along the way
Anyway, it went from something like
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1323207217_IMG_5445.JPG
to
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332494630_IMG_5549.JPG
Started to prepare the holding tubs, empty the stock, empty the fish, corals, rock, (save what clean water we could) and sand bed at 7am. The tank was empty by around 10:30am
Next we moved the tank, removed the plumbing and rescued what parts I could re-use.
We cleaned the inside of the tank (why not take the opportunity) and prepared to move it back inside.
Moved the tank in and slotted it into the wall - this went a lot smoother than I anticipated. There was a gap of around 10mm each side and it went straight in. Once in we notice 1 corner of the stand was approx a few mm out although the tank was level - inserted a shimmy under the foam and presto - the tank is level and all the foam had weight on it.
Next all my helpers did an ace job on scaping the base layer of rock into the tank, followed by the sand bed and then the remainder of the rock (I bury some rock to add stability to the structure so sand sifters and alike can't shift the structure by burying under it).
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332912749_IMG_5561.JPG
We tipped what water we had saved and filled the rest from the storage tanks below - this was completed by about 2:30pm.
I finished the plumbing at about 6pm and had to take a break. Got back into it and transferred the fish and corals. I gave the system a test run at about 8pm. 2 issues - 1 major and 1 minor.
The temp seems to be running nicely around the 25/26 mark even with the lights on although I have been running a fan in the room as I have now discovered I don't have enough (any) ventilation. Until the sparky comes this week I guess it will be door open and fan on.
The minor - small leak from the isolation ball valve to the skimmer - I think it may have some crud in the actual valve. Thank god for double union ball valves.
The major- it seems my 3rd sump (the return sump) doesn't have enough volume to run - basically it runs dry. I have fixed this by moving the second largest sump there – it now has enough volume to run and handle a power out.
More luck than skill I managed to get the drain/backup tuned almost perfectly.
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332431142_tuned.jpg
I have basically run the tank for 6 days now without a skimmer and am getting a bit nervous. I have since completed a 30% water change just in case of any ammonia spikes - all fish and coral seem to be OK. I will do another on the weekend, making it a total of 60% in 7 days. At least the plumbing is all in and with the exception of the small leak everything seems fine. I just want to run it for a few hours while I can keep an eye on it before I leave it to run overnight.
When giving it a test run I need to have a fair amount of water in the sump or else it sucks air
View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1332431142_sucking_air.jpg
Currently running with all 3 x 6105's (looks like I have blown yet another of the transformers) and a heater in the DT.
Hopefully everything will last until I can get the skimmer on.
Livestock transferred to tank (Happy to be correct on the scientific names)
1x Six line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
1x Kliens butterfly (Chaetodon kleinii)
1x Orange Shoulder tang (Acanthurus olivaceus)
1x Foxface (Siganus vulpinus)
1x Scopas Tang (Zebrasoma scopas)
1x Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavesenes)
1x Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Pyjama Cardinal (easily the oldest fish - I've had this one for 10yrs+) (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Pair of Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in their BTA
Tasks still to do
• Pull valve to skimmer apart to see why it is leaking. It only leaks when the valve is open, and on the pressure side. Close it off (so there is pressure) and it stops – go figure. At the moment it only leaks into the sump so it’s not super urgent, but still needs to be fixed and/or replaced. Done - skimmer replaced
• Get ventilation fan installed. Done
• Hook TLF 550 up so i can run Rowaphos. Done
• Think about how I could get a refugium under there – maybe the existing big sump will be OK. Maybe not. Refugium (if I ever get one) will be mounted above skimmer and gravity feed back to DT.
• Tidy up power cables and get everything mounted and off the floor. Done
• Start adding some new stock (in a few weeks). Started - better late than never
• Get powerhead/s rotating for a more true “Random” flow. I have programmed a PICAXE to control a Futaba s3003 servo. Works well in theory. All I need to do is mount it into a case and mount the servo onto the bracket and attached the pump. Controller finsihed. Just need to purchase a bracket.
• Get a second magnetic cleaner for cleaning front glass. Thanks Rob - scored a Tunze cleaner.
• Fix trimming to wall at the front of tank and paint. Half done. Trimming fixed. Holes filed. Needs snading and painting.
• Think about some sort of backing instead of see through to wall. A few options here:
o Paint wall behind the tank
o Mount some painted 3mm MDF sheet to back of tank
o Sign writers Vinyl
o Do nothing (definitely the easiest)
And way of in the future.
• Replace MH’s with LED’s to save a few $$$ on electricity
• Downsize skimmer. Done - now running a Tunze 9420
• Get a Reef Angel or similar for online monitoring. Control of all equipment remains on separate components/controllers – 1 to monitor and a separate one to control. At least if something goes wrong with a controller I have a better chance of picking it up. Wating to copy Rob's DIY Pi
• Did I mention adding more stock. Never ends ;)
Last edited:
