The September 2011 Updates
I'll apologise for being excessively post happy early on, but I think there is some benefit to others in showing just how much time and effort can go into just preparing for a new system build....
Sep 10, 2011
Progress slowly. Ernie tells me that the tank was scheduled to start getting built yesterday, so that's a good sign. I've also paid for half of it now, so that's a plus.
Ordered a few bits this week - a couple of VP202 12000l/hr wave makers. They were cheap, and should hopefully do the job when the tank cycles until I can afford some decent units. They were $15 each, so I got a pair, and some coral tongs as I suspect they could come in handy.
Also ordered a 20kg container of Tetra Marine Salt Pro, which most people probably hate if I vaguely recall something I read somewhere else, but it was $65 from AoA, so it ships cheap. I'll give it a go when I try to cure the first batch of rock, and for the nano as I'm almost out of salt for that. Whatever's left can go into the new tank while it cycles along with whatever other salt I get at the time.
I grabbed a Hydor THEO 300w heater as well. I had planned on getting a box of base rock, but given the cost of the salt, I decided that the rock can wait a bit longer.
Sep 11, 2011
Need to sort out a skimmer soon so I can use it when I start trying to cure the rock that I don't have yet. Was thinking maybe a Bubble Magus or Marine Sources - something that won't break the bank from Guppies. I dislike ordering from Andreas given the shipping costs, but I'll order an ATO relay, return pump and a few other bits at the same time to make it worthwhile.
Between that, some base rock, a few kg of live rock and another bag of coral sand, I think I'm getting close to having enough sorted to think about the tank getting wet.
Ideally, I'd like to have the rock soaked, phosphates out of it, then starting to cure by early October. Cabinet could take forever to get built at this stage - honestly doubtful that I'll have it here before Christmas. That might give me some time to put in another order to Rapid LED and maybe get a 48 LED kit from them. I reckon that plus the existing 24LED kit should be enough to light this sucker up.
Then it'll be time for some new wave makers. Then assuming everything else is working fine, I might need to consider some toys for it. Then some livestock.
Sep 16, 2011
Getting closer slowly. The two el-cheapo wave makers arrived yesterday, and a quick test in the laundry suggests they work. Bigger than I expected, but that's what I get for living in a part of the world where I can count the number of marine setups I've seen in person on one hand!
Been thinking about the lighting some more. I think I'll make another 2 24 LED rigs up using RapidLED kits for this tank, with have each one running from back to front of the tank, rather than from left to right. I think 3 light rigs should be enough.
What does irk me is the DDC-01 controller - I like the sunrise/sunset function, but I dislike sacrificing individual channel control of each colour to use that function. Ideally, I'd like the blues on longer than the whites. Thinking that when I order the gear to finish off the lighting, that I should order another DDC-01, and actually use one for whites and one for blues. That'll give me the ability to run them both on sunrise/sunset programs, and I can use the blue circuit on a longer cycle. They're cheap enough to buy that I think it would be more cost effective than buying a more complicated controller.
Sep 16, 2011
In other news - the 20kg of tropic marine salt arrived. I was expecting a tub - it was a box full of 1.7kg bags :p
Not complaining - seems to sit around better sealed.
Also means I received the first heater.
New wave makers arrived yesterday.
Sep 21, 2011
Apparently the glasswork has been done. Ernie's going to arrange getting the tank back to start on the acrylic tomorrow. I'll be away again soon, so will likely be a couple of weeks before I see it. Progress.....
Sep 22, 2011
20kg of Tahiti base rock on order from Age of Aquariums today. Hopefully it gets here and I can have it soaking in some RO/DI before I head away up to Bathurst. Hopefully by the time I'm back I'll be able to see if there's any phosphates leeching out of it or anything like that before I throw it in some salt water and stick some live rock in with it. Next trick will be to see if I can find somewhere that will post/courier me some real live rock (rather than the wet base rock + algae I can buy here).
Once that batch is on it's way, I'll get another box of base rock from AoA and get it started as well.
Sep 30, 2011
First 20kg received. Lots of flat bits, so looks like it'll stack well, even though I won't get a lot of height out of it. I want some height in my rock work, and lots of shelves in it, so I think I'm gonna need another box of this stuff, and hopefully get some mixed live rock to make things interesting.
Sep 10, 2011
Progress slowly. Ernie tells me that the tank was scheduled to start getting built yesterday, so that's a good sign. I've also paid for half of it now, so that's a plus.
Ordered a few bits this week - a couple of VP202 12000l/hr wave makers. They were cheap, and should hopefully do the job when the tank cycles until I can afford some decent units. They were $15 each, so I got a pair, and some coral tongs as I suspect they could come in handy.
Also ordered a 20kg container of Tetra Marine Salt Pro, which most people probably hate if I vaguely recall something I read somewhere else, but it was $65 from AoA, so it ships cheap. I'll give it a go when I try to cure the first batch of rock, and for the nano as I'm almost out of salt for that. Whatever's left can go into the new tank while it cycles along with whatever other salt I get at the time.
I grabbed a Hydor THEO 300w heater as well. I had planned on getting a box of base rock, but given the cost of the salt, I decided that the rock can wait a bit longer.
Sep 11, 2011
Need to sort out a skimmer soon so I can use it when I start trying to cure the rock that I don't have yet. Was thinking maybe a Bubble Magus or Marine Sources - something that won't break the bank from Guppies. I dislike ordering from Andreas given the shipping costs, but I'll order an ATO relay, return pump and a few other bits at the same time to make it worthwhile.
Between that, some base rock, a few kg of live rock and another bag of coral sand, I think I'm getting close to having enough sorted to think about the tank getting wet.
Ideally, I'd like to have the rock soaked, phosphates out of it, then starting to cure by early October. Cabinet could take forever to get built at this stage - honestly doubtful that I'll have it here before Christmas. That might give me some time to put in another order to Rapid LED and maybe get a 48 LED kit from them. I reckon that plus the existing 24LED kit should be enough to light this sucker up.
Then it'll be time for some new wave makers. Then assuming everything else is working fine, I might need to consider some toys for it. Then some livestock.
Sep 16, 2011
Getting closer slowly. The two el-cheapo wave makers arrived yesterday, and a quick test in the laundry suggests they work. Bigger than I expected, but that's what I get for living in a part of the world where I can count the number of marine setups I've seen in person on one hand!
Been thinking about the lighting some more. I think I'll make another 2 24 LED rigs up using RapidLED kits for this tank, with have each one running from back to front of the tank, rather than from left to right. I think 3 light rigs should be enough.
What does irk me is the DDC-01 controller - I like the sunrise/sunset function, but I dislike sacrificing individual channel control of each colour to use that function. Ideally, I'd like the blues on longer than the whites. Thinking that when I order the gear to finish off the lighting, that I should order another DDC-01, and actually use one for whites and one for blues. That'll give me the ability to run them both on sunrise/sunset programs, and I can use the blue circuit on a longer cycle. They're cheap enough to buy that I think it would be more cost effective than buying a more complicated controller.
Sep 16, 2011
In other news - the 20kg of tropic marine salt arrived. I was expecting a tub - it was a box full of 1.7kg bags :p
Not complaining - seems to sit around better sealed.
Also means I received the first heater.
New wave makers arrived yesterday.
Sep 21, 2011
Apparently the glasswork has been done. Ernie's going to arrange getting the tank back to start on the acrylic tomorrow. I'll be away again soon, so will likely be a couple of weeks before I see it. Progress.....
Sep 22, 2011
20kg of Tahiti base rock on order from Age of Aquariums today. Hopefully it gets here and I can have it soaking in some RO/DI before I head away up to Bathurst. Hopefully by the time I'm back I'll be able to see if there's any phosphates leeching out of it or anything like that before I throw it in some salt water and stick some live rock in with it. Next trick will be to see if I can find somewhere that will post/courier me some real live rock (rather than the wet base rock + algae I can buy here).
Once that batch is on it's way, I'll get another box of base rock from AoA and get it started as well.
Sep 30, 2011
First 20kg received. Lots of flat bits, so looks like it'll stack well, even though I won't get a lot of height out of it. I want some height in my rock work, and lots of shelves in it, so I think I'm gonna need another box of this stuff, and hopefully get some mixed live rock to make things interesting.
