Tank Journal Archive

[Lesley]

HI all,
Well after a few issues with the tank, we are finally ready to make the move.
We filled the tank and unfortunately suddenly realized that the builder had not made any compensation for the removable teeth we had requested. So the weir glass cut was the same height as all the other builds he does, he failed to take into account the 3cm base that he stuck on top of the weir glass, consequently the water was lapping the euro bracing to get through the teeth, Not ideal. So after some good advice around the place, hubby managed to very carefully shave/cut 7mm off the holder and 5mm off the teeth themselves. Tank is now running about 1cm below the euro bracing. Not perfect but a hell of a lot better.
This picture is of how full it was before the work that took 2 days and a ton of mess.

The move day is now set for Sunday/Monday of this weekend.
The tank is up to temp and running quietly.
We decided over the last 10 days to swap water between the two tanks.
So over the last 10 days 1200lt has switched between the new tank and the current tank.
Parameters are spot on for each including temp, salinity, mag, alk & cal.
Hoping this will make life easier for the fish and corals on moving day.
Think our fish are a bit puzzled as to why they have had 5 water changes in that time, but certainly not suffered in the process.

 

[Sam Parker]

Good luck. I know how prepared and planned you are for this. Take your time, don't panic and stick to your plan. Looking forward to the full tank shot in completion!
Sam

 

[Lesley]

Good luck. I know how prepared and planned you are for this. Take your time, don't panic and stick to your plan. Looking forward to the full tank shot in completion!
Sam

Full tank shot will take a while I am sure Don't want to scare the kids with broken corals. & dead fish. Lol. Thanks for your help & advice.

 

[Ninja]

How did you get on with replacing the rock that was sold on you?

 

[Lesley]

How did you get on with replacing the rock that was sold on you?

Yeah well, not good. We found only 1 new piece that we liked. So old rock it is. Luckily we have tons in the sump that may have to be suddenly used if needed. Its really hard to find nice shaped rocks these days. I am sure we can come up with something. lol

 

[MagicJ]

@Lesley, I don't mean to make you more anxious than you probably already are, but please make sure you are 100% happy with the height of the weir and the distance of the water from your braces. If it needs to be fixed then now is the time to do it - if it means that the changeover is put back a week or so then so be it.

Not perfect but a hell of a lot better.

Are you sure you can live with not being perfect ??

I mention this because I have some experience with the same issue ;)

In my current tank the weir was too high and the water lapped the bracing. I thought I could put up with it but I couldn't - I eventually tried to cut 10mm off the weir glass whilst the tank was full (I reduced the water level so I could work on the weir) - I managed to do a reasonable job but I risked breaking the weir glass with all sorts of horrible repercussions!!

Even now, I can't have my return pump turned up too high, nor my in tank pumps. Having water lap the bracing glass is a pain - salt creep and algae growth are the main problems.

If you have any doubts then please have it fixed now.

Good luck.

 

[ReeferRob]

Definitely make sure you're 100% happy and ready, fix anything now. I didn't make the weir in my 240 right and regretted it for 3 years.

 

[Buddy]

My water sits about 15mm under the bracing and if I turn my pumps up full the water laps the bracing. I don't have my pumps up full anyway so it's not much of a problem. If your drain gets blocked for some reason you are going to have a few more minutes to notice it if the water level is a bit lower. Like the others said, get it fixed now because it wI'll make life a lot easier!

 

[Lesley]

My water sits about 15mm under the bracing and if I turn my pumps up full the water laps the bracing. I don't have my pumps up full anyway so it's not much of a problem. If your drain gets blocked for some reason you are going to have a few more minutes to notice it if the water level is a bit lower. Like the others said, get it fixed now because it wI'll make life a lot easier!

We are now very happy with tank level. It's about a cm off the bracing and with flow on is ok too ! We totally understand the necessity of making sure all good before move. That's why the darn build has been sitting there for so long with nothing in it. Grrrrr ! One thing that we are puzzleing over - when all rocks & coral are moved over. Will the current tank water be toxic ( from stirred sand and rocks ) because we have sold. 3 fish that won't be going over & have purchased 3 new ! Wondering if 3 that are sold can happily remain in old tank for 24hrs till pick up Monday ? Or should we sump them in new tank & completely shut down old. ?

 

[ReeferRob]

Our 240 sat for the better part of 3 months before we started on it. :( Damn I miss that tank. I'd have to put columns in the basement to support the floor, 1000 kgs crashing through the floor doesn't sound like much fun.

 

[Lesley]

Our 240 sat for the better part of 3 months before we started on it. :( Damn I miss that tank. I'd have to put columns in the basement to support the floor, 1000 kgs crashing through the floor doesn't sound like much fun.

Oh what fun would that be. Lol. !

 

[MagicJ]

My guess is that the water will not be suitable for your fish. It will depend on the depth of your existing sand bed and how much crap is in it - you are going to be stirring everything up when removing the rock and fish.

Have a look when you have finished but I would be putting them in the sump if you can.

 

[holly]

I'd be moving the fish to the sump. All kinds of shit gets stirred up from the bottom of the rocks sitting on sand. You'd be surprised just how much detritus builds up. The prop tanks are bare bottom and if you don't keep removing the sludge it can look like it has a layer of sand down there.

 

[Ben Broadfoot]

@Lesley what's the gap between the top of your weir and the top of the tank?

 

[ReeferRob]

I don't see any pics!!

 

[macca_75]

Great work.

Putting the Captain obvious hat on here, but don't forget to drain your new tank as you start adding stock such as rock (displacement).