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My new 80 gal!

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My new 80 gal!   Empty My new 80 gal!

Post by Michael Milligan July 16th 2010, 6:28 pm

Now the fun starts!!!

My new 80 gal!   80gal
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Post by Hero July 16th 2010, 11:56 pm

Gotta get a chair in there or something so you can sit and watch it!
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Post by Jacobnano July 16th 2010, 11:57 pm

Sweeeeeeet.
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Post by Hero July 17th 2010, 12:14 am

Can the stand hold 1000+ pounds? Or is that not the stand... ?
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Post by Rambo July 17th 2010, 12:54 am

yeah I would be careful with that stand. water is heavy. saltwater is heavier.
That is gonna be one sweet tank though. cant wait to see it set up
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Post by Michael Milligan July 17th 2010, 5:38 am

PF, that isn't where it will stay, that is just the landing for my building. I expect it might end up in my bedroom, or not. The contents of the tank will look pretty darn boring for a while... ie MONTHS lol....

The stand had held the tank with fresh water before. It needs a paint job and when the tank isn't on it I will see if I can beef it up a little.

So... I have to figure out the location.

Then what?

1: Fill it with salt water and get it circulating?

2: Set up some filtration so the media can cycle? A canister filter and a small HOB filter came with it. Both are less than what I will ultimately be using. So i guess I will just make a salt tank and get it up and running ASAP. I'll likely DIY some that is more than adequate.

3: Chiller (also DIY)

4: Lights. I have a 3" 2-tube ballast I intend to hang over the tank. I would like to keep the tank open so that you can look down into it.

I still don't know what to use for rocks and substrate. I actually hoped to have one side of the tank start with high rocks and have the terrain (I guess the term would be "aquascape" slope down and end in a sand bed for flounders and lots of swimming room for shiner perch.

Collecting these HEAVY items are hard without a car. but here are some nice sandy beaches to harvest sand from.

What size tanks to y'all have? 80 seems pretty middle of the road. I was hoping for bigger but the price was just too good to pass up. Smile



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Post by Rambo July 17th 2010, 11:26 am

yep that sounds good. I got my rocks from the local rock yard. they usually ahve a good choice of gravel to for very cheap. what diy chiller are you going with? fridg chiller? I am going to do some test runs with my mini fridge today. to se the cooling ability of it.
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Post by Michael Milligan July 17th 2010, 6:51 pm

Ya, I was think fridge or freezer. Ultimately I hoped to find one from an RV other very small one.

I also have one of these canister filters http://www.aquariumguys.com/eheimcanister2.html

I don't even know if it works... it came for free with the tank! Smile

I don't think it is big enough for my needs, but do you all suppose it could play a role?
Perhaps if I replace the canister with a larger plastic container stuffed full of plastic pot scrubbers? I don't know ho hard it is to get at the pump, but all the rest of the unit is just a fancy jar.

Will a protein skimmer be a must? $$$$$ Sad

Let me know what you learn from your chiller, Rambo. Pics?

M.

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Post by Hero July 17th 2010, 10:40 pm

Unfortunately in temperate systems a protein skimmer is usually always a necessity. It may be easier to look on craigslist or a local reef club as far as prices go.
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Post by Michael Milligan July 18th 2010, 5:42 am

%@#$%@$ lol!

see, when someone a little while ago asked me what was the difference between FW and SW i told them that everything about SW is harder and more expensive. It's true.

Protein skimmer is at the bottom of my list and I'll just keep an eye on craigslist for something.... reef club, eh. Never occurred to me, but I'm really not interested in tropical SW tanks, so I don't know how much fun a meeting would be! Wink

Again, it's a complex machine, but I really might be able to build one. But for all the time and trouble I would end up with a skimmer fit for a swimming pool, but why and how much can a used one cost?
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Post by Rambo July 18th 2010, 11:42 am

I am buying my skimmer soon for about 80 bucks. But they are pretty siple to make. the hard part is finding the things to make it out of. A 2 liter might work for the body. You would need a pump with a vnturi and out a small plastic tee on hte tip fo maximum bubles. I have not tried the fridge chiller yet. But it looks liek it is not going to work real well. Fridges are jsut not made for that much heat exchange. A freezer might work. You could get a bucket and fill it with water and put the tubing in the bucket and that way thet ubing will be sitting in a bucket of ice basicly.
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Post by Michael Milligan July 18th 2010, 4:01 pm

You stole my idea! lol I also think that the heat exchange between the tubing and the water in the vessel. Only a theory, but I know I'M a lot colder in water than air! As for a bucket of ice... I'd thought that the heat from the tank water would keep it liquid. No way to know yet. some antifreeze in the water might be a good idea. Just thinking to myself Smile

Are there pics of your setup on here somewhere, Rambo?

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