Neptune Aquatics

99sf's 150-Gallon Upgrade

Do you have a schedule yet - so I can tell if I can stop by to help? I might need to head up to sacromento first but not sure yet. should be back by 3pm if I go.
 
Arnold,
I'm planning to rent the moving truck early Friday afternoon, and move the fish & coral into the holding tank. Then, plan to be in Fremont with the truck relatively early, by 9:00, for the main tank move. I predict that cleaning & polishing it (in Orinda) will take at least a few hours, leaving us to set up the tank on Saturday afternoon. Would love to have your help, if you are available. Most likely, I will be working on the plumbing and electrical around 3:00 on Saturday.
 
Perfect, thank you, Jeremy. I just ordered the clearance version of the F1 plus a few sets of pads. The page I found includes mis-matched and cosmetic blemishes for a reduced price, but "They are in every way just as effective as the stock models and will look very similar." Looking forward to having a very clean tank!
 
I went back and checked to see who tentatively offered to help with this project. Does this list seem accurate? Anyone available on Friday (instead of Saturday) for just the livestock move?
Seminolecpa / Bryan (loaning Brute cans with wheels, tarp, water jugs)
Apon / Arnold (Saturday after 3:00)
Saltwatersig / Sergio (Saturday after 11:00, loaning heater, in sump skimmer)
Patchin / Steve (saturday morning breakdown)
Orion / Gus (Saturday morning)
Guihan / Benjamin (Friday afternoon loaning buffer, 100 gallon acrylic holding tank, 4 water jugs)
 
Thanks to Benjamin's help, got the livestock, water and most of the rocks moved into the holding tanks tonight. Gearing up for a long day tomorrow, starting the breakdown at 8:45 in Fremont!
 
she must be still working on it, but the tank is empty and clean/polished. I think she needs to get some more plumbing stuff to continue. she has some pics of the work we did.
 
BAR members, thank you so much for all the help! I definitely have negative tank moving karma now. We managed to dismantle the tank on Saturday (thanks to help from Steve, Bryan and Gus and two non-BAR friends), clean it and polish it (Sergio & Arnold). It looks so much better!

And Bryan & Gus showed me that the pre-existing plumbing had a number of danger spots, including a bulkhead at the very bottom/back corner of the sump, leading to an external pump that was almost impossible to remove during the tear-down. Bryan convinced me that the siphon overflows could be a great way to ruin the floor in my apartment, and that I should order internal overflow boxes and drill the tank. Gus' strong construction skills showed when he removed extra support beams from the stand, allowing the sump to be removed, plus he played an important role in designing the return plumbing system, including sawing a tank baffle to place the return pump inside the sump. Sergio, Arnold & Cathy really polished the tank with a buffer & Novus late in the afternoon.

Now, I'm still cleaning & organizing equipment, and trying to convince a small reef company in Minnesota to make another large internal overflow box, since Bulk Reef Supply only has one available. Of course, I'm trying to convince them to manufacture this and mail it to me by Saturday. Meanwhile, the fish, coral & rock seem stable in their holding tanks. I did a 5-gallon water change last night in the fish/coral holding tank. Trying to find a copper banded butterfly fish that can feast on the aiptasia in the live rock holding tank.

Photos attached... I am definitely available for the next big BAR tank move! I can't thank enough those of you who put in so much time to help me this past weekend. And I owe a few of you some ricordia frags.

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Arnold, we should have taken a photo of the empty tank before the cleaning!

I confirmed that the small reef company in Minnesota will fabricate and ship my internal overflow boxes, arriving by Saturday. The upgrade adventure continues...
 
So glad you decided to tkae your time and do a good polist and upgrade to internal overflow boxes. Just looking at the way the old owner had it set up was making me nervous.

I don't think I have seen that much salt creep in a long time. The tank was nearly empty (as Christina had taken most of the livestock out the day before), but I got to take home lots of souvenirs of it with me as I think I was covered in it by days end.

Very happy to see that it will be set up properly and safely.
 
Dang Bryan, usually you're completely wet, this time you must have looked like a snowman :D

Looks great guys! That was no small undertaking.
 
I spent much of my free time this past week cleaning reef stuff, caring for the livestock, filtering/mixing water, and trying to organize. Since everyone last saw the tank on Saturday, I have scrubbed: four Maxi-Jet 1200s; a Koralia 4; two Seio powerheads; a number of acrylic powerhead supports; a chiller; many buckets; HOB overflow kits; several powerstrips; an ASM G-2 skimmer with pump; and assorted Rubbermaid containers. So much work! Anyone need a Max-Jet or Seio?

I got a depressing email message this morning from the small company that fabricates the glue-on internal overflow boxes. My package should have arrived today. Apparently, the post office returned it to the sender this morning in Minnesota, questioning the stamps on the package. That means I cannot finalize the plumbing until Monday at the earliest. But I should be able to install the bulkheads, hard plumb drains, and work on the return system (with Dad's help) on Sunday. Bought Weldon-3 from Tap Plastics to attach the overflow boxes once they arrive.

One thing I have not worked on since Saturday is sanding out the scratches in the tank. That's tomorrow's project. I'll start with 400 wet grit, then move to 600 and 1500.

Tonight, I tried to eradicate all the aiptasia on the live rocks. There were even two aiptasia on the maxima clam's shell! Used Blue Life Aiptasia Control, which has worked well for me in the past. The holding tanks definitely make reaching into the rocks easier than the 150 gallon display tank.
 
maybe add a 1000 grit in there? don't forget to do it with wet sand paper and keep it wet. Also keep wiping the acrlyc down so you can see the scratch is gone. When you start doing it, you will see milkesh colored water. If its sunny I would do it out side to yet as much light on the tank, if not. inside with lots of towels.
 
You may want to backup some of the Weld on #3 with some #16 just incase you don't get a perfect seal, which is likely going to be the case since the tank has held water.

I also agree with Arnold, 1000 seems to be a magic grit when it comes to polishing acrylic (like 320 for surfboards).
 
OK, you guys have convinced me to return to Tap Plastics, where I will get some 1000 grit sandpaper and some Weld-on 16, as well as a fiberglass rod to make some rock pillars. Arnold, I plan to have a bowl of water next to the tank while polishing, and will routinely drench the sandpaper. Towels ready!
 
Sounds like things are going well. Good luck on the polishing.

I would love to try a larger MaxiJet on my Nano, if you have an extra.
 
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