Couple points on Shane's comments. No offence, just my point of view. :)
If he sells the old rock, he'll only get a fraction of what the new rock is
worth, if anyone even wants it. Keep in mind that the basic idea of rock is
it's bacteria content, pretty coralline algae is just a nice visual
compliment.
I think I like the idea of scrubbing, storing for a bit while the tank and
hardware is being set up, then re-using. Adding a few choice pieces of new
rock is also a good idea.
I don't like the spraybars either, but some do. solve the draining problem
by drilling a 1/8" hole in the line at or just below the water surface so it
will break the siphon as the water level goes down.
Also, I had a bad experience mixing in a bunch of salt into a container
before it was full. I was using the same thought process as Shane, but the
water turned out cloudy as hell. I ended up dumping it. Fortunately it was
only about 25 gallons, would hate to do it with 500. I would fill the tank,
and sump first, then add the right amount of salt. With the sump pump
running, it should mix and aerate the water quick enough. If you have the
new air pumps, throw them in with some airstones and that should help as
well. Better yet, get the skimmer going at the same time.
Which leads to one of the original questions. If he wants to spread out the
cost a bit, I would start with, at minimum, the sump, at least one of the
skimmers, return pump, and probably even one of the circulation pumps. That
is still alot up front, but if he can use one of the ocean view pumps for
the skimmer and maybe the other for some extra circulation, that should
help.
I would also do most of it at once, return any living critters to the LFS
for credit or babysitting immediately, then tear it all down once you have
the hardware (even the lights can wait at this point, it would be the last
of my worries), re-set it up, then add the rock. Bear in mind that "all at
once" may mean 3 days for this size project. :)
You know although it is going to be lots of work, I am a tinge jealous about
how that big tank will look. :)
Derek
See my reef at Http://www.geocities.com/reefsalot/
Under HEAVY construction!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shane Clays" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 3:41 PM
Subject: RE: 500 gallon tank
> It all sounds pretty good to me. I would also be hesitant about adding all
> new live rock, that's a big chunk of cash. I think Ron was right in
> suggesting it, but if the LR he has is truly LR, then you should be okay
> just adding some quality stuff in with it. You said he has about 500-600
> lbs. That's a lot of LR. He may consider selling 200 lbs, then replacing
100
> of it back with good stuff, giving him a total of about 400 lbs. That
should
> be enough IMO, and if he (you) stack it right, it should easily fill the
> tank and make it look great.
>
> One note on the spray bar, or on stacking the LR. In my experience, spray
> bars are nice, but you have to keep them accessible. I would not stick it
> down behind the reef at the bottom of the tank. If it plugs or breaks, you
> have to disassemble the reef to get to it. I would either keep it at the
top
> of the rock stack but pointed down towards the bottom back of the tank,
then
> maybe just covered with some top loose pieces so it is hidden, or I would
> stack the rock away from the back of the tank so it is easily accessible.
> One other thing to consider is that if your spray bar is at the bottom of
> the tank, and the return pump is hooked to the sump, and the power goes
out,
> its going to drain the tank down to the level of the spray bar, which
could
> be disastrous.
>
> Cleaning... I would do it all in one big deal. Personally, I would take
all
> the LR out and put it in separate containers, covered with water from the
> tank and airstones (that way you can leave it in the containers while the
> tank refills with RO water) and maybe even in a dark room where the algae
> can not get any light (make sure it is not a room that could have toxic
> fumes in the air). I would then scrub the freakin crap outta the tank,
rinse
> it and all the equipment and then just start pumpin water from the RO unit
> to the tank until it is full. You could mix salt in after it is about 25%
> full, with some powerheads and just let it start mixing from the get go.
> That will eliminate the need for any separate mixing containers and the
salt
> will have gone through its ammonia thing by the time the tank is full.
> Remember to leave some room in the tank for displacement by the LR.
>
> After it is to temp and full, I would take the LR out of the containers
and
> clean it in another container of clean fresh salt water, then into the
tank.
> Next thing I would do (next day) is add the algae control crew, mostly
tangs
> and maybe some snails (IMO, stay away from hermits).
>
> I don't see why the oceanview canisters wouldn't work. Just need to make
> sure they have the same output capabilities as the Magnums.
>
> Maybe if he can sell some of his base rock, he would be willing to
purchase
> Rons recommended equipment all at once. If not, I would think that a mix
of
> the two would be the best start. Start with one skimmer and one UV and
then
> add a second skimmer and a second UV shortly thereafter. Maybe even
ozone?
>
> I guess my question is, how dedicated is the guy to the tank? Is he going
to
> be going reef with it for sure? If so, does he have all the test kits and
> will he test regularly? Will he add supplements and test for them as
> necessary? If not, he should stick with a community fish and LR tank and
> make it as maintenance free as possible, which means as much equipment as
> needed, which means more $$.
>
> Just my thoughts.....
>
> Shane C.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 12:30 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: 500 gallon tank
>
> After Ron spending over an hour with me on the phone and after
> speaking to
> the owner of the tank this morning we have decided to do a few
> things. He
> has what looks like about 500 to 600 lbs of live rock in the tank.
> Most of
> it is void of life and covered with a brownish algae. The bottom of
> the tank
> has a bunch of green slimy looking stuff on it too. He is not very
> motivated
> to replace all the rock at Ron's recommendation because of the cost
> factor.
> Going to eventually drain the tank, take out all rock and fish that
> are still
> living, scrub the rock as some of you recommended, and probably add
> some
> fresh live rock to the tank. There are traces of cor. algae on some
> of the
> rocks so maybe it will come back pretty quick. Going to build a
> canopy
> hinged to the wall and put 8 actinic 6 foot vhos, 2 daylight vhos,
> and 2 40
> watt ac! tinics, and two 40 watt ultralumes on the back. Going to
> use dual
> overflows from Ron running to a 100 gallon sump. The return to the
> tank will
> be 1 inch plumbed with two iwaki 70's plumbed to a spraybar running
> across
> the back of the tank at the bottom blowing through the reef. Going
> to use
> one iwaki 40 rlxt split on either end of the tank for top current.
> Ron
> recommended two of his big skimmers with deluxe mag 350's and the
> dw962 air
> pump which we are going to use. He has some big oceanview canister
> filters
> that I was wondering if I could use in place of the mag. 350's but
> not sure
> if they will do the same thing. Looking at a spectrapure ultrapure
> 70 gallon
> a day with a 100 gallon reservoir all set up to come on and off
> automatically
> with float switch in sump for top off. Going to use about 50 or so
> lbs. of
> Fiji live sand for the substrate. Going to start buliding the
> canopy this!
> week. Cleaning out the tank is going to be a big chore. Any
> suggestions as
> to the progression of adding equipment, cleaning, etc. would be
> greatly
> appreciated. He really doesn't want to buy all this stuff at once.
> I would
> love to be able to start over with new rock but he was pretty
> adamant about
> that not happening. Also, going to add two 40 watt uvs at some point
> down the
> road. Sounds like a pretty good setup to me and I would welcome any
> comments
> from ya'll (as we say it down here). Sorry for the long post.
> Going to take
> some pics as I go so you can see my progress.
> Glen
> ________________________________________
>
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