My fruits, someone Else's labor

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
It seems a bit odd to be making a "build thread" when I actually bought the entire system off of Walter White. But, I know I will be making a few changes to this or that over time and everything inside the display tank will be all my doing, so I guess a build thread is in order.

As I mentioned, I bought this as a complete system so I can not take any credit for any of the equipment or the beautiful custom built stand. I can only take credit for stumbling upon a setup that was designed to do pretty much what I wanted, only better.

This is what it looked like after reassembling it in our house...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Initial%20Set%20Up\/slides\/Message_1491191933295.jpg"}[/IMG2]


And here is the sump area after it was all put back together...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Sump\/slides\/20170404_190515.jpg"}[/IMG2]


With the tank all setup, I went about aquascaping it. Walter White had giving me several pieces of prime cut dry rock that I would be using as the foundation to build from with these ReefSaver rocks from BRS...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170427_173131_HDR.jpg"}[/IMG2]


I went through about a dozen different layouts...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170427_190002.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170427_190813.jpg"}[/IMG2]


But most of them felt either too much or too little, until I came up with this one...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170428_104408.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170428_112129.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Aquascaping\/slides\/20170428_114203.jpg"}[/IMG2]


With the live sand and dry rock in, it was time to add the saltwater...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Initial%20Set%20Up\/slides\/20170428_122701.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Initial%20Set%20Up\/slides\/20170429_111441.jpg"}[/IMG2]


It took a couple of days for the water to clear up...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Initial%20Set%20Up\/slides\/20170428_190156.jpg"}[/IMG2]


But when it did, it looked like this...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Full%20Tank%20Shots\/slides\/Day0.jpg"}[/IMG2]


And that evening I started my cycle with a raw shrimp in the sump. Speaking of the sump, here are a few more detail shots of that part of the tank.
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Sump\/slides\/20170404_153649.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/Sump\/slides\/20170404_153637.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/20170505_084804.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/20170505_084819.jpg"}[/IMG2]


Eight days into my cycle I noticed that I was already getting a decent about of salt creep in the sump area...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/SaltCreep-182556.jpg"}[/IMG2]


So I decide to make a "Salt Shield" on my laser to reduce the amount of spray that lands on areas that are harder to clean...
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/Salt%20Sheild.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/SaltCreep-193543.jpg"}[/IMG2]
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/cofamjeepn.com\/Aquarium\/Details\/slides\/SaltCreep-193617.jpg"}[/IMG2]


As you can see from that last photo, within seconds of putting it on it was already stopping a lot of spray from landing else where. Now I should be able to remove the shield and clean it up much easier than trying to clean everwhere else.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Irishman

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#4
That salt shield is awesome. Do you freelance?
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Balz3352;n671366 said:
JuanGutz;n671374 said:
That's a clean set up! Nice land scape and can't wait to see it in a few months.
Thanks guys, we are excited to see it mature as well.


Irishman;n671378 said:
That salt shield is awesome. Do you freelance?

Thanks man. I own the laser, so yeah I do some freelance stuff ;) You can shoot me a PM with details of your project if you like.
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
Balz3352;n671382 said:
Makes me really want a lazer cnc.
Unless you have a business need for one, they are stupid expensive. It does come in handy for personal projects from time to time though!


neil82;n671384 said:
Nice looking setup! What kind of wood is the stand made from?
Thanks, but I can't take credit for the setup. The wood is Quarter Sawn White Oak.

halmus;n671388 said:
Really well designed system. I like the separate compartment for electrical and of course, the Salt Shield 3k.
Walter White did a great job designing the system and the wet/dry sides was one of the things that lead me to purchase his setup.

SUS;n671390 said:
Looking good. I too may need one of those Salt Shields :)
Thanks! Shoot me a PM when you are ready to have one made.

Cherub;n671395 said:
nice build, can't wait to see the progression
Thanks, me too!
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
As the tank cycles, I'm researching what live stock I want to put in it. There has to be a pair of Clownfish (90% decided on Onyx at this point) but I'm still open to what the other fish are. I think a Diamond Goby might be in order as well. Any thoughts on what else to put in the tank?

For corals, I'm a softie kind of guy and really like the ricordea and will do some BTA's when the tank is ready.
 

Balz3352

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
Oberst Hajj;671424 said:
As the tank cycles, I'm researching what live stock I want to put in it. There has to be a pair of Clownfish (90% decided on Onyx at this point) but I'm still open to what the other fish are. I think a Diamond Goby might be in order as well. Any thoughts on what else to put in the tank?

For corals, I'm a softie kind of guy and really like the ricordea and will do some BTA's when the tank is ready.
Haha its going to be his tank all over again. That was how he stocked it at least coral wise
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#13
Balz3352;n671425 said:
Haha its going to be his tank all over again. That was how he stocked it at least coral wise
Yeah, I know. lol The fact that he built it for clowns and nems was another reason I was drawn to it. It was also his photos of his ricordea that turned me on to those. After looking at them more on the interwebs, I knew I wanted them in my take as well.
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#14
The tank is cycling well...






I have read that once you get higher levels of Nitrates in your water, you should do a water change. When should this be done and how important is it? The reason I ask is because I'm leaving on a business trip for several weeks and I will not be able to do that water change until I get back. I'm I going to be looking at a huge algae bloom with high Nitrates sitting in my take for a couple of weeks?

Also, my Ammonia did not spike very high. I've got live sand and dry rock in the DT and I put a raw shrimp in the sump on Day 0. Should I try and do something to spike the Ammonia more?
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
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#15
I would say leave and do the water change once the nitrates drop. Let the cycle do its thing imo
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#17
If you are the kind of dude who will obsess about numbers, then turn your monitors off until May of 2018. If you can just look at them and learn, then keep them on but don't act off of them for a year or more.

You need the nitrate to start to feed the anoxic bacteria that will be so important when the tank is fully done cycling - the year-long cycle where nitrate goes to zero instead of building up. This is critical. Just change 25-30% of your water every month and let the tank do it's thing.

You are going to be set back by the dry rock, but you won't know for a few months how full of organics and phosphate it is - I know that the suppliers say that an acid wash is all that they need, but this is a complete fabrication. Maybe a phosphate test at the four month mark might be a good idea.

Yes, you are going to get an algae bloom. Yes, your numbers are going to get high. Yes, if you jack with the numbers then you will just postpone the maturation of your tank. Just be patient and wait it out like everybody else did or finally got around to doing after they f'ed up their tank by messing with it.
 

Etoimos

Clown Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#19
jda123;n671453 said:
If you are the kind of dude who will obsess about numbers, then turn your monitors off until May of 2018. If you can just look at them and learn, then keep them on but don't act off of them for a year or more.

You need the nitrate to start to feed the anoxic bacteria that will be so important when the tank is fully done cycling - the year-long cycle where nitrate goes to zero instead of building up. This is critical. Just change 25-30% of your water every month and let the tank do it's thing.

You are going to be set back by the dry rock, but you won't know for a few months how full of organics and phosphate it is - I know that the suppliers say that an acid wash is all that they need, but this is a complete fabrication. Maybe a phosphate test at the four month mark might be a good idea.

Yes, you are going to get an algae bloom. Yes, your numbers are going to get high. Yes, if you jack with the numbers then you will just postpone the maturation of your tank. Just be patient and wait it out like everybody else did or finally got around to doing after they f'ed up their tank by messing with it.
Oh, I've got no problems being patient. I was just not sure if I should do something before I left to help it out. The current plan is for no fish to go in before the end of July.
 

SkyShark

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#20
Great write up! That salt shield is slick!
Did you cement or epoxy together the rock structure in any way? Or is it dry stacked?
 
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