aggieMEDIC

If anyone was opposed to this, another idea would be to keep the tank & equipment budgets separate, and the coral & livestock separate.

I like Kim's idea best.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Finally got all of my lights ordered. I had ordered the blue with the wrong socket. Just ordered the New blue's and sockets.

now have to figure out what kind of canopy to make. i like an open top tank but with such a small volume probably not a good idea.

I got a heater but its keeping the tank around 89 deg so im going to get a different one that is more adjustable. and maybe a digital thermometer to make sure the other is accurate.

Just curious what petco you bought a 2.5 gallon aquarium with the dollar per gallon sale? The sale is only for aquariums 10 gallons plus.

+1

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Ill take them. Im off 183 and mlk now. Can be by in a little bit.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

How many gallons it this rated for? I remember years ago I gould use it for my 55 but dont remember how high its rated for.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Let me know what you find. I am interested in this also. I have a project I want to do and need one.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

I think the rules stated you had to enter by feb 15. But by starting a build thread that is entering. so you should be ok.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Works for me.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

I can easily help there...and I do mean easily

Which part? lighting the LED's or the feed cycle button?

I guess im going to have to buy a pH module for my apex to use a breakout box. but thats after july so i have time.

I have 16 sockets...so I have some spares if you need any.

I plan on a canopy but haven't built it yet...I have came to accept my woodworking skills leave a lot to be desired...

Well perhaps some bartering is in order. My woodworking skills arent too shabby. But i have other skills that are just about as good as my ability to birth a child.

Im looking at this board trying to figure out how to light up the led's this is the board that lights up the rings in the front of the xbox. Need to figure out how to do that.

Oh awesome idea... after the contest I can use the xbox power button to activate a feed cycle once I hook it up to my apex. Or maybe one of the arduinos.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Not really I have a few options though. I guess I will have to build some type of canopy to house them. I have the stock light on now and man it looks puny. I'm in a hurry to put them together but I have used up my budget for the week and have to wait until payday on Friday. I haven't even gotten the sockets yet.

How about yours?

Sent from my hacked HP Touchpad running Android ICS using Tapatalk.

So I had to move some stuff to take the pic because my tablet was dead.

My aqueon 4 I got from the dome for 29.99. Half price!!!!

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

i saw an xbox tank somewhere but it was all shrooms and rics. i want to do it but its too small. so i decided to go with the sump idea. i hope it works, we will see.

Well I really wish i could post a pic of my dry tank right now but unfortunately it will have to wait until the morning when i get off and can be in front of the tank.

I am using the Aqueon Evolve 4gallon. with GU10 lighting. I am still working on the sump but if i can make it work it will be made from the case of an old Xbox 360.

Because of the portal theme i will be using the colors blue and orange.

I will not be utilizing any controllers just ordinary timers. at this point livestock will consist of a black clown goby, and a blue cleaner goby. and probably a peppermint shrimp.

I will post more later but i wanted to start my build thread sooner than tomorrow morning.

i havent stopped thinking about this tank since i saw that pic. I want to copy it but maybe a little larger. 15 gal or so.

Awwww. why wont the GIF work? Victoly help!!!

***edit*** fixed it

Gentleman Start your engines

GO

and to add to your list of stuff to buy you'll need an RO/DI unit, trash can and extra pump for mixing salt, Buckets of salt, Test kits, silicone and plumbers glue, aqua lifter if you go HOB overflow, surge protector, 2 part dosing once you get going, ATO, Carbon or other filter media, thermometer, CUC, Timers, stuff to hang the lights. I can keep going, had a lot of coffee today...

Have the RO/DI, need new filters but she already knows that, have 2 55gal drums just need to build the water station, Need to get pump though

Have test kits already, probably not enough though. ammonia, NO3, NO4, pH, Iodine, Alk, Calcium What else will I be needing?

I already have an ACjr so ill use that for thermometer and timers, and i'd like it to control my Topoff. Buckets of salt would be important. Ill put it on the list but i wont give it a price because its recurring. I have a light I am already using for my "in back" fuge. For filter media i imagine 2 media bags with different media that the water flows through.

I will add silicone, plumbers glue, filter media, light rack, dosing, pump for water station, acrylic for sump building, media bags.

Need help picking skimmers and return pumps, and info on the aqualifter and 2 part dosing.

They are both 48" but the depth is different so the stand would have a lot of lip while the 55 was on it unless you changed out the top boards when switching tanks.

Yeah I actually like having a lip on the stand, and i'll include room for a small lip even when the 90 is on it.

Sorry guys been working A LOT this week and last.

Tonight at midnight i will post something. The way to start the contest is to take a pic of your dry tank where you can see the post on the screen. whether your tablet is inside the tank or the tank is next to your computer or whatever. then post that picture as the first post in your build thread. put your build threads here in the pico contest forum. remember to give everyone a monthly update in your build thread. the contest will last 6 months.

See the first post for the rules.

See you guys at midnight.

So here is the deal: we both want to upgrade to a bigger tank. We want 90-120. and we already have a 55. so the thought is either way we go its going to be a 48" footprint. She wants me to give her a list of what we need to get the 55 started, but make sure the equipment used will be sufficient for when the 55 is replaced by a 90. for ease of the upgrade, i would like to make it as plug-and-play as possible. Empty the 55, put the 90 on the stand, put everything back in and fill it up.

Inevitably what happens is i tell her what we need but i forget things so it ends up significantly more expensive than originally planned. here is my plan. I have created a spreadsheet that i will use to keep track of costs. I want to start with the bare necessities:

Stand

Rock

lights

sump

return pump

return/drain lines

overflows (55 is not drillable)

Heater

I have a skimmer sufficient for the 55 but its too small for the 90.

I like the open top so no canopy is needed.

Then once the tank is running i can add things like reactors etc.

I think if we are going to upgrade to a 90 why not just start with the 90 because its what we both want but she is worried it is going to cost too much. as far as the 90 goes the 55 can be used for the sump/fuge. the stand will be built to fit both tanks so that i wont have to include the cost on building a new one.

This is pretty new to me as my first and only SW tank is my AIO NanoCube 24. so everything was included in one cost.

I am including retail prices so that i can come out on top if i find deals online.

Her reasoning is why build it from scratch when we can find deals on forums for whole setups for less than the cost I am giving her. she makes a good point but i think for our budget it is easier to piece things together than one large purchase.

Anyway I need help on the list. and convincing one of us on which way to go.

Thanks for all of your help. I'd like to do this fast because that 90 for sale on here is calling me, and its going to go fast.

ok how about $50 for it?

Update: we got the 2 clowns we will call them A & B. A had lymphocystis so he went back the same day and we got C. B got some disease and hunter at the dome was cool and traded us for a healthy one (D). We bought a frag rock to put in the tank but since it wouldnt fit we pulled rocks out and made it fit. Stressed the fish a bit but it only took 2 hours. Afterward everyone in the tank was good. The next day clown D went missing. Not on the floor. Not in the back she is nowhere to be found.

We are not meant to have 2 clowns in this tank.

Picked up pep and cleaner shrimps from the dome. As well as a new emerald crab today.

Started noticing a cyano outbreak before the moving of rocks. Now its cyano and a small diatom outbreak. Still keeping the dyno in check with occasional peroxide.

Got the apex up and running but I am finding IE wont let me go to my site. Firefox and chrome work great. But IE wont do it.

Pretty happy with the new aquascape. It looks fuller than it ever has been.

Here is a new FTS

I love this hobby.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

So I had to do a rescaping of my rock also. But I havent seen my pistol shrimp since. Are they able to un-bury themselves if the sand tunnels collapse? I looked for him when I pulled the rock out. How did you find him?

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.

Shouldnt need anything additional for feed mod. Just set the command "IF FEED A ON THEN OFF" on your powerhead outlet config. Verbiage may be off a bit but I think you get my drift

The reason for the breakout box or another version of it is so I can walk up to the tank. Press a button and the powerhead shuts off for a prescribed time period. That way I dont have to get my phone or computer out, just to feed the fish. Or my wife or daughter can do it without me home.

I see dead people. Then I bring them back to life.