wayneb

Dave, thanks for the Kudos. I decided to go with "Blog" entires/updates because 1. didn't want to tie up forums with the many questions and ideas I have. 2. It allows me to get my thoughts and ideas in order (I figure if it can make sense to me at 2-3 in the morning, then hopefully it will make sense to the rest of you all at a civilized hour (lol). 3. wanted to reinforce to other newbies (which I consider myself still one and will do so for a long time to come) the 'fact' that everybody preaches - "There are no dumb questions, except those unresearched and/or unasked". 4. finally have been asked many times on the status of the build, an interest by others that is appreciated very much. My Blog allows fellow reefers, newbies, etc. to see for themselves, make comments, ask questions, provide answers to my musings. If anyone and everyone wants to jump in with questions, answers, etc please feel free to do so. Think of it as a newbie chat blog. To quote one of the reasons I started a Blog in the first place: "Next reason is I feel that this is one way to gather and record my thoughts, ideas, etc., no mater how silly I think they are or dumb they sound to me. That I choose to post them is probably my first silly idea. However the one thing I value most, outside of family, is knowledge. And I don't mean book learning per se, but that gained from practice and repetition, and feedback from others more wiser in the subjects. The comments received can be read, saved, and reread again and again until it sinks in. As I get older the one problem I have in receiving face-to-face advice is that my photocopy mind soon runs out of ink and becomes blurry in a short time." Dave, thanks again to you and the others who keep this an interesting and fun hobby. wayneb

Went to the Lowes at 35 and Stassney- they had 3/4" 4x8 sheets. Guy looked at me funny but did cut one sheet into 2' widths. Also picked up a rubbermaid 18g container to use with the skimmer and a clip on reflector to use as a fuge light wayne

Teresa, you will also see "ttt" for to the top. I had to ask too. thks Mama wayneb

Our Lowes carries something similiar, had checked it out a couple of weeks ago. But to use as carpet protection to build the stand on. Didn't like the price so went with the plastic staircase carpet protector. More comfortable using the blue foam as that is what I used when I had freshwater tanks set up. For you old-timer Austinites- I had gotten it at Homers Lumber and Hardware formerly located at 35 and 71 back in the early 80s.. wayneb

Spent the morning checking out both Lowes and Home Depot, here in Bastrop - looking for the foam sheets to put under tanks and fuge. Neither of them carry the 2' x 4' sheets 3/4" or 1" thick. Doing a LFS road trip tomorrow so will be in Austin and want to see if I can find it there. Any suggestions? thanks, wayneb

Decided to use the sump/fuge that I got when I bought my used 120gal last year. Got it out of storage and found that it was actually two diy acrylic units connected by a 1 1/4" bulkhead fitting. The smallest of the two tanks is 15.5 gal (14.5w x 15"l x 16.5" h) divided equally into two sections by a fish guard baffle across the width of the tank. The other part is 28g (14.5"w x 28"l x 16.5"h) is also divided into two sections, however the largest area is about 2/3 of the tank (fuge?) and has the bulkhead fitting. If I figured it out right - the input (smallest area of the large tank) flows into the fuge thru bubble trap baffles and out thru the bulkhead fitting to the output pump(s) area with the other part used for top off resevore. Which brings up questions - Is a single 1 1/4" fitting large enough to handle the input from four aquariums? (Picked up another 30 gal at garage sale and had it drilled) As there doesn't appear to be a skimmer area, I think I either need to divide the fuge area to allow for one or add a spare 10gal tank between the two units. As I want a large fuge area, I am leaning toward getting the 10g drilled and using it. But again would appreciate any suggestions. Note have pics, but work computer will not let me access photobucket site. Will add when I get home. thanks, wayneb http://s740.photobucket.com/albums/xx48/waynefb/2%20part%20refuge-sump/

looks interesting - any idea of price? wayneb

PM sent wayneb