Sawdonkey's Breakdown / Rebuild

Sawdonkey

Sawdonkey

Premium member
Today, I'm going to my condo to begin breaking down my 220 that has been running for four years. After the fire in my neighbors condo, I have to move it down the hallway to a spare bedroom while contractors renovate my whole house. I plan to keep it running the whole time, but i'm using the opportunity to improve my system when I set it back up after the renovation.

I'll post pictures as I go along. I'm going to fix some things I hated in my stand and sump, get a new tank that insn't scratched up and doesn't have corner overflows, and basically re-use all of my existing equipment.

In the short term, probably until the end of March, I'm going to run the tank on a stand that is basically a square of 2X4s and it will be just that high off of the ground. No skimmer, no sump.

This is going to be a huge pain, but in the long run, I'm getting a completely renovated condo and I'm going to really improve my setup. I've already lost some fish and coral, and I'll probably lose some more coral, but I'll rebound.

Does anyone that lives in the City have a Brute or two I could borrow? I still have some SPS frags I could throw you in return.
 
madjoe

madjoe

Premium member
I have to brutes on wheels i use for water changes if you need to borrow for few days but im in addison
 
adam87

adam87

New member
WOW, crazy! Best of luck on your tank/condo rebuild. If you lost your UC bali shortcake, I can give you one once you are up and running again. :)
 
Mjl714

Mjl714

Well-known member
Like madjoe, I’ve got a brute on wheels you could borrow, but I’m out in Naperville.
 
C

Captain

New member
I have a 35g brute you can use. its my main W/C bucket so Ill need it back soon but welcome to use it, I can get by two weeks without it. New Lenox
 
Sawdonkey

Sawdonkey

Premium member
Thanks for the offers everyone. I ended up just buying two brutes in addition to the one I already have. Insurance will pay for them anyway. Contractor’s dudes helped me move the tank today. 8 hours of nonstop work and I still have to go back tomorrow night and finish up.

I moved the tank tonight. It was a huge effort. In addition to moving all of the rock, Coral, and Fish, the 220 tank wouldn’t make the turn into the room I need to put it in, so we had to stand it on end. My rock structure was really hard to take apart because of all of the encrusting.

Well, it’s sitting on a 2X4 frame with no plumbing and no filtration. Just a tank 3/4 full with rock, heater, Coral, ato, and powerheads.

I’m going to use this opportunity to redo some things I hated about my stand, buy a new tank with a low profile overflow instead of corner overflow, and just make my system more pro style. My old/current system was put together with one brain fart at a time. This rebuild will utilize all of the things I’ve learned. I’m looking forward to getting back in my condo probably around March.



 
98silverado

98silverado

Well-known member
Tank was amazing before. Can't wait to see what you do with the rebuild. Good luck with everything and hope you get to go back to your home soon.

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Spartanman22

Spartanman22

Well-known member
I posted this in your old thread without realizing. So I’ll post again here. Are you running the same lighting setup? If I remember correctly you were using the Aquasanrise and T5 combo but then switched back to OR’s. Will the rebuild be with the OR’s?


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Sawdonkey

Sawdonkey

Premium member
Spartanman22 said:
I posted this in your old thread without realizing. So I’ll post again here. Are you running the same lighting setup? If I remember correctly you were using the Aquasanrise and T5 combo but then switched back to OR’s. Will the rebuild be with the OR’s?


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Click to expand...
Things are coming along. All drywall is replaced, new flooring is in, bathroom tile is in, kitchen appliances and cabinets have arrived and will be installed next week.

I’m going to buy a 72x24x24 tank and do a drilled ghost-style overflow. I liked the 30 inch tall tank aesthetically, but it was a pain to work on. I’ll use the same stand and canopy. I’ll use the same 75 for a sump, but will redo the glass baffles.

I still have the sanrise lights, but I don’t think I’ll use them. I really disliked them. Anybody want to buy some Sanrise lights? I paid nearly $1,200 for the two of them. Make me an offer.

I’ll probably get New Ocean Revives or something similar. My old ones are about 4 years old and are pretty worn out after running nearly 100% every day.

Where would you guys buy a new glass tank?

House Progress Shots:


Master bath tile:


Flooring (larch I had shipped from Austria)


New fireplace tile.
 
Spartanman22

Spartanman22

Well-known member
Wow the place is looking fantastic! What did you dislike about the Sanrise? Are they 36” units. I could potentially be interested. I bought a 24” Photon V2 for a 36” tank and that was a mistake.

The Ocean Revives are great, highly underrated. I had huge success with them on previous tanks.


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IHaveCrabs

IHaveCrabs

Premium member
The place is looking good.

I was impressed with my build from SC Aquariums however their low iron glass isn't very low in iron



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Sawdonkey

Sawdonkey

Premium member
Spartanman22 said:
Wow the place is looking fantastic! What did you dislike about the Sanrise? Are they 36” units. I could potentially be interested. I bought a 24” Photon V2 for a 36” tank and that was a mistake.

The Ocean Revives are great, highly underrated. I had huge success with them on previous tanks.


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Click to expand...
I just couldn’t get the spectrum dialed to a color I liked even though they are super tweakable. In my opinion, the just have more whites than needed. My corals suffered under them for some reason. Not sure it was actually the lights.

I don’t think reef breeders sells them any more, but they call the “aqua Helios” now. Mine are the R90s and the are 35 in. Google it. I’d sell them for $350 ea or $650 for both. Only used about two months or so.
 
GugsJr

GugsJr

TeamCR
Sawdonkey said:
I just couldn’t get the spectrum dialed to a color I liked even though they are super tweakable. In my opinion, the just have more whites than needed. My corals suffered under them for some reason. Not sure it was actually the lights.

I don’t think reef breeders sells them any more, but they call the “aqua Helios” now. Mine are the R90s and the are 35 in. Google it. I’d sell them for $350 ea or $650 for both. Only used about two months or so.
Click to expand...
Look at tank me USA for a custom tank. I'm waiting on a quote for a 6x3x2.

If toy want to go crazy with lights look up the Lupyled

I love my gen4 t5 combo and would do that again, since LupyLed is way out of my budget

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tinman

tinman

Well-known member
looks like you are almost there Gunner :)

low iron glass shows your coral colors better but veru easily scratchable ...


i have sc aquariums and i like it

For lighting you would need 3 Gen 4 radions if you go that way and they can be tuned to any spectrum of your choice .. you are welcome to come check them both out :)
 
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