BTLDreef's 180 Tank Build

btldreef

btldreef

Moderator

Nice stock list!!

I love the Borbonius Anthias. They are gorgous. I think that Longislandmike guy had a pair of those in his reef tank. I don't think he is on here any more but I remember someone had those fish.

Best of luck getting it all stocked up!!

PS. I just checked out the Longislandmike post from before and yup he has the two. I have a new favorite fish!!!!
Thanks!
Mike actually bought the two that I wanted! I know him personally.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/385998/btldreef-s-180-tank-build/20#post_3390256
bout time we got an update!!!!

LOL, have you ever tried to fill a 180, with a 30G refugium and a 30G sump? Half way through, my RODI unit stripped where it attaches to the sink, so it's been hell trying to get water into this tank. We finally gave up this weekend and started buying the water from the LFS. The guy felt so bad for us lugging the buckets back and forth that he started to just give us the water for free. He also knows that we spend an average of $200-300 in his store weekly, so I guess he can throw in some water for free, LOL. About 5 trips later, the tank is full.
All the plumbing held overnight, no leaks, YAY!!!
Fish go in next Friday/Saturday.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by cryptics http:///forum/thread/385998/btldreef-s-180-tank-build/20#post_3390280
Some guy on MR is looking to trade a 7'' Black Tang. Would look nice in the new tank :)
I'm maxed on tangs for the tank already :-( I had really wanted to do an Achilles, but my Naso is just not nice to newcomers. The Yellow Belly Hippo took quite the abuse from her when it was first introduced, and I just can't give up my Naso, it's my baby, she eats from my hands, etc.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
LOL.....you would laugh at how I filled up my 225G......I used tap...I KNOW....this was before I even knew what ro/di was LOL
I filled 5G buckets with water and stirred in Instant Ocean salt.....and dumped them in the tank..up and down a step stool....
YUP....It took ALLLLLLL DAY
I laugh about it now ...my back didn't then
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
ya im dreading the 75gal....cant imagine anything like 100gal or over?!?!?!?!....
LOL i love how the guy at the store was like F it, take the water...c u in 10 min lol~!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/385998/btldreef-s-180-tank-build/20#post_3390286
LOL.....you would laugh at how I filled up my 225G......I used tap...I KNOW....this was before I even knew what ro/di was LOL
I filled 5G buckets with water and stirred in Instant Ocean salt.....and dumped them in the tank..up and down a step stool....
YUP....It took ALLLLLLL DAY
I laugh about it now ...my back didn't then
Trust me, I considered using tap. Our tap water isn't that bad, and it definitely crossed my mind when the damn RODI stripped on us. If I didn't have to get everything moved so fast and was giving this tank a full cycle, it would have been filled the rest of the way with tap water.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Used tap on my first tank too 'before we knew.' Actually it was partially filtered, used the water dispenser from the refrigerator. Taped a cut up soda bottle to the door that kept it running and aimed the water into a cooler used to dump into the tank. Ended up wearing out something on the fridge and it started to leak. Definitely one of those live-and-learn moments
The waiting game filing the tank is the worst. Remember on my 240, I started marking the water levels, just to see if there was any variations or anything, I was so bored...
Won't be too long now though!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/385998/btldreef-s-180-tank-build/20#post_3390464
wont water get on those bulbs? or salt creep....
That's what maintenance is for, LOL. They have water proof end caps on them, so I'm not overly concerned about water. It's the refugium, so there's little to no water movement/splashing that will be going on in there. We actually had these laying over our 155, just placed on the center braces when we were running single ended halides, and other than some salt creep that just required a weekly wipe down, it wasn't too bad. Eventually we'll probably put a glass panel between the bulbs and the water.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Fish are all moved and the 155 will be getting shut down until I'm ready to do my FOWLR, which will NOT be any time soon. Everyone took the move well and ate dinner.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Pics taken with phone right after I just fed some algae sheets if you're wondering what's floating around.....






 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I don't know why some photos show up and some don't, so sorry for any duplicates:



I have to get a better picture of these guys, Captain America Palythoas:

Someone is very angry with me:
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I can't make up my mind no whether or not to keep my 3 PJ Cardinals. I've grown to like that they are basically nocturnal and add live to the tank at night darting around. They were boring to me for the longest time, and of course, now I'm starting to like them.
Thoughts?
I'm definitely getting rid of the Yellow watchmen goby, flame angel and Fridmani dottyback, but I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with the PJs. I get attached to my little fishies and it's hard to send them to someone else. We got rid of the Maldives Lyretail Anthias tonight. We gave them to the guy who sold us this tank. He upgraded to a 400+G tank, I think they'll be happy in the new setup and I know they went to a good home. I hate giving away my babies to people that I don't know. I cried giving up the anthias! LOL
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
So now everyone pray that I don't wake up to a disaster or dead fish/corals/inverts in the morning. It's 3:45am and we just finished moving things over!
What do you think of the rock work? I think my husband did a great job!
 
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