FREE 180 tank & DIY

[salty gal]

Was a HAPPY THANKSGIVING for us!
My Brother in Law has a 180. His eel died about 8 months ago and his tank has just been sitting there since. He was asking $300 for it and I was going to try and work out a trade with him for it. But when I asked yesterday about it, he said "If you'll come and get it, you can have it!" I said

SSSOOO ... while school is out for Christmas, I'm gathering my husband, my 17 yr old son and 3 of his friends and going to retrieve the "present".
The BIL said he unplugged the tank and it still has the water, sand and a little rock in it. ~Thinking EEEEWWWW~ Of course the rock and sand are dead now. We're going to trash the sand and just use the rock as base rock. Eventually it will become live again.
He's also giving us everything with it, stand, 2 wet/dry filters, lights, etc, etc.
Our plan is to lay out a tarp with pallets and set the tank on it. Buying a couple (or more!) gallon bottles of vinegar and a couple good scrub brushes.
Anyone have other good suggestions on cleaning out a tank? The stand is yucky too. We're going to have to sand and repaint.
Then will come the process of testing everything. And saving for the Metal Halide light upgrade. And then deciding on stock.
So, I will be updating and posting pictures as things progress.

 

[mindcage133]

Why trash the sand if it's the same type of sand you'll be using again. just rins it out really well and it'll work just like the dead rock you'll be using. all you need to do it seed it. Congratz on the tank though! Thats really close to how I got my 180.

 

[mboswell1982]

are you gonna keep the wet/dry filters? or trash them an do a sump/refugium?

 

[salty gal]

Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2854533
are you gonna keep the wet/dry filters? or trash them an do a sump/refugium?

I'm not sure. What would you do?
I really need to get the book everyone on here talks about. I really know just enough to get myself into big trouble!

 

[salty gal]

Originally Posted by Mindcage133
http:///forum/post/2854519
Why trash the sand if it's the same type of sand you'll be using again. just rins it out really well and it'll work just like the dead rock you'll be using. all you need to do it seed it. Congratz on the tank though! Thats really close to how I got my 180.

I'm not sure what kind of sand we are going to go with. I would just think sitting there for so long w/o circulation would make it really gross. I suppose I could take over some plastic tubs and put the sand in that and just see how it is.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by Salty Gal
http:///forum/post/2855099
I'm not sure what kind of sand we are going to go with. I would just think sitting there for so long w/o circulation would make it really gross. I suppose I could take over some plastic tubs and put the sand in that and just see how it is.
Sand is expensive and in a 180 your going to need quite a bit of it .I would Rinse in saltwater and reuse IMO You can add more even if its different if you like.

 

[rbrockm1]

whats one man trash is another mans treasure. this so fits the situation. my firend gave me my 55g, but nothing like your 180 for free. i am excited for ya. pics are great too.
PS i used straight razors to help clean the class when i got my tank. it really helped with the hard crustatians on the back wall.

 

[blue78vette]

dont throw out the sand!!!! and that rock may not be dead how long has it been sitting???

 

[blue78vette]

Originally Posted by blue78vette
http:///forum/post/2855271
dont throw out the sand!!!! and that rock may not be dead how long has it been sitting???
oops sorry i didnt read first the rock is probably dead but it will be fine as base rock and if you seed that LS it'll all come alive quickly

 

[rotarymagic]

Just plug it back in and let it re-cycle lol.. it'll be fine.

 

[salty gal]

OK ... so we should just rinse the sand and put it back in. Good deal. Be quicker on collecting $$ for the MH lighting!
The only thing that disturbs me is that it is a tall tank, not a shallow one. If I was paying, I wouldnt! This means I'll have to stand on a chair just to do anything. He said even standing on a chair he couldnt touch the bottom.
But ... beggar's can't be choosers! I'll just grab a chair and get me some long tong grippy things!
LOL ... I was just thinking that I had a small step ladder in the garage. And then had a visual of me falling in with my feet sticking up in the air splashing water everywhere!

 

[rbrockm1]

i would buy one of those step ladders, maybe it would work and be a lil safer

 

[invertcrazy]

. And then had a visual of me falling in with my feet sticking up in the air splashing water everywhere!

funniest home video in the making

 

[salty gal]

Ok ... so after consideration, we are thinking to keep the sand. We have been discussing the process for "rinsing the yuck out".
Here is where we are ... input would be greatly appreciated.
1. Put water in with the sand, swish it around, wait for it to settle, pump out the water. But the "yuck" is going to settle back into the sand.
2. Can't put in a strainer (as with crushed coral) cuz it will go through.
3. Put sand with water in cloth and let hang to drip dry, the yuck will still stay in the sand.
4. Getting rid of the sand, buy regualr "dead" sand and some live sand and mix the two.
hhhhmmmmm.....

 

[n8ball2013]

you may want a type of air filter for your face .that sand is probably not going to smell too hot. I had broken down a neglected 55 and it was pretty awful.

 

[snakeblitz33]

lol, washing sand is easy.
Get a 5 gallon bucket, fill it half way full of sand. Stick a water hose all the way to the bottom and move it around. The sand will fluidized a bit, and the muck will come right out. I've done it plenty of times.
Infact, I'm aiming for a 6" sandbed in my 240 here in a couple of months.

 

[salty gal]

Originally Posted by n8ball2013
http:///forum/post/2867904
you may want a type of air filter for your face .that sand is probably not going to smell too hot. I had broken down a neglected 55 and it was pretty awful.

VERRRYYYY good idea!

 

[salty gal]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2867906
lol, washing sand is easy.
Get a 5 gallon bucket, fill it half way full of sand. Stick a water hose all the way to the bottom and move it around. The sand will fluidized a bit, and the muck will come right out. I've done it plenty of times.
Infact, I'm aiming for a 6" sandbed in my 240 here in a couple of months.
Then how do you get the water out? if you pour it out, the sand will go with it. Same if you pump it out. If you wait unitl it settles, then wouldn't the muck get right back on the sand?