snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Black or Blue Krylon spray paint is non-toxic and can be used both inside and outside the aquarium. It also sprays on smoothly and doesn't smear. It dries in 15 minutes and cures in 30.
Just FYI.
Just FYI.
Our 29 FOWLR build.
- Thread starter kemfish
- Start date
kemfish
Member
OK, well he bought spray paint, but I will likely have him go switch it out...we ran out of time to get anything done tonight because we had to go supply shopping, and bought 28lbs of rock 
So, as we sit now we have all the supplies to finish the stand, do the back of the tank (but will likely trade in for Krylon tomorrow afternoon once I get off work) all of the rock for the tank, but we might add more depending on how it looks. I like the look of tanks with a bunch of rock work in them. We have 41lbs total between the pieces, but 4 of them are very large chunks that we will probably break down so we can play around a little more...we also have the rock we made ourselves a few weeks ago that is still curing. I have no idea if we will actually use it or not.
Today I ordered new T5 lights for the tank and bought a timer and GFCI for the tank, then priced out a skimmer to buy next week. What does everyone think of the Marineland in sump skimmers? I was told the Marineland or another that I cannot for the life of me remember the brand name would be ideal for my tank, but of course I would have to get a sump too if we used the Marineland...not that it would break my heart. As it was suggested on another thread, we might turn one of the other two tanks into a sump, depending on how confident my husband is that he can build one himself. The Marineland is something like $250 and the other is $175. I can do either one next week, I will have to call down tomorrow and ask what the other brand was... I just want what will work best for us out of the options we have here on the island. I don't really know much about skimmers, so I don't really know what to look for to decide which is better than the other...I will be sure to get the name of the other skimmer and see what everyone thinks.
My project of the night? Find everything we bought tonight a home until tomorrow night when Jack gets home to work on everything with me! Gonna be a fun weekend
I also get to pull all of the water out of the tank and put it in the new buckets we got tonight, since it has been full for something like 3 weeks now...and we decided to paint it this week! Will that throw off my cycle? Also, while I am on the cycle...if we add all 28lbs at once we will need to cycle again, right? Is there a way to add it over time, like so many pounds per day/week so it doesn't cause a huge uproar in the cycle?
Oh well, I have a lot to do, so I will update more tomorrow, after I get a good nap in! (
...I wish!)
So, as we sit now we have all the supplies to finish the stand, do the back of the tank (but will likely trade in for Krylon tomorrow afternoon once I get off work) all of the rock for the tank, but we might add more depending on how it looks. I like the look of tanks with a bunch of rock work in them. We have 41lbs total between the pieces, but 4 of them are very large chunks that we will probably break down so we can play around a little more...we also have the rock we made ourselves a few weeks ago that is still curing. I have no idea if we will actually use it or not.
Today I ordered new T5 lights for the tank and bought a timer and GFCI for the tank, then priced out a skimmer to buy next week. What does everyone think of the Marineland in sump skimmers? I was told the Marineland or another that I cannot for the life of me remember the brand name would be ideal for my tank, but of course I would have to get a sump too if we used the Marineland...not that it would break my heart. As it was suggested on another thread, we might turn one of the other two tanks into a sump, depending on how confident my husband is that he can build one himself. The Marineland is something like $250 and the other is $175. I can do either one next week, I will have to call down tomorrow and ask what the other brand was... I just want what will work best for us out of the options we have here on the island. I don't really know much about skimmers, so I don't really know what to look for to decide which is better than the other...I will be sure to get the name of the other skimmer and see what everyone thinks.
My project of the night? Find everything we bought tonight a home until tomorrow night when Jack gets home to work on everything with me! Gonna be a fun weekend
I also get to pull all of the water out of the tank and put it in the new buckets we got tonight, since it has been full for something like 3 weeks now...and we decided to paint it this week! Will that throw off my cycle? Also, while I am on the cycle...if we add all 28lbs at once we will need to cycle again, right? Is there a way to add it over time, like so many pounds per day/week so it doesn't cause a huge uproar in the cycle?
Oh well, I have a lot to do, so I will update more tomorrow, after I get a good nap in! (
S
smallreef
Guest
wow,, those are some COOL looking live rocks!
It may inturrupt your cycle with the new rock, but if its kept wet it shouldnt be a huge issue...I would just add it all at once because trying to add just a few pounds a week could really throw it out of whack...
and i have no idea about the Marineland skimmer .. I personally like ASM skimmers and thats all ive ever used...
other than that YIIPPEEE your on your way !
and I think having a sump is a WONDERMUSS idea
It may inturrupt your cycle with the new rock, but if its kept wet it shouldnt be a huge issue...I would just add it all at once because trying to add just a few pounds a week could really throw it out of whack...
and i have no idea about the Marineland skimmer .. I personally like ASM skimmers and thats all ive ever used...
other than that YIIPPEEE your on your way !
and I think having a sump is a WONDERMUSS idea
kemfish
Member
Thanks I was so sad when my husband came out of the store...I didn't see him until he got to the car...he messed around in the back for a minute and then got in, turned the car on and pulled away...I was sure I wasn't getting any rock and asked him why he didn't like them...and he waited a second and said "I did...I got both"
I am so excited. I get paid today, taxes come next week...we can finally finish up the equipment and get this thing rolling!
I was so sad when my husband came out of the store...I didn't see him until he got to the car...he messed around in the back for a minute and then got in, turned the car on and pulled away...I was sure I wasn't getting any rock and asked him why he didn't like them...and he waited a second and said "I did...I got both"
I am so excited. I get paid today, taxes come next week...we can finally finish up the equipment and get this thing rolling!
S
smallreef
Guest
We got our tax refund in like 6 days! but unfortunently its going to pay the deposit and rent on the new house were moving to, lol so no fish tank fun for me till I find a job..
I have to live vicariously through all of you all!
I have to live vicariously through all of you all!
kemfish
Member
I hear ya, we are finishing off the last of our debt with the rest of the taxes. All we will owe money on is our car loan, after 3 years of suffocating in huge piles of debt. Congrats on a new place though, I wish we were getting a new house instead of more fish stuff! I don't like switching houses so often, you just get settled in and have to start preparing to pack out...but we do get some amazing perks for it, like living in Hawaii!) Regardless of the perks, I am always super jealous of people when they get their own house.
Our taxes are *supposed* to be here Tuesday, as long as they aren't delayed we will pick up a protein skimmer Wednesday...and my new lights should be here by Thursday at the latest. Very exciting week coming up for my tank!
I will be sure to post pictures as we keep working, I love my little tank too much to not to show it off, even if it is just sand and rock!
Our taxes are *supposed* to be here Tuesday, as long as they aren't delayed we will pick up a protein skimmer Wednesday...and my new lights should be here by Thursday at the latest. Very exciting week coming up for my tank!
I will be sure to post pictures as we keep working, I love my little tank too much to not to show it off, even if it is just sand and rock!
kemfish
Member
Ok, so what I have gathered over the last week or so is that we are legally allowed to own soft corals n Hawaii. The DAR site states we cannot own stony corals, but that is all it has to say. I will be checking with our local aquarium, as Seth recommended, to make certain I am correct on this. Today I found a couple websites that will ship soft corals to Hawaii, and since everything entering the island goes through customs, I think it is safe at this point to assume they are fine under the current coral laws, but I will double check to be sure. The $1000 fine isn't something I want to pay just for having a few corals.
Right now, we are looking at the nano soft package, which it says includes 4 coral from various groupings, for $104 including the overnight shipping. Gotta love shipping to Hawaii, but at least there is some hope fo rmore than just zoas in my tank
We have a lot of work to do before we order any coral, of course...but I am happy to see we have options.
Right now, we are looking at the nano soft package, which it says includes 4 coral from various groupings, for $104 including the overnight shipping. Gotta love shipping to Hawaii, but at least there is some hope fo rmore than just zoas in my tank
We have a lot of work to do before we order any coral, of course...but I am happy to see we have options.
kemfish
Member
Well, we are delayed yet again.
It would appear that 1. we ran out of screws (hubby only bought for half the project, and forgot about the other half) and 2. he cut the board wrong, so we will see if he can cut the inch off with our crappy circular saw or not...if not we will not get anything done tonight what so ever because we will have to go buy more 2x4. Right now he is off to buy more screws.
It sounds like I may build this crap myself...he wants to take the night off now that he is actually home to do it and do it tomorrow, and I want it done NOW (since I know it won't get done tomorrow while the kids are awake). We will see how it goes when he gets back... he is building the reinforcements for the stand, and when that is done we will paint. Once the paint is dry, we will work on the rocks.
I ran tests today on the 25 gallon with the new rock in it, so far no recycling going on...hopefully that is a good sign. We will just be adding it all to the tank and monitoring it for a week or so, unless it cycles again.
I installed the timer on my old light today, and am pleased to say it is working well. Lights come on at 8 am, and turn off at 7:15 pm. I am going to adjust it to our daylight hours tonight now that I know it works correctly.
I checked my shipment for the T5, it shipped out today and is expected to arrive on Thursday.
Our state taxes came back today, so I think we will go pick up a protein skimmer tomorrow.
It would appear that 1. we ran out of screws (hubby only bought for half the project, and forgot about the other half) and 2. he cut the board wrong, so we will see if he can cut the inch off with our crappy circular saw or not...if not we will not get anything done tonight what so ever because we will have to go buy more 2x4. Right now he is off to buy more screws.
It sounds like I may build this crap myself...he wants to take the night off now that he is actually home to do it and do it tomorrow, and I want it done NOW (since I know it won't get done tomorrow while the kids are awake). We will see how it goes when he gets back... he is building the reinforcements for the stand, and when that is done we will paint. Once the paint is dry, we will work on the rocks.
I ran tests today on the 25 gallon with the new rock in it, so far no recycling going on...hopefully that is a good sign. We will just be adding it all to the tank and monitoring it for a week or so, unless it cycles again.
I installed the timer on my old light today, and am pleased to say it is working well. Lights come on at 8 am, and turn off at 7:15 pm. I am going to adjust it to our daylight hours tonight now that I know it works correctly.
I checked my shipment for the T5, it shipped out today and is expected to arrive on Thursday.
Our state taxes came back today, so I think we will go pick up a protein skimmer tomorrow.
S
smallreef
Guest
well atleast some progress,, not as much as you wanted but hey,, thats this whole hobby, lol
dont forget pictures as you build
dont forget pictures as you build
kemfish
Member
I have been taking them while I was awake. I had to go to the ER last night, so we got even more delayed, and my fantastic husband has been up building on it while I was sleeping
He hasn't gotten much done because the kids were up until right after I got up, but he is working hard on it now!
I will be sure to update as we make progress. He is just now getting the braces under the stand...this one is being fixed as of now for the 25 gallon, and we are going to buy one for the 29 so we can fit a sump under it.
I will be sure to update as we make progress. He is just now getting the braces under the stand...this one is being fixed as of now for the 25 gallon, and we are going to buy one for the 29 so we can fit a sump under it.
kemfish
Member
Ok, here they are:
Cutting the 2x4
Sanding down the end of the board that the store cut...it was an pretty bad cut
Halfway through filing that cut down, I had to go to the ER. He finished cutting and assembling the first brace while I was sleeping.
Here it is in the stand:
The 2nd brace:
Installing the 2nd and 3rd braces:
Putting brackets in for a shelf:
Here it is finished from the back:
From the front with the door open:
And now the painting!
We taped plastic all the way around the tank, the floors, the couch, etc because we don't have anywhere to paint outside.
After the 2nd coat:
And minutes after finishing the painting...
So now we are getting all the fumes out of the house, in a couple hours we will take down all the plastic and get the rocks all positioned how we want, then I will upload a FTS.
Cutting the 2x4
Sanding down the end of the board that the store cut...it was an pretty bad cut
Halfway through filing that cut down, I had to go to the ER. He finished cutting and assembling the first brace while I was sleeping.
Here it is in the stand:
The 2nd brace:
Installing the 2nd and 3rd braces:
Putting brackets in for a shelf:
Here it is finished from the back:
From the front with the door open:
And now the painting!
We taped plastic all the way around the tank, the floors, the couch, etc because we don't have anywhere to paint outside.
After the 2nd coat:
And minutes after finishing the painting...
So now we are getting all the fumes out of the house, in a couple hours we will take down all the plastic and get the rocks all positioned how we want, then I will upload a FTS.
kemfish
Member
Here is the current rock situation:
We decided this just won't work...well, ok I decided. Jack loves it, I want more rock...there is a particular piece at the wholesale place here on the island that I have my eye on(it is a cave
) to sit right where the filter comes in, and put the rock that is currently there on top of the new one I want...and see how that goes.
We decided this just won't work...well, ok I decided. Jack loves it, I want more rock...there is a particular piece at the wholesale place here on the island that I have my eye on(it is a cave
S
smallreef
Guest
oh yeah a cave would look GREAT!!!
I have to agree
I have to agree
kemfish
Member
I think so too, it would help the tank look more finished off...I just don't think there is enough rock yet.
Going down to the LFS tonight to see if they still have it, it has been there for a couple months now (no one wants it...including me until I saw how our tank looks now and went "wow that would fit perfectly in my open space") if so we will bring it home and get this thing going so I can get some fish in it
Going down to the LFS tonight to see if they still have it, it has been there for a couple months now (no one wants it...including me until I saw how our tank looks now and went "wow that would fit perfectly in my open space") if so we will bring it home and get this thing going so I can get some fish in it