It Has Started

[tank o tang]

Swapped my porc into the other tank today. Took about 5min to catch him and is out and swimming in his new home already. I was worried about aggression from my dogface but they seem to get along fine so far. Now just have to figure out what I'm going to do with my stars and stripes puffer and pinktail trigger. If I wasn't worried about my clam I'd leave them in the reef since there are already shrimp and hermits in the tank already that don't get bothered. Then the reef swap begins.

[scolley]

Well if it started last nite, I'm assuming you're up to your armpit in rocks as saltwater about now. But when you get a chance, please do tell us how it goes. ;)

Glad the "porc"s OK.

[tank o tang]

lol not that deep yet. I have to find homes for the last two fish that have to come out.

[tank o tang]

Amazing how quick a model citizen fish can change so quick. In its old tank the porc lived happily with shrimp, hermits, and urchins. Since being in the new tank he has taken out my urchin, and my wife said she saw him go after the shrimp. Just goes to show you never know....

[scolley]

I've just noticed the "aggressive" adjective by FOWLR in your sig. Now I'm starting to understand...

[Wheel of Time]

Checkng in on how the new set-up is going since Ive been out of town for a bit (E3 was awesome -- wait till you see the new motion controllers and voice recognition their are putting into next yrs games -- incredible)

The new rig up and runnign with most stuff swapped btw the tanks now?

Too early for a FTS?

[tank o tang]

It's been going slow. I am starting to swap some fish. Biggest problem is that I still can't decide how I want to build the canopy. Until then the lighting and coral have to stay put.

I wanted to post pics the other day and had something happen to my computer so can't do pick at the moment.

I followed E3 on tv. I cant wait to swing a sword with the new controllers. Don't know why the voice recognition hasn't come sooner since they had a taste of it on ps2 for Socom 1,2, and 3. Funny how microsoft's big announcement was some stolen ps titles and a camera that the ps3 already uses. Looking forward to some of those november games.

[tank o tang]

Hopefully tomorrow I will get going on the canopy. Amazingly I've been able to catch most of the fish without moving any rocks. All thats left to catch are a pair of anthias, a damsel, and my blue hippo tang along with some inverts. Can't wait to get the lighting done so I can start to swap the corals Then just have to figure out what I'm going to do with the tank.

[scolley]

You make it sound easy... why do I wonder if it's a bit harder than that? ;)

Especially the "inverts". Sessile - no big deal. But I would think that some mobile inverts could present quit a challenge in a tank full of rock.

[tank o tang]

It is even easier than it sounds (with the exception of those last fish). I have been using a rubbermaid lemonade container submerged sideways half way under the water with a cube or some pellets. When they swim in I pull the container out and they are good to go. Although on my first catch in the reef tank I caught 2 chromis. As I pulled the container out one jumped back into the tank and the other to the floor. All is well though. Grabbed my 2 cleaner and coral banded shrimp last night as the were walking the top of the rocks. Still have to get my blood shrimp but I will have to tear the rock out for him since he stays at the bottom of the tank under a rock pile. Haven't started the hermits or snails yet ( which is time to replenish anyway).

Looks like I wont be able to grab my wood for the canopy today. With this rain all week it might not be till this weekend.

Is there one chisel thats better than others for breaking rock? I have to chisel rock so I can take my acan, frogspawn, and some sps without the shroom and button polyps.

[Wheel of Time]

heck, for just breaking rock Id probably just use a screwdriver and hammer to be honest (if I didnt have any mason equipment)

How big is the canopy going to be (tall)?

[tank o tang]

Might work, this rock my acans on is pretty thick. Shame I have to break it as it is domed and make a great top for a cave.

Top of tank to inside top of canopy is 18 1/2". I made the top so I can flip it open but wondering if I should use magnets instead. Tomarro I have to sand and trim so I can get her stained and painted over the weekend. Then all that will be left are fans and lights.

[Wheel of Time]

Ah, I didnt know you were gogin to chisel around an acan... So it has to be delicate. When you come over for the club meeting / BBQ on Sunday, you can borrow one of mine I use for woodworking (not meant for stone work, but you can give it a shot).

[scolley]

I've got LOTS of chisels, if you need them.

Quantity of chisels possessed - as far as I can tell - is a direct relationship to being clueless about how to use them. ;)

[tank o tang]

Well canopy is built and painted on the inside. Due to weather I can't take it to get stained. Might garbage bag and saran wrap it so I can take it. Good news is that I have sold the 156 with pickup scheduled for next weekend. It has been alot slower process than I expected.

[tank o tang]

Trash bags and suran wrap worked great. Canopy will be getting stain tomorrow. Can't wait for it to be done , I love the way it came out and looked during test fit.

[Wheel of Time]

In this terrible rain we've had, nice job wrapping it up to take it to get stained. Im looking forward to seeing it completed.

Its got to feel good sellign the other tank now too. Nice

[tank o tang]

Yeah canopy is done and I can pick it up later today. Now just have to finish my light rack. It is all cut and clamped, now just have to rivet it together. I built it out of aluminium and went to see how much to have it welded but would rather stick my $150 elsewhere, so rivets it will be. Hopefully I will have my new canopy done and on by tonight.

[scolley]

Thanks for showing my the canopy the other day. It really looked NICE! I wasn't expecting something quite so ornate... the moulding looked great. Nice stain color too! Once you get your lights in, that's gonna be one nice canopy. :)

[tank o tang]

Thanks. Almost done. I have 3 rocks left to cut some coral off then the breakdown will be complete. The switch has gone well and my corals are already opening back up. Guy is coming to take the tank tomorrow morning, nothing like finishing last minute.

[tank o tang]

Mission accomplished. The 156 has been picked up and the transfer to the 180 is complete. Glad that project is done.

[Wheel of Time]

That is great. Did youhave any losses in the transfer? When I moved from the 180g to my current tank last year I buried a ton of snails and critters in the mounds of sand in buckets. I was hoping they could last for till I made the switch -- I was wrong.

Glad to hear your project is done. Im just fragging a few things in my tank and generally moving a few things around...Im never totally satisfied.

Ive got a little bit of that macro algae growing which I dont want (i think its called brophis or something)...Im working on gettign it out, but one little strand floats away and tucks in some corner behind a rock--then in a week/two I see it growing again....starting to tick me off

[tank o tang]

Happy to report no coral losses and the only fish I haven't seen is my mandarin. I really hacked my acan and didn't think it was going to make it but yesterday it already had its feeders out. I stopped at the lfs yesterday and waiting for some fish to come in tomorrow. I thought I was going to feel a little down after taking down one of my tanks but overall I am so happy with the way the new reef looks, I wish I had done it much sooner.

[scolley]

Tearing down a tank can be a bummer... nice to have that offset but setting up a new one though. :)

Glad it's going so well!