Shovelhead's 250 Gallon Deep

[shovelhead91701]

All right folks, Yes I have a woodworking shop here at home, and no I haven't finished my cabinetry....lol I'm working on it!!!!!!!!

This tank has been in the works for over 4 years. I started gathering up all of the things I would need and ordered the tank back then cause we knew we wanted to go bigger when we built our new house. The tank sat dry in my woodworking shop for 2 years until I got finished with the house. Let me tell you one thing..... when a piece of wood goes flying out of your wood shaper toward an expensive piece of glass like that tank you will have an accident all over yourself..... I had that happen twice! Luckily the tank survived my clumsiness and after getting the frame up to support it I called 6 of my biggest friends and we moved it into the new house. Several hernias later we had it set and I began to build the sump. I built the sump to fit under the stairwell behind the tank and during construction ran 4 dedicated circuits into the area behind the stairs to have plenty of power for all of the equipment.

After getting that far life got in the way as it usually does and I didn't do any more work on the tank until about a year ago when my wife and kids hounded me to get the tank going. I started up the RO/DI unit and began to fill her up while I plumbed up all of the overflows, returns, etc. When I got it full I put in about 300 lbs. of old sand from our old tank that had been dry for all those years. I also put in about 100 lbs of new bagged live sand in at that point.

I built a PVC rack and covered it with black pond foam that we use on water features to allow for a huge cave under my live rock. After letting this cure I put all of our dry old rock into the display and started the tank up. I actually never really had much time after that until about a month ago when I got motivated to test the water and everything tested out right on the money!

The good water test got me excited so I went to my LFS and picked up my last piece of rock from my old tank(Thanks John, He kept that rock in one of his display tanks for me all those years and didn't charge me a dime even though it had mushrooms etc. on it) That rock in the tank plus about 100 each snails and crabs got me started again. I added a 16 oz. bottle of purple up over the last month and the coraline is coming on well on the rest of the dead rock and PVC rack.

The first batch of livestock made me nervous cause of the quantity of animals.... We added 2 yellow tangs, a green goby, a mated pair of clownfish, a horned blennie, a regal tank, a green bubble tip anemone, 2 cleaner shrimp, 4 peppermint shrimp, 6 emerald crabs, 2 lettuce nudibranch, and 6 fighting conchs but everything made it through except for the regal tang and the horned blennie(both of which were lethargic when we got them).

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/tank%20pics/100_2259.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/tank%20pics/100_2261.jpg
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http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/tank%20pics/100_2265.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Awsome man!!!!

[XSiVE]

cool!

what do you have lighting this thing?

[shovelhead91701]

I bought four ballasts from my local electrical supply and bought two enclosures from a now defunct company in Canada and built it so that each enclosure is running two ballasts on switches with a cooling fan built in. Sry don't recall the specs on the ballasts..... that was 4 years ago when I built em and I ain't pulling it all apart to check at this point unless one fails....lol

I am running 2 ushio 14k 400 watt bulbs and 2 icecap blue depth 20 k bulbs but they are cycleing on two timers so that two bulbs are on at a time.... One white, one actinic.

You should see the glow with all 4 fired up.... the yard is bright outside the house for about 20 yards.....lol

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/tank%20pics/100_2258.jpg

[streetrodder007]

very cool, keep up the good work.

[ReeferRob]

Can't wait to see more from that bad boy, tons of real estate and potential there!!!! Do you have plans to make two separate islands to possibly hide the overflows a bit?

[shovelhead91701]

never really have been bothered by seeing the overflows..........till NOW!!!!!! Now I have an overflow complex!

Just kidding...

Nope no plans to rework it..... they don't bother me out in the open and I need the sand space for clams!

[shovelhead91701]

Well I screwed up big time last night...... I was gonna run a little ro/di water into the sump while I plumbed in the chiller I bought off Mike. Long story short I left it on all night and even with my sump designed to hold a lot of extra water in case of power failure I flooded my dining room and living room...... The worst part is all the runover and extra water dropped my salinity to 1.012. Corals are closed up looking pitiful but fish seem allright so far. Except I haven't seen any of my mandarins all day. Shopvac'ed till I was worn out and got dryers blowing on the carpet right now so the house will survive and hopefully the creatures will too. I have been bringing the salinity back up by added small doses of salt to the sump (after draining the excess fill water). once salinity is back up I will start testing for everything else(parameters). Wish me luck!

[ReeferRob]

Yikes on the brain fart, good luck getting everything squared away!

[Sir Patrick]

Got my fingers crossed for ya!

[ReeferRob]

How are things going? Did you get the house dried up and everything in order?

On to more happy thoughts......what kinda clams to you plan to keep?

[BK's Reef]

Well I screwed up big time last night...... I was gonna run a little ro/di water into the sump while I plumbed in the chiller I bought off Mike. Long story short I left it on all night and even with my sump designed to hold a lot of extra water in case of power failure I flooded my dining room and living room...... The worst part is all the runover and extra water dropped my salinity to 1.012. Corals are closed up looking pitiful but fish seem allright so far. Except I haven't seen any of my mandarins all day. Shopvac'ed till I was worn out and got dryers blowing on the carpet right now so the house will survive and hopefully the creatures will too. I have been bringing the salinity back up by added small doses of salt to the sump (after draining the excess fill water). once salinity is back up I will start testing for everything else(parameters). Wish me luck!

man that sucks, when i fill some ro water for the family i cant use the float valve cuz my mom doesnt like grabbing it out of the rubbermade tub, anyways ive had a few floods but nothing big because its in my unfinished basement right by the washer and when it floods the drain is right by it. but i have had flooding in my room a few times but nothing to big a good 5 gallon max. good luck man!

[shovelhead91701]

Just tested out
0 nitrates
0 nitrites
8.4 ph
400 ppm calcium
I'm outta test for alk so I gotta go get some today!
1.021 spec. gravity so I am gonna creep that up with extra salty top off water for a few days to ease it back up.




How are things going? Did you get the house dried up and everything in order?

Got it dried up but the carpet has that mildew smell... gonna try cleaning it with quat first but may have to dip into the coral kitty and replace the living room carpet. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

On to more happy thoughts......what kinda clams to you plan to keep?

I actually had a deal going for all of dentdominator's collection but since he had the same issue as me well that is on hold for now! I still call first dibs once he has everything back in shape if he still wants to move them though ;-)

[shovelhead91701]

I have been busy working on the tank for the past week and a half in the evenings. Here is my list of missions accomplished!

1.Replaced the waterfall super sump pump with one of my mag 9.5's to tone down the return rate

2. Built an electrical control panel to switch EVERYTHING that requires electricity

3. Built (2) 10 LED arrays with blue LEDS and resistors to run as "moonlights"

4. Mounted aforementioned LED arrays to my MH pendants

5. Installed a Tunze 6200, a Tunze 6100 and a Tunze 7095 controller for the display tank

6. Finally installed and started up my ASM skimmer in the sump(pulling up nice semi-dry really REALLY stinky skimate after the first hour or so)

7. Added a few pieces of coral (2 brains, a huge colony of aussie that I am not sure yet on ID, a nice sized colony of clove polyps, a nice plate coral)

8. Replaced my RO filter membrane and also replaced my DI media on my filter and cleaned up the plumbing on said filter(it looked like a bowl of spaghetti)

9. Sat and watched my tank for hours.............SIGH............:hypnotized:

Pics to follow but right now I am TIRED!!!!!!!! lol

[ReeferRob]

Nice work Shawn! You've been busy. Makes me think I should post my list of things I knocked out this past week or two. Keep up the great work, and ya pictures are cool. But not as cool as that new avatar!!

[shovelhead91701]

and ya pictures are cool. But not as cool as that new avatar!!

what is sad is that pic is not me but looks eerily like me in high school.... I still have the haircut though... can't let the mullet go. :redneck:

[shovelhead91701]

Here are some pics of my work performed!
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010002-1.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010008.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010010.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010012-1.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010007.jpg

[vittleking]

great looking setup brother!!!!

[shovelhead91701]

Thanks! I think, not too shabby for a tiny little hole under the stairs....lol

[shovelhead91701]

I know i will catch some flack over these but what do you expect from an Okie using a few cheap LEDs, some acrylic scraps, acouple wallworts and some resistors....lol

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/ledsetc002.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/ledsetc001.jpg

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newtankpics9-10-2010003.jpg

I am not trying to light the aquarium with these! Just wanted a nice soft blue glow at night instead of a blacked out tank with a pinpoint of like from the Tunze controller's LED on my top rock.

You can't really tell from the pics either but all the bare wiring and solder joints have been "dipped" in liquid electrical tape to insulate all the bare spots.

[ReeferRob]

Awesome stuff man. Nothing better than when a plan comes together, especially using spare items from around the house. Motown engineering at its best!!

[shovelhead91701]

I went a little crazy at the stores in the big D! I bought 6 new fish(all over 4"), 2 starfish, 3 large sps, a sea apple, a nice orange gorgonian, a really cool piece of lps that is built like a monti but isn't a monti (gonna need help with an ID), an elegance that is about 6" around, a flower pot coral, a polyp colony, one of the brightest aussie torches I've ever seen, and an aussie hammer that is orange with green tips. I will try and get up some pics soon but after acclimating and placing all these into the display I'm ready for bed!

[Sir Patrick]

Sounds sweet! cant wait to see tomorows update!

[ReeferRob]

Dang thats a shopping spree!

[lionhead]

You sure got a sweet setup there. I wish I could wait to do all the thing like you did. Heck I wish I was that handy with electrical work. Keep the great pics coming.

[shovelhead91701]

Here is some pics of the new goodies! I wish I was better with a camera like most of ya'll cause these pics of the coral don't do them any justice! Neptune's Cove in Dallas is where the majority came from. The place is amazing and the owner treated us like long lost cousins, he spent a good hour after I told him what I was looking for showing me some of the choice pieces and believe me you need a tour guide in this place! They also have an online store so maybe we could get 'em to sponsor CR?

On to the PICS!

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10002.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10003.jpg
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http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10017.jpg
I also got a two barred rabbitfish that will not hold still or come out of the cave for a pic!

Now for the corals!

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10006.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10007.jpg
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http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10010.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10011.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10012.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10013.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10014.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10016.jpg

A new FTS.....

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10018.jpg

[shovelhead91701]

A few more!

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10034.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10032.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10035.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10039.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10050.jpg
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10051.jpg
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http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/shovelhead91701/newlivestock9-13-10038.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Awsome shopping spree there!!

[shovelhead91701]

uhhhh, on page three?

[ReeferRob]

LOL, Chorts lost with out chat!!

Killer stuff Shawn. You picked up some sweet pieces man.
I am no where near a good photographer, but a few tips that help me you could try would be to kill all flow, clean glass, and figure out your WB. From there photobucket allows you some pretty cool editing features for free you could play with. Just remember to always save a copy not replace original.

[adalius]

LOL, Chorts lost with out chat!!

Killer stuff Shawn. You picked up some sweet pieces man.
I am no where near a good photographer, but a few tips that help me you could try would be to kill all flow, clean glass, and figure out your WB. From there photobucket allows you some pretty cool editing features for free you could play with. Just remember to always save a copy not replace original.

I find you also get better pictures using only one light source at a time. If you use your flash (which in the dark basically is your shutter speed, so superfast) don't use tank lights, if you use tank lights, don't use both main lights and actintics, pick one or the other and no flash. Otherwise you are trying to fight a white balance with multiple kelvin light sources, which doesn't work out very well.

[XSiVE]

As Adalius said, it appears you're using your flash as well as the tank lights which is giving you a bit of trouble capturing the colors your eye sees in the tank.

im not sure how many manual settings you have on your camera, but the more you have, the easier it is to capture what you see... unfortunately it also means the harder the cam is to operate LOL

[shovelhead91701]

u guys are right on the money..... I am getting washed out pics often but I am not using the flash on all the shots. still playing with it but I feel that these pics are getting better each time I try something new so I will get it down eventually! Thanks for the tips!

[ReeferRob]

Doode, where you been hiding? How's the tank?