Just shoot me now......

[lReef lKeeper]

i knew that would get you all riled up !! lol

[Reef_Angel]

Too funny! Angie called me with that panicked OMG, why me voice and told me the situation. We talked about it, and I told her to call Dave and see what he said. I really didn't want to ask him cause he'd grouch at me, so I made Angie do it herself. He agreed. Then, Angie and I were gonna go get the tank ourselves, and do a little reef shopping and lunch while we were at it. I called Dave back and told him that I would likely drive Angie down there. Dave said to let him know what we decided. Called Angie back and told her I would drive, and we'd make a day of it. I had my Grand Daughter for the day and knew she would enjoy going to the pet store for the day. We started talking about what we could shop for, and where we could do lunch, and it hit me that the car seat would probably be a problem with such a big tank. I guess we could have put her inside it. After all our planning, and actually getting excited about doing something together for the day, it fell through. This time Angie volunteered to call Dave so he wouldn't get mad at me for changing the plans again. He was fine about thankfully, but it didn't stop Angie and I from trying to figure out more ways to go. We actually came up with a few but decided it might not be a good idea to press out luck by calling Dave again and changing plans once more! Dave got home her tank home safely after work, and Angie arrived pretty much at the same time. I have to tell you all, Angie looked absolutely exhausted. I really felt sorry for her. The biggest part of the job is yet to come. As usual, we'll be available to help if anything arises during the transfer of sand and water. Everybody say a little prayer for her tonight! Tomorrow's the big day!!

Bless your heart Angie, I just don't know why you haven't thrown in all the wet towels yet. I've done my share of towel throwing, but I always go right back to it as well. It's the love and obsession of the hobby. We're all afflicted with it, so we just keep on reefin'! Good Luck Girl, I'll check in on you in the morning! ....Angel :angel1:

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

Thanks Susan...now I have the warm fuzzies, lol. You're right, I was exhausted. I didn't even get a shower yesterday (pew)! . On top of everything with the leaking tank, my oldest daughter goes in for surgery on the 9th. We've been spread pretty thin with all of her medical issues.

I can not transfer anything over to the new tank untill the bulkheads get here. The tank is against a wall so if I put the new tank on the stand the leaky one is on, I will not be able to get the bulkheads in, nor the standpipes and such. Just pray the leaky one holds out 'till I get the bulkheads in the mail. I ordered them last night, express mail so I HOPE they went out today. (They didn't have an overnight option with Saturday delivery or I would have had them in the morning) I'm pretty much just stuck waiting, And hopeing it doesn't get worse.

I "was" going to transfer everything into Brute cans and let it sit there untill I get the new tank ready. I decided against that because I didn't want to stress them more then I had to. They don't realise their tank is leaking and I don't want them freaking out without all of the macros and hitches they are used to. Remember.....they just got moved to this tank 2 weeks ago. They hid a lot the first week untill they got used to the new "House", now that they are happy in the tank, I have to move them yet again. Poor ponies. I hate this mess. I do have a 20G high that I'm going to hold them once I start the transfer. It should hold them for a few days till the sand settles and I can see if ther's going to be a mini cycle. Since the sand bed is only 2 months old, I'm reusing all of it. I hope I don't loose any of my macros. I just got them planted and now I'm ripping them up again. The bad part is my top 2" of sand is the overly expensive pink sand. It's going to get all mixed in with the plain white sand. I think I'm going to buy another bag of the pink so I can add it as the top layer in the new tank. If All I have to buy out of my pocket is a bag of sand, 2 bulkheads, pvc pipe, and fittings, I'm getting off cheap with a broken / leaky tank.

I'm adding a 36" sump when I redo everything too. I will pick that up from work on Sunday. I might as well since I'll be redoing everything else. My current sump is small with only 2 section. The first one is the drain from the overflow (from the tank) and my skimmer. The second one is for the return pump. I will split the new one into 3 chambers and add a small fuge in the middle section.

I think the leak is in a bottom seam under the sand someplace. I doesn't seem to be leaking quite as fast as it was. Maybe it's semi plugged with sand? OR .....maybe it's the calm before the storm ?!?!?!?!? Oops, I shouldn't have said that should I?

Angie

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

I haven't thrown in the towel yet because I'm stubborn pig headed woman. The harder it gets, the more I'm determined to do it. I will not be beaten. And I will not be told I can't do something. If I quit now, everything I have had to deal with so far will be for nothing. There is NO satisfaction in quiting, ever. At least I know that when everything is said and done, I earned every bit of it by my own brain, blood, sweat, and tears. If I ever get out of the hobby, it will be because I want to, not because I couldn't do it. (can you tell my husband has never won an arguement, lol.)

Angie

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

I found where it is leaking from. Just follow the salt creep, lol. It is leaking in the front of the tank at the bottom seam. I have about 2-3 inches of salt creep all the way around it. It is running along the ledge of the stand that the tank sits on, and dripping from mid way on the side of the tank. It is down to a fast drip, so it must be clogged with something. (salt creep or sand) either way it's making me edgy. I have to be gone from 8am to 7 pm tomorrow, and I'm very worried. I added a 5g bucket that I drilled a hole in about 5 inches from the top, added a piece of tubing so if the water gets that high before I get home, it will drip into the sump which I have lowered the water volume in to catch any excess. I figure about 10g will fit into the sump + the 5g bucket. So I have room for 15g of water to drip out before I get home. I also have a dosing (IV) pump that is set to draw water from the sump back to the tank. It has an auto shut off hooked up so it won't flood the tank if it doesn't leak a lot. That's about the best I can do. I have to work and there's no getting around it.

Please don't flood, please don't flood, please don't flood. I'm praying here, lol.

Angie

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

Ok new tank is up and filled with water, Everything except the plants and the seahorses is back in the tank. I have the overflows plumbed (DIY Durso), but not hooked up to the return pump yet. I ordered a new pump for this tank. It will be here Monday. I'm waiting for the sand storm to clear and I have a 230 gph HOB filter helping clear the murky water. I have to do a set of water tests to see where the mini cycle is at. I hope it doesn't take a long time to recycle. It shouldn't since I reused everything. Mixing up the 2 month old sandbed is the only thing that concerns me so far.

I got 2 new H. Erectus. They will be going into the 29 g. They will be my "breeders". I think the male I just got may be preggers too. Geez...I hope not. One at a time please, lol. I will not mix them with the other seahorses. I also want to order a pair of Kuda for the 65g. I will wait a bit on that. Too many irons in the fire right now. But that's typical of me. All or nothing. Subconciously I must like running ragged. Funny how I never think of anything to do with my tanks as "work" no matter how long the "To Do" list is. When I had the 125, that I considered work. Guess we know where my true passion is. Seahorses, Seahorses, and more Seahorses.

I will post some pics when I get the plants and ponies into the new 75g.

Angie