Finally, I'm going to start the new tank! My current tank, a Biocube 29, was supposed to be temporary...but I've had that same tank now for 5 years! Here is a link to the thread:
At the time of setting that up, I actually wanted an Innovative Marine 38 gallon tank...but due to scoring a deal on the Biocube I set that up instead. Last Summer, I finally got the IM38...I drove up to Houghton Lake and purchased it from
@larryandlaura
. However, because of house projects I wasn't sure where I could set it up that it wouldn't be in the way...so it sat in the corner empty. In the mean time, I also traded
@larryandlaura
for an Alternative Reef structure that fit in the IM38. Although I felt that I would like more room around the structure (its fairly large).
Then last November I went to the Aquatic Experience show in Chicago and for the first time saw the JBJ 45 gallon cube. It was a couple inches larger in width and length than the IM38 gallon and I thought it looked pretty sharp. So I sold the IM38 and picked up the JBJ 45. I've had the tank sitting (empty) on the floor since the first of the year.
But now that I am wrapping up some of the house projects and had my uncle build a stand for me, I am excited to finally get it setup and move most of my existing stock into it. What I'm really looking forward to, is this will be my first tank in the living room. My previous tanks were either in my fly tying room or a large utility closet...which admittedly wasn't bad because I could be a mess (spills, wires not neatly routed, pile of frag plugs on the shelf next to it, etc.) and not really worry about it too much. But I am really excited about being able to sit in a comfortable chair and be able to see my tank...and also watch tv or be on CaptiveReefs.
My plan right now is to try to leave the Biocube running as a frag tank to help with keeping frags to give away on the CR Frag & Swag wheel. Ultimately for this to work out, I'm going to need to add another top off and expand the apex so that I can automate the frag tank (I will be moving most of my equipment to the JBJ 45).
I'll update this thread in the next few days with photos and details as I start to set it up.
Yeah I'm pretty geeked about this new tank. I'm pretty sure I can fill the tank with whats in my existing tank right now...but I would like to get a few new more colorful pieces.
It will be nice to have more space. The softies are so thick in the biocube, I can only see about 6 inches into my tank. Before the view is completely obscured with coral mass. To see the coral toward the back of the tank, I have to look top down.
I'll also frag some of the pieces when I move them. It will be nice to have a separate tank for that. The last time I went nuts fragging the green nepthia, it apparently released toxins that killed a bunch of stuff.
I'm getting closer to getting some water in the new tank. Need to paint the walls in the corner where the tank is going and should be able to get some water in there very soon. I'm probably not going to wait very long to move existing stock over to the new tank since I'll be moving established rock.