Just wanted to say hi. My name is Tom Harbin and I've been active with the saltwater tank hobby off and on since 1976. About 25 years on and 20 off. No real expertise in particular just enjoy the hobby. Just got back in last August after a nearly 14-year hiatus. Lots of changes as far as LFSs and some of the tech, not to mention prices on corals.
Hello from Casa Grande
- Thread starter tharbin
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Are you in the build stage of your tank or do you have one up and running?
I had a 300 acrylic tank made 8ftx30"x24" and I build my sump 5ftx2ftx18" out of 1/4 inch acrylic and everything else.(3 over flow pipes, 4 filter cup holders, air exchange tower, sulfur reactor with an aragonite reactor ) Plan on building a few more things...Saves me cash, online prices are crazy. Rodi is filling it up. The sump has about 20 more gallons of water to have made today and then I will do a water test run before I add Tropic Marine pro reef salt. Sump hold 45 gallons when running and can hold 112 gallons. Protein skimmer and everything else holds about 5 more gallons so total running is 350 gallons...
I had a 300 acrylic tank made 8ftx30"x24" and I build my sump 5ftx2ftx18" out of 1/4 inch acrylic and everything else.(3 over flow pipes, 4 filter cup holders, air exchange tower, sulfur reactor with an aragonite reactor ) Plan on building a few more things...Saves me cash, online prices are crazy. Rodi is filling it up. The sump has about 20 more gallons of water to have made today and then I will do a water test run before I add Tropic Marine pro reef salt. Sump hold 45 gallons when running and can hold 112 gallons. Protein skimmer and everything else holds about 5 more gallons so total running is 350 gallons...
Your tank sounds awesome. I have had lots of tanks but nothing big. Biggest was dual 55 acrylics plumbed together with a 20 sump. Every time I quit the hobby, I find someone just getting started and gave them all the gear/livestock and a selection of books/mags. I've done that four times now. Kind of wish I had some of the books/mags now but hopefully they helped someone else.
I just set up a little Waterbox Mini Peninsula 15 back in August with Carib-Sea dry rock and I use TM Pro Reef salt. Just getting back into the hobby lightly. Wanted a little tank for the living room to tinker with. Simple setup with just in tank bio and filter floss/GAC. So far the tank is pretty ugly. Not a fan of dry rock... I only have a few monti frags and a pair of firefish so not much to see until it starts to grow out.
We moved to CG about 14 years ago from the valley. Most of the shops I used to go to are gone so still learning the strengths and weaknesses of the current crop of LFSs. My main shops when in the valley were AquaTouch and a shop I don't remember the name of that was on Price Rd. There was a custom tank shop behind it and it was near Aquarium Arts and SpectraPure. I do most of my buying at Discount in Mesa and a little at Artistic in Chandler. We even have an LFS here in town. He's struggling and has to sell lots of reptile stuff to make ends meet but a good guy. He is even setting up a small frag tank with a few corals. I buy from him whenever possible.
I just set up a little Waterbox Mini Peninsula 15 back in August with Carib-Sea dry rock and I use TM Pro Reef salt. Just getting back into the hobby lightly. Wanted a little tank for the living room to tinker with. Simple setup with just in tank bio and filter floss/GAC. So far the tank is pretty ugly. Not a fan of dry rock... I only have a few monti frags and a pair of firefish so not much to see until it starts to grow out.
We moved to CG about 14 years ago from the valley. Most of the shops I used to go to are gone so still learning the strengths and weaknesses of the current crop of LFSs. My main shops when in the valley were AquaTouch and a shop I don't remember the name of that was on Price Rd. There was a custom tank shop behind it and it was near Aquarium Arts and SpectraPure. I do most of my buying at Discount in Mesa and a little at Artistic in Chandler. We even have an LFS here in town. He's struggling and has to sell lots of reptile stuff to make ends meet but a good guy. He is even setting up a small frag tank with a few corals. I buy from him whenever possible.
There is a used equipment place in Tempe/broadway and McClintock I think...called discount Aq and reef...good place to save $ on used stuff. Some stuff is really worn, but I have found some good slightly used stuff/ reactors etc that I repurposed.
I drove to World Wide corals in Florida last year for the experience to visit and brought back a cooler full of corals.
My dad lives in FL too so it was a double bonus...I hate flying...
I will be tearing down my 140 acrylic (been up a 1 1/2 year) , sump etc and selling it all...as soon as I move my fish to the 300. My corals are in a 75 gallon, doing a 80 day no fish isolation QT...before going into the 300...
the 140 is 60"x22"x20". I had this one also custom made...
I drove to World Wide corals in Florida last year for the experience to visit and brought back a cooler full of corals.
My dad lives in FL too so it was a double bonus...I hate flying...
I will be tearing down my 140 acrylic (been up a 1 1/2 year) , sump etc and selling it all...as soon as I move my fish to the 300. My corals are in a 75 gallon, doing a 80 day no fish isolation QT...before going into the 300...
the 140 is 60"x22"x20". I had this one also custom made...