Hello Again

Howdy all!

I used to visit this place daily. Some of you may have come across a few of my old posts. I've been out of the hobby since about 2012. I've certainly missed it.

My life has changed dramatically since 2012. I went through a separation and long, drawn out divorce in 2014. Met a great gal and we got married in 2017. Then we moved from Colorado all the way to Florida in April 2018 and bought a house within 2 weeks.

I've been wanting to get back into a hobby. I used to fly RC airplanes, but I had to give those up during the great recession. I also gave up my 29g frag tank during the recession. That thing was so much fun to build and play with, and it made a little money here and there.

Well, enough babble and blather!! Guess what I did?? Go on guess!!

Yep!! Sure did!!!

I bought a used 90g Aqueon reef ready tank and black stand. It came with a Reef Octopus 150 skimmer, a 30L sump, a BRS media reactor, 2 older LED lights that still work, and an Ehiem 500gph return pump.

May the electrical shorts be never in your sandbed.

 

Never happened without the pic, right?

 

Hey Ian! Thanks for stopping to say Hello. I'm glad this place is still here.

The divorce was tough, but long overdo. I met the right gal for me and we've been "happily ever after", since the first date. The move was a career advancement opportunity for my wife. We couldn't pass it up.

I almost felt bad when I went to buy this tank and equipment. She bought all of it brand new, just 2yrs ago. She is renting, and is in a home with wood floors over a crawl space, so the tank is way too heavy for her current living situation. I gave her $240 for all of it. Felt like I stole if from her.

It's going to take some time to get it all together. I still need an RO unit and I need to re-work the sump baffles.

 

Welcome back! Sounds like you've been through a lot, but I'm glad things seem to have worked out well for you.

That's a bargain for all that kit!

 

Thank you Becky.

My wife said, "Somebody call the sherriff!! You just stole that tank and accessories!"

 

Well.... that was quick.

Sold the 90g tank.

 

Oh no! How come?

 

My wife was looking at it and we decided to have a custom stand built. Those factory stands look cheap and they aren't big enough for any storage. My wife said it has to be a nice stand, so I started calling professional carpenters. I'm not a carpenter. I don't have the tools, or the desire to learn. I'm an expert at some things -- carpentry ain't one of them.

So she's telling me this stand needs to look like a nice piece of furniture. Cherry wood, trim around the doors and the canopy. Carved features, etc..

Then she says, "Do you really want to go to all that trouble and expense of building a custom stand for a 90g tank? Are you sure you wouldn't like a bigger one?" --(this is why I married her)--

Me: "How big are we talking?"

Wife: "What size would make you happy? We really only want to do this ONCE, so get the one that will make you happy" -(again....this is why I married her)-

Me: "That's like... oh I dunno... at least 125g, and 150g--180g would be really nice."

Wife: "Well get a 180g then! Get the one you WANT!" -(pure marriage material folks)-

Soooooo, I'm on the hunt for a bigger one. Lots of used tanks out there, but the problem is most people want to sell the whole setup. I don't need the stand. I don't WANT their pest-infected rocks full of aiptasia and asteria stars. I just want a TANK. I don't want their fish and eels. I'm building an LPS reef. No eels. No triggers. No puffers. No butterflys. Might not put any fish in it at all.

I found a brand new Aqueon 125g RR, but the guy is 2hrs away and he's a FLAKE. I chased him for 2 weeks and he can't get his act together and set up a time to meet. I guess he don't want to sell it that bad. I gave up trying to communicate with him. I'm actually hoping to buy a tank before he gets back to me -- so I can tell him "You waited too long. I already bought a tank. Good luck."

I found a custom glass 220g that's 7 feet long x 18 inches wide x 30 inches tall. It's about 15yrs old and it was built in Miami. I'm not nuts about a tank that big -- only being 18 inches wide. Should be at least 24 inches wide. It's an odd size for a reef, and it's an all glass custom tank that was build by ....... some guy ....... 15yrs ago. It's gotta weigh 400lbs at least. That made my wife say, "NO!" She's worried about a tank rupture.

I may end up buying a brand new tank to alleviate her fears.

 

Just went out and bought a brand new Marineland 180g Reef Ready. It will be here Friday.

 

She's definitely a keeper!!

That's awesome about the 180g tank, can't wait to hear more about this project

 

She sure is!!

She's saving for a new car. An Infinity QX60. I don't complain.

 

Its going to sit here for a bit. I need to get the stand built and buy some equipment. The tank drained my "fun money" bank account.
72Lx24Wx25H
It's a beast! 320 pounds!! It took 4 guys to bring it inside the house.

 

Wow, beast is certainly the word!