Aquarium Set Up

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Today we set up our new aquarium. Since I'm not a plumber, we recruited Mike, our local "Deuce Bigalow" (without the jigalo), to set it up for us. I annoyed him with persistant questions as he worked, my 2 rats, Oliver and Linus, peering over my shoulder curiously. Afterall, I want to be able to maintain all this equipment. As he cut and glued various lengths of PVC pipe together, I was thankful we had hired him. The set-up was way out of my league. After it was all done, I was thankful the water had not flooded my hardwood floors. The $200 cost for set up was well worth it. Watching the water run through the filter sock into the sump, then the media reactor, and finally protein skimmer before going through the sponge to the return pump, it reminded me a bit of dialysis for a patient with failing kidneys. All the guts and glory of the aquarium is discreetly hidden in the cabinet underneath. I'm excited. We are creating a living ecosystem! Now we sit and watch the live rock and wait. And wait. And wait....

Let the waiting begin....

Details:
75 gallon glass rectangular tank
Black wooden stand with canopy and cabinet
75 lbs live rock (IndoPacific)
~65-70 gallons salt water (using Tropic Marin salt; includes sump)
40 gallon acrylic sump
Tunze Comline DOC Skimmer (in sump)
Large Via Aqua Poly Reactor (with activated carbon) (in sump)
Hydor Koralia Powerhead
Pondmaster Magnetic Drive Return Pump (in sump)
Titanium Via Aqua Heater (in sump)
Thermometer
Aragonite substrate 1" depth (~75 lbs)

Initial Water Chemistry Readings:
pH 8.2
specific gravity 1.023
temp 79

P.S. Lights will come later.