500G barn find.... Here goes!

[SueAubu]

Got my "go big or go home" hubby into the hobby... He's so cute now that he's researching things like live rock and water parameters. (Things I've known for years. But I just smile at each new thing he "discovers")

So he decided to look at craigslist for what may be in our area (Maine) for sale. He didn't figure there would be much, because Maine is known for lobsters, not reefs. Surprise, honey!!!

In the next 2 weeks. We are getting a 220G fish/LPs/SPS mixed tank with a Rose BTA that prolifically multiplied. We are getting a 95G FOWLR setup. We are getting a 55G mixed LPS and fish setup.

Why??

Because my King Of Craigslist found THIS only 3 towns over... Waiting for us in a barn:

500G acrylic, drilled for sump, with a 2x6 framed cabinet base, a single 40G sump (needs another) and about 8 totes of equipment, lighting and supplies. Those other setups will provide us the livestock, rock and corals to populate this big boy!

Good thing the dining room was already empty!

For the record, I was going to be perfectly happy with the 220 and my existing 95... Holding on to the 500G until we could build it into the new house we are designing. But not hubby... Bless him. That's why I love him. He gets me.

 

[SueAubu]

Oh .. and the above tank and barn-full of equipment only set us back $1,700. Now THAT is what I'd expect to find in Maine!

 

[rc8t6353]

That's awesome! Following along to see it come to life

 

[SueAubu]

I was so excited that
1) hubby is finally getting into it.
2) all of his finds are coming together
3) that barn find was so awesome and inexpensive (and the guy super cool- and VERY happy it's going to someone who'll have a clue)
And
4) so busy wondering how to reinforce the floor...

That I completely forgot to think about fish comparability, how they'll need to quarantine, how to de-pest the rock (one guy was actually offended that I'd ask if he has aiptasia, bad nudibranchs or spiders... Which I'm sure he did cuz one picture has a super healthy 6 line wrasse.... Then he told me broke his UV light he used for dinos)


I'm starting to think I'm in big trouble...

 

[SueAubu]

That's awesome! Following along to see it come to life

Thank you. I'll be holding MY breath, too.

Thinking I may need more time off of work...

 

[jabberwock]

following

 

[SueAubu]

I just told Hubby that we have "followers". He said, "yeah. Because they want to watch on, in horror... Like when we post pictures of the first floor caved into the basement."

(Seriously, thank you for your interest... I'll have to find a thesaurus to find a family-friendly word for what a **** show this may actually become)

 

[crazyfishmom]

This is so cool!!!! Love stories like this. Super excited for you.

 

[jabberwock]

I just told Hubby that we have "followers". He said, "yeah. Because they want to watch on, in horror... Like when we post pictures of the first floor caved into the basement."

(Seriously, thank you for your interest... I'll have to find a thesaurus to find a family-friendly word for what a **** show this may actually become)

Clown show...

 

[TX_REEF]

Holy crap this is awesome, nice find

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Well that is an amazing find! Following along!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

My hubs is the extact same way except I haven't figured out how to direct him to reef stuff yet.

TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!

But yes, also following do I can pick up on whatever secret sauce you're using to get him into reefs.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Awesome! Definitely following!

 

[SueAubu]

My hubs is the extact same way except I haven't figured out how to direct him to reef stuff yet.

TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!

But yes, also following do I can pick up on whatever secret sauce you're using to get him into reefs.

We've been married 7 years and had 2 attempts at the tank in that time. Last weekend, I was chatting with folks during the living reef Orlando sale, which he's seen me do before. But this time, he watched for a bit ... Then later, sleepily rolled over and said, "get the expensive ones if you want, we'll cover it." Mind blown.

In the days following he'd come to me saying magic words
"I
Was
Reading...." And starts telling me all these things he learned about reef tanks. So adorable.

Then he came to me with his phone. "Hear me out... (Rut roh) Look what I found." And shows me the sales listings he'd found.


I have no idea what aliens abducted my husband... As much as I loved him, I'll take it!

 

[jon93]

Can't wait to see the progress. I recently scored a 520g acrylic tank for $1500. I think you got the deal of the century for sure. I paid $1500 just for the tank lol.

 

[SueAubu]

SO much has happened since we started gathering the tanks. I'm a tad overwhelmed. I'm planning posts to get to all the details, but .... Whoa...

Crib notes version.... Got the 220... Couldn't set it up quick enough so added the fish to my 95g reef and found enough heaters to keep the rock live in buckets. (Lost all but 10 of the rose BTA but found a bunch of other stuff)

Got the 55 gal. But the toadstool freaked out and started disintegrating... Panic call out to the R2R brain trust! So far so good. Fish in that tank just shy chickens, but got a mated pistol shrimp/ watchman goby, so that was unexpected and cool!

Got the 95 g tank with the purple tang, scopius tang, harlequin tusk and 3 mated pairs of clowns... Somehow living happily together without death... Go figure. The folks had moved out, but couldn't take their tank, so stopped by to feed them, now and again. Tank was in bad shape and way too small for the fish. So into the 220 they went, when we got home. Within 10 days, something had them dropping like flies. Another panic call out to the R2R brain trust... Not flukes, maybe Ich... New experience: could be velvet? Panic running around for 24 hours to get treatments and set up hospital tank.... All dead by the next morning.

That really killed the excitement I had going for this project. I was crushed... And I'm not even a big fan of fish!!

I'm slowly getting it back. The 220 is sitting fallow with just nems, rfa, LPS, gonis and a solitary urchin roaming the rocks. (One of the surprises!) I've ordered coral from 6(?) different folks and it's all sitting on racks getting whapped by the fish that came with the 220, but never went back into it. (Tg, or they'd be dead, too)

So much for the short version, huh?

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Spam here too
@fishguy242
This guy can help! Or at least encourage!

 

[fishguy242]

Whatcha need ?, almost always here...

 

[SueAubu]

Whatcha need ?, almost always here...

I think you helped me out, at the time... In another panic thread. My rescued fish all came down with creeping crud and died within 3 days... Within 12 hours of getting a hospital tank set up. Tank laid fallow for a out 95 days and now a blue Hippo, three wrasshole damsels, a couple chromis, a blue/gold something with a chromis nose, a watchman, a brittle star, a pencil urchin, a bunch of CUC and about 150 corals all call the 220 home, waiting for the build big tank to come in the house.

 

[SueAubu]

Soooooo update. Hubby and I took vacation in September with the sole purpose of getting this bugger set up before it got cold.
We started with cleaning out the dining room and planning where this would best fit. At first we thought this would work as a 360 tank, but then realized 2 things:
1. There are wells and cutouts that make a definitive front and back to the tank.

2. If we tried to put the tank in the middle of the dining room, it would block our ability to move anything past it and into the living room.

We laid out a 10' x 3' cardboard on the floor to find out where this monster would best fit. We found out from the 220 that we would need the ability to get around the entire thing with a ladder. (We had put the 220 cabinet and tank up on 8 6-inch casters but, even then, moving it to get behind was a 3-person chore)

(See? Any closer to the middle of the room and we couldn't make the corner from the kitchen (rt side)

We decided the layout would be with a 30" clearance from each wall....
Until we brought in the cabinet and realized it wasn't the same dimensions as the tank. (Never assume) So now it's 24+" from each wall...

(Cabinet brought it, barn mold bleached, all bare wood kilz-ed and painted. Open squares are doors that were removed and painted a sea blue)