Blog Comments

Looking great, can't wait to see more.

I did pull off the forms yesterday, but to be honest this weekend I chose to recuperate from everything. I was pretty sore all over and was happy to put that project behind me at last. I didn't unwrap the french drain yet... I don't know that it matters but I figured it was easier keeping stuff out of it during the next phase of construction.

I'll be making lots of updates as more and more stuff happens, so you can count on that. Be sure to Subscribe To Blog to get an email notification as soon as they happen.

Marc, just wanted to know that im lurking.. Keeping up with the build. Great job by the way and it is really awesome that you are doing this the right way and not half-arsing it. Great job, I cant wait to see how you start your tank up, the meathods of introducing and setting up your tank the first couple of weeks. I am planning on upgrading to a 150long from my standard 75 and I cant wait either! Great Job!!

-Chris

Yes, the attic stairs have to move, but I've not decided where yet.

I pulled off the forms today and the concrete looks good.

Hey marc,
Are you going to relocate that attic ladder? or are you going to access it from the fish room?

Awesome Marc,
It's nice to see things coming together. To be honest, this morning I was hoping to see another blog entry with the forms off and a better look at that french drain system. Seeing all that work, makes me wish I was there closer to help out. Keep it coming
Jimmy

I hope when your tank comes in and you are setting it up and transferring all your livestock over, that the post/blogs will be coming fast ans furious. I want to see this every step of the way.

Great post marc!

I was going to insert some bolts to secure the base plates, but didn't do so in time. I'll just hammer-drill some holes and use some anchors instead.

I wore the rubber boots, jeans and a long sleeve tshirt. My son wears contacts, so eye protection was a good idea. Since the lime does dry out your skin, I had him wear jeans and a long sleeve shirt as well. He seemed content with the dust mask, which he used the entire time.

I've been growing SPS in my mixed-reef tanks for years. I enjoy their structure & color, but their growth is slower than if the tank was SPS only. The big leather definitely affected their growth.

Salt brands of all types have worked well for SPS lovers. I've used Kent and Red Sea for years, but with my new tank I'm starting off with Sybon.

i was just wondering, are you just going to shoot nails in the concrete, or if the concrete is still soft then you can put anchors in.

just curious. (its probably not needed because its not load bearing, but when we build out house, we did both.)

i love watching this build!!!

I have tack welded a few pieces with just closing my eyes but I don't like trying to weld by braille. . .

As far as the safety stuff for concrete I never used much either. A pair of rubber boots to puddle in is about it. I would wear a cheap mask to keep the dust down when i was going to be around the saw crew or was chipping the concrete off of the paver. And I started to wear water tight ear plugs when spraying the paver off at the end of a pour after a caustic solution got into my right ear and almost ate a hole through my eardrum and burnt my ear canal. The guys I worked with ripped me for what little bit of protection I bought and used for my own safety.

I have also walked on a 3 ft wide ledge eight stories up with no safety gear. I guess what you want to do is your personal preference so I try to leave it at that.

Here is the building that I did my ledge walking act. . . spooked some women on break who worked at sears one day, lol.

I've seen welders just shut their eyes and draw an arc too, but I would never do it.

Wow, I work in construction and have never seen a concrete guy wear that much protective gear!

maroun.c
click on the link above you. "heres the next chapter"

Mark I wanted to ask you if you have had any trouble growing SPS in your tank? Also whats the best salt mix you would recommend for an 90% SPS tank?

Great job on the concrete. looks good brotha.

Why not insert some steel rods in the old slap and then poor the new cement (they did use some epoxy or material to make the rods stick in a concrete wall they worked on in my appartment) this way the rods will link the new and old cement.
If you can still go a bit higher with the base It would be great to add some liquid Epoxy ( we use that under very haeavy equipment we install in hospitals) this ensures the weight is spread evenly over a large area and it levels better than cement as it's more liquid. in the case of an aquarium I see the added advantage of epoxy not absorbing spilled saltwater which over the years can affect cement and the metalic supports in it. All you'll have to do is build a wooded frame to contain the epoxy, Poor the epoxy and following day take out the wood frame and Voila.

Looking good, glad to see your coming along. And Concrete work is tough, pat yourself and your son on the back and have a nice drink. . . you both deserve it.

Hope you remembered to grab a twig from the tree outside and write your own Reef DaVinci Lost Symbols with signature in there Looked like a great day of weather for this kind of job. Congrats!