matt

What are the 12 acro it did seem to try and eat?

So how is the fish doing? Sounds like he is still hanging in there ...yes?

A pygmy angel might bully your hawk, but I could also see it working. You have water volume on your side despite the footprint. I kind of like the idea of a group of damsels...but perhaps a group of clowns would work better... not sure. I've only kept ocellaris, but they never seemed to care about not having a rock to call with their very own...and they have more guts in pairs versus singly. For a single damsel, I like Starki. Other ideas...blue dot Toby puffer, Midas blenny...an assessor I think you're too small for the lyretails

I like this better than my original reaction

How long as the 50g been set up? Is the sand young, or ancient? If old and 'deeper' then you might be better starting with new and seed it with existing vs stirring up noxious gasses. I'd probably do all the livestock and rock transfers in one day, but use as much of the existing water as possible. You could do a few bigger water changes at work in the week leading up to the move, and take the export water home to circulate in the new tank; that could lead to having the most closely matched total system water in the 105 on the day of the move...theoretically. Regardless, have more water made and on hand that what you need...by like 20-40%...never know what could happen and worst case is you're prepared for first new tank water change. I'd put the base rock in first for sure, the rocks with corals attached I'd treat like corals and do move them quickly....unless you unmount. If you don't unmount, do you have a good plan to prevent breakage during transit?

Bueghler? Anyone, Buehler? ;-)

Take the center brace out of the top frame of the stand. Then recreate what is now in the front supporting your stand where the front load of the tank is. Then you can add back a center brace to the new top frame. You would be putting everything I mention right up against the plywood top. Or cut the front off, trim to fit and reattach. Alternatively, I think you could run the 2x4 under your entire top frame perpendicular to the center brace...BUT then creat vertical supports. You just lose some vertical workable space inside the stand this way. The AGA stand I use on my 90 doesn't touch the tank except the sides, ~6" of each side of front and back, and ~3" middle of front and back. I would not run a front header/horizontal without vertical support on the sides.

How big and heavy is this tank? Would it support it as is? Otherwise, perhaps add a horizontal bottom and top framing in line with front edge...then run vertical post between them, overlapping the joints in existing and new horizontals

That looks like it to me from what I can see via the pic ...but not a bad case

Tough calls....daily. Good luck to you. Another thought but perhaps too late would be connecting the display and a Fowler for the OSF. Long term, you're probably going to need both a stable environment and a means of keeping him from eating every single cookie in the cookie jar at once.

I let mine "pick" the first fish for my 90g. I controlled it a bit, but it was their choices. 5 year old got 2 gold neon gobies and the 3 year old picked 2 ocellaris clowns. They used to love our old yellow tang from the previous tank..and now we have a sailfin and hippo. Had good kid experiences at Marine Scene and BRK...patience is a true virtue. Quantum is also great as they give the boys a light show. In all those instances of the fish they liked, they were at the store and carried the bags out. Their involvement helped their interest more than the actual fishe selected. They aren't total fish heads yet, but they do really like the tank. I've also let the oldest one hand me corals from the acclimation bucket so I could put them in the tank. Cheaper frags helped me get comfortable with this...and posed less risk...but I never had a problem no matter how he handled them...and he certainly tested a couple of them for durability... haha

Bill, what are you using the master flex pump for? Can you explain how that and your calcium reactor are set up...is that some level of diy? I've heard some use similar pumps with double heads for auto water changes, but those pumps are loud. Is that your experience with their sound? Did you consider that versus the liter meter setup? Thanks for letting us learn from your design

How is that skimmer working for you? Great setup

Very awesome build. I could ask you a ton of questions, but if I'm picking one right now...how did you set up your auto-water changer? Looks like litermeter...

Very cool setup! Love the blue dot puffer...have always tinkered with the idea of having one and yours looks great

Remove the rock, frag the corals from it you want to keep, then trash the rock. If you caught it as early as you seem to, then this seems best to me.

Dave, is the adult admission free with kids? Very cool looking place, gonna have to get my explorers out your way at some point...even if the micrscope isn't still there. Cheers

I have used larger versions of eheim compacts on my 46 and 90. I have found them bulletproof.

I'm reading this thread as it's really helpful. I'm learning from it. For my ow n education, does using the house HVAC to remove moisture open you up to additional maintenance on the HVAC? I'm a bit worried about putting some gear/tanks to near my own HVAC inside the basement as I've heard stories of salt creep (I think more likley moisture) ruining an expensive HVAC unit. Dehumidifiers are cheap in comparison to an HVAC, but if the HVAC can really handle it without shortening it's lifespan...

How time has flown by...so perhaps asking again makes sense. Are you now doing preorders for delivery at the 2/20 meeting? Thanks

Still love the scape...we're own worst critics, but it will be neat to see what you grow in the new hole. Btw, how did you choose to mount the efflo and other pieces on the overflow/back?