dano

I was so close to folding and cashing out but instead have decided to double my ante.... so I'm moving from a 72 to a 130 and the new used tank has clear glass in the back. I was wondering what people have done with their tank backs. I have one that was manufactured blue and one that was painted black. I think I like the black better. I used to have one with a plasticized sheet attached to the back of a coral reef scene. And another tank I had attached black velour with velcro to the back. Just wondering what others have done and like. Thanks.

I love the input I get from this group and the collective wisdom and experience and different perspectives. I'm taking it all into consideration and will update post when I figure out what I will do. In the meantime I am waiting for the part to arrive and also looking at the forums and craigslist for another tank if one comes up.

Thanks...She said to drain at least half the tank and more is better.... I thought I would drain two thirds and hopefully that would be enough.

Yeah... said it depends on how liberal the assembler was in putting the orignial silicone in and around the frame.

well I just called All Glass and they said no distributor's carry the frame piece so they will send it to me as a customer courtesy. She said it could take 20 minutes to a day to repair... we'll see... thanks for all the help and great ideas. And the frame is plastic.

Thanks for all of the responses.

thanks for the info and if I get a new tank I will let you know. so it can be fixed? Would it be strong enough to feel secure? The cosmetics don't really bother me because who looks at it from the top anyways.

I was afraid of that.... thanks!!

I've been a masochist for many years but this hobby is bringing me to new heights!! So after three major die off's in the past 8 months and having to set up the tank again twice, I now noticed that the middle plastic brace on top of the middle of the tank, running from the front to the back, is broken and pulled away from the two ends (e.g., I can't make the two broken ends meet). This is a 72 gallon glass bowfront approximately 10 years old. Is this a problem? Does it need the support at the top and, if so, can I improvise and make something? Or am I choosing between sanity/getting out of the hobby or buying a new used tank? FYI, for those who offered advice and help from my last tank trauma, here is an update on what I did. First I dug the decaying and stinking hermit crab out of the overflow tube. This still did not solve the problem. Then I replaced the hose from the bottom of the tank to the sump with the same type of hose but a new clean one. This also did not help. I then bought a more flexible hose because there it needs to bend some and this solved the problem. I also sanded clean the bottom of the float so it would rise and lower withut getting stuck. I did try to remove the float but that would create an overflow so it is definitely needed. Cleaned the tank up once again and ordered a clean up crew and just when I am ready to start adding some fish I notice the broken brace. AARGHH!!!

What is the durso? so do you think I can just remove the float valve without suffering any negative consequences (since keeping it in is netting me too many negative consequences)? Maybe calling it a float valve is not accurate... it is a cylindrical plastic emptying into a tube on the bottom and a tube on top ... a bobber of sorts

No... return pump works all the time... I bought this set up used and just assumed this was a fairly standard setup with the float stopper for the overflow...I guess not.

thanks for all the suggestions... just got back to town... I'm not sure how all the different parts work so when you say do away with the float I don't know what the impact will be. Also don't know what you mean by drilling tank... there is an overflow in the corner of the tank with a tube that goes down to the sump. the tube has this float valve which has a long neck stat stays in the tube while the float lifts with the water level. I will go through some old notes to see if i can figure out how to put a picture on the posting. Thanks again.

For the third time now in the past 8 months my staying in the hobby is being severely tested. This time while I was away my overflow malfunctioned, some lighting started putting off voltage in the aquarium, and I lost more fish and corals. Now down to one lucky pecula whom Jan mightily saved! So this is the problem I need some help with. I do not understand how the overflow works and the float that closes off the overflow tube to the sump for some reason is not staying afloat. Instead it closes off the overflow tube when it shouldn't resulting in water overflowing over the top of the tank and draining of the sump. Shutting down the whole system and restarting leads to the float working as it is supposed to for a few moments and then without apparent cause just sinking and closing off the overflow tube. Thanks much for any suggestions offered.

Thanks you all for your replies.... he is going in!!

I just got my first ever mandarin (it is beautiful - thanks Ben at Petland), and then I read somewhere that it should not be placed in a tank with anemones. I recall seeing a number of Wamas tanks with mandarins and anemones so I am wondering what the community wisdom is on including both in the same tank. Thanks.

I have an in-sump Remora Aqua C for sale or trade for fish.

Hi Jan... just logged on after being off a few days and saw your posting. So sorry about what you've been through but you certainly stepped up to the plate and got things going in the right direction in a major way. So much work!! As you know from my recent fish life, I can certainly empathize. Hope it goes much easier from here and call me if I can be of help.

Thanks to all... enjoyable time and some nice frags for my tank. Question re. quarantining. With corals, what am I looking for? How long to quarantine? Thanks.

No problem. thanks anyways

any relation to the Michael Priest from White Plains, NY?

do you ever travel closer to 7 corners/ falls church area that I could meet you for the fish? Thanks

I am wanting to buy the coral buy the coral beauty and the engineer goby if they are still available. I imagine you aren't going to the frag fest so pick up may be an issue. I may also be interested in buying your tank. Do you have a sump with that? Thanks

Wow! Really nice close-ups! I'm ready to buy my ticket to Bali! http://manneli.com/movies/Nature/Bali.html

PM sent on bubble coral

So, the tank is now up and running again. What a hassle. I was going to move it slowly over a period of time but when we hired movers I figured better to have them move the tank and sump (72 bowfront). The night prior to the move I broke down the tank and put all the sand, rock and corals and fish in a number of buckets and bins. Drained all the water and removed the cheato and mud from the sump. When I went to set the tank up the next night after the move there was water dripping from the overflow and I didn't know how to fix it. So I set power heads in each of the buckets that held corals and/or fish, and reached out to wamas for help. When I came home from work I found decomposing bubble coral in one of my tubs (it was big and beautiful). Dead - large Clarkii, three stripe damsel and a number of snails, crabs and urchin dead. Beautiful and large GBTAnemone looked dead though when I moved it to another tub it still attached to the rock so I had some hope. David talked me through how to fix the leak. From the bottom of the tank there are the threads which are one piece with the overflow. So as my wife held the overflow from on top from turning I tightened the nut with a wrench and the leak was fixed. David also explained that the bottom openings on the overflow don't actually allow water into the overflow. Only the top openings so in fact I could have filled the tank up to where the water went over the top into the overflow. So I filled the tank (ended up not having enough water made to reach the overflow - thank you Janice for making me some water) and put the sand, rock and corals and fish in. This also allowed me to put the mud back in the sump and let it sit some so the dust could settle. So now my third night being up to 3 or 4 AM, I dropped my light into the tank (thankfully not plugged in)so I put that on the side to let it dry out. And of course, just as I think I am done for the night, my skimmer pump stops working so I spend another hour or so trying unsuccessfully to get it to work. So over the next few days I get everything up and running again and things are settling down. The tank is looking empty which is upsetting as it was really flourishing before the move. In addition to the losses mentioned above, I lost the anemone, a green finger leather, a green toadstool, shrimp, some zoas, various mushrooms, and probably some others I can't think of at the moment. SUCK!! Very upsetting as I had had some of these corals, anemone and fish for upwards of 6 years. So what did I learn? One, how to fix a leaking overflow and more about how the overflow works (though I still don't have a good sense of how the plunger works). Two, the next time I have a problem I can just put it all in the tank and use power heads. Three, make sure I have good flow in all the tubs if they are going to be there for many hours. Thanks for all the replies/responses for help that I received when I was in my most frantic moments.