RIP little guys.
A bit jaded and upset, I wondered whether it would be better to give up the rest of the fish and dismantle the tank but then my husband made a suggestion that I am certain will haunt him to his grave.
Let's get rid of the two big tanks and replace them with one bigger one.
So, wanting to launch myself into a new project to take my mind of the horrors of disaster week, I started putting feelers out there for a 5 or 6 foot tank to replace the 240l and the 200l. I posted on a facebook group and a guy replied, saying he had a 6x2x2 that didn't fit in their new house and he was looking to swap for a smaller tank like my 4 footer. So thinking 'bargain!' I agreed with him that, once the carpet was laid, we would do a swap.
Well, I won't go into the work involved in moving a tank capable of holding 180 US gallons (with a sump) but suffice to say it wasn't straightforward and the air turned blue a few times that day! However, happily the tank survived the swap and was installed in it's new place in my living room.
As soon as the guy and the mover had left, my husband and I looked at the tank, and looked at each other. We knew the dimensions of the tank, we had even been to visit ones just like it in an aquatic shop, however I don't think either of us really appreciated how BIG this tank was going to be.
Here is a picture of it with my ten month old daughter for scale, and I don't even think it shows how imposing it is. However, a few days later and I am getting used to it, and now I can't wait for it to be set up!
Since this photo was taken, we have half-filled it, put in the sand and bogwood - which previously dominated the 4 footer but now looks pathetically small! We are going to get the sump up and running today and run it for a few days until it clears. Maybe even plant it up a bit.
Anyway I am intending to take photos at each stage so hopefully I will be able to update them to this journal! Wish me luck!
