What went wrong?

So what went wrong with the big aquarium? Well a number of things.

First, my attempts to save money with DIY ended up costing me a fortune.  DIY things are great sometimes, and sometimes there is no other option.  But if you rely on certain things to keep working, like computer fans, and they don't, then you have a failure.

Second, the size of the aquarium caused me to make some foolish decisions with the routing of electricity.  Extension cords, placing the Apex EB8's inside the frame of the stand, etc.  If water drips on the interface between plug and extension cord, you get a fire. If that interface is anywhere under or alongside the tank, water will drip on it.  Never ever do this.  The EB8 looked like it was in a good spot.  But funny thing about saltwater, it climbs cords. This meant, that little bits of salt and water went up the cord, into the aquabus, and rusted it all out.  Even better, I was dumb enough to put the apex brain unit down there too.  Guess what else is a brick?

So it was time to tear it all out.  All of it.  Every last bit, everything has to go.

I tore out all the plumbing.  All the tubs, all the bins, tore out all the electrical, all the apex bits, everything.

Now I have a nice bare room, plenty of space to start over.  I guess you could say the near electrical fire was the spark that caused me to get moving on this again..

So this is the starting point.  It all gets better from here, hopefully...