40 breeder build (pictures/queations/first saltwater tank)

[Isaacs55]

I tested the rock for 2 months in a brute container and there was no measurable phosphates. It wasn't until I started to ghost feed the brute to cycle my rock is when I started to get phosphates. I dropped a cube of frozen food every day till there was no ammonia and nitrite. And frozen food has a lot of phosphates

 

[BigJohnny]

Hey anyone with 40 breeders that run jabao wave makers suggest RW-4 or RW-8? I have 1 RW-8 right now and thinking of just getting a RW-4 for my second powerhead?

Hey man, definitely go with a second rw8. The rw4 is half as strong but the rw8 can run just as low on minimum setting. They are also almost identical in price. I had an rw4 with my mp40 in my 50 and switched it out for an rw8.

 

[BigJohnny]

I tested the rock for 2 months in a brute container and there was no measurable phosphates. It wasn't until I started to ghost feed the brute to cycle my rock is when I started to get phosphates. I dropped a cube of frozen food every day till there was no ammonia and nitrite. And frozen food has a lot of phosphates

Isaacs knows this so this is for the previous poster:

i have used Marco rock twice and have never had issues with "leaching phosphates". That was a problem with marco rock almost 10 years ago and although it's still possible, not common (all rocks contain some phosphate). I recommend you test your batch early like isaacs.

Most people who complain of "leaching dry rock or marco rock" usually get it in like month 10-13 and don't realize it's bad husbandry that caught up with them. The rock/water reach equilibrium pretty quickly, so if it were going to "leech phosphate" it would do so early on. Especially into phosphate less water.

Rocks (especially dry rock) can absorb a significant amount of phosphate over time. If phosphate is consistently provided/present in the water column, at some point it will be unable to absorb anymore and that is when people will see an accumulation of testable phosphate.

 

[Isaacs55]

Hey man, definitely go with a second rw8. The rw4 is half as strong but the rw8 can run just as low on minimum setting. They are also almost identical in price. I had an rw4 with my mp40 in my 50 and switched it out for an rw8.

Yea I figured that's what I should do. When stuck the RW-8 in my 40 breeder, I was already thinking I should get another instead of the RW4. Good lookin out Johnny.

 

[Isaacs55]

Looks like I'll be getting my protein skimmer today or tomorrow. Going with the Classic 110INT Protein Skimmer or Bubble Magus Curve 5. Not sure which one yet.

 

[Isaacs55]

So I baught my Bubble Magus Skimmer today and I went ahead and baught the Apex Junior also. I only set up the Apex junior today though. It was pretty intense because I had to make a couple holes in the wall and route my ethernet chord in my crawl space all the way back up through the wall to my apex. But everything works perfectly now.





So I know most people, well probably everyone, thinks the apex junior is a waist of money. Well for me it's not. I'm gunna explain why.

For me spending 550 is way too expensive for a single purchase. I can get away with 200-300. But that's not the main reason. The main thing is, with the junior I can upgrade to my needs and wants. And have it grow with my tank which I think is pretty cool. For now at least I can track my temperature, the basics, and have my lights run on timers, my heaters controlled and my pumps And and my foscam for when I'm gone or at work. So the basics for now. I only have 1 fish and a tiny Zoa frag lol so it's not like I need to dose and feed automatically and what not. So for me the Apex Junior is perfect!

Anyways sorry for the rant, I just wanted to explain before people say, well why not save and get the big one.

Now that I got that out the way. I have my skimmer but I got side tracked setting up my apex so I'll have to set my skimmer up next week or 2. I'll be gone for Vacation so that's why I can't set it up until I get back.
Oh and thanks Swope2bc for the tip on taking off the optics! Much better coverage now. And I get the shimmer effect!

Anyways here's an updated front tank shot. August 27/15

 

[mmittlesteadt]

Looking really good. Love the aquascaping.

 

[Isaacs55]

Hey thank you! The Apex introduced me to a whole new world of Reefing! Your 40 breeder is looking really nice as well! Seen that mushroom growth! Looks real good!

 

[mmittlesteadt]

Hey thank you! The Apex introduced me to a whole new world of Reefing! Your 40 breeder is looking really nice as well! Seen that mushroom growth! Looks real good!

Thanks. Mine isn't automated like with an Apex, though it is quite self sustaining in that I seldom need to do anything with it. Lights are on a timer, ATO functions well. Autofeeder (my 18 year old daughter who knows how much to feed and when ) and everything else functions very well. Confidently went on vacation for 5 days and came back to a healthy,thriving tank and still had plenty left in my ATO reservoir.

Certain weeds like my Xenia and GSP love nitrates and phosphate, and I have chaeto in my overly large sump. I get a nice cycle of algae blooms that grow and subside just enough to feed my Lawnmower Blenny and CUC, but never overgrow anything.

Something like an Apex would be cool if for no other reason than controlling heaters, my Kessil and monitoring things. Which reminds me...I need to get a Kessil controller so I can program my light.

 

[Isaacs55]

Thanks. Mine isn't automated like with an Apex, though it is quite self sustaining in that I seldom need to do anything with it. Lights are on a timer, ATO functions well. Autofeeder (my 18 year old daughter who knows how much to feed and when ) and everything else functions very well. Confidently went on vacation for 5 days and came back to a healthy,thriving tank and still had plenty left in my ATO reservoir.

Certain weeds like my Xenia and GSP love nitrates and phosphate, and I have chaeto in my overly large sump. I get a nice cycle of algae blooms that grow and subside just enough to feed my Lawnmower Blenny and CUC, but never overgrow anything.

Something like an Apex would be cool if for no other reason than controlling heaters, my Kessil and monitoring things. Which reminds me...I need to get a Kessil controller so I can program my light.

Yea some like it the way you like it I guess. See last night I didn't have everything set up and my return was draining water too fast (which I fixed that issue) and I work night shift at a hospital. Well my wife got fed up with the loud noise coming from the return pump and she didn't know what to do. She couldn't fix it. Well instead of unplugging and be done with it, she left it like that and it was constant noise from the return pump trying pump water back up but the water level was just below that point so it was going back and forth trying to pump water up. Luckily it didn't damage the pump. This happened at 4 AM today so she had to try and sleep with that loud noise, keep in mind that I have a 2 year old also that woke up because of it so that's why she was mainly ****ed. She knew if she unplugged everything Then my fish would not be able to breath due to low oxygen levels. So she left it on. NOW that I Fixed and properly set up everything to where I can control it from anywhere, I won't have this problem again.

Sorry for the short story haha

 

[mmittlesteadt]

Yea some like it the way you like it I guess. See last night I didn't have everything set up and my return was draining water too fast (which I fixed that issue) and I work night shift at a hospital. Well my wife got fed up with the loud noise coming from the return pump and she didn't know what to do. She couldn't fix it. Well instead of unplugging and be done with it, she left it like that and it was constant noise from the return pump trying pump water back up but the water level was just below that point so it was going back and forth trying to pump water up. Luckily it didn't damage the pump. This happened at 4 AM today so she had to try and sleep with that loud noise, keep in mind that I have a 2 year old also that woke up because of it so that's why she was mainly ****ed. She knew if she unplugged everything Then my fish would not be able to breath due to low oxygen levels. So she left it on. NOW that I Fixed and properly set up everything to where I can control it from anywhere, I won't have this problem again.

Sorry for the short story haha

Hey I completely understand. Quiet is paramount at our house too, which is why my sump is in the basement. Being able to control remotely is pretty cool. It's a great time to be in this hobby. So many gadgets at our disposal to have fun with and bleed our bank accounts. LOL.

 

[Isaacs55]

Hey I completely understand. Quiet is paramount at our house too, which is why my sump is in the basement. Being able to control remotely is pretty cool. It's a great time to be in this hobby. So many gadgets at our disposal to have fun with and bleed our bank accounts. LOL.

I know! This hobby just keeps getting better! If I had a basement, that would be my number 1 option lol my wife had to give me a monthly limit or our bank account would bleed out to death lol
Well automated or not you sir have a beautiful tank! That goes for a lot of people here. I guess it's just that extra level of security and being able to sleep at night without the "Tank Nightmares" lol

 

[Isaacs55]

Update front tank shot


Sump Light and apex junior. Please excuse the messy chords.


Front sump shot...need to add my skimmer still, add chaeto, refugium sand and mud.


And lastly I got my LEDs in from china today. 5 3w 10000k cool white and 5 3w 20000k replacing the soft whites with 10000k and some others with 20000k on my mars aqua.

 

[BigJohnny]

Sump Light and apex junior. Please excuse the messy chords.

You call that messy?

That's what mine looked like originally. Mainly just a ton of overlapping drip loops but still haha.

Your looking good brotha

 

[Isaacs55]

You call that messy?

That's what mine looked like originally. Mainly just a ton of overlapping drip loops but still haha.

Your looking good brotha

Yea and that's what I'm affraid of lol adding more aqua bus and what not is gunna be even worse lol
But thanks man! It's slowly coming along.

 

[Scubareefman]

Spending the day hooking my frag tank into my system. My wire mess is getting relocated today. I'm hoping to pickup some 3d printed brackets from a friend that will really help hold the clutter effect at bay. Yours is nice and neat compared to my hair ball. It's really looking good man.

 

[Isaacs55]

Spending the day hooking my frag tank into my system. My wire mess is getting relocated today. I'm hoping to pickup some 3d printed brackets from a friend that will really help hold the clutter effect at bay. Yours is nice and neat compared to my hair ball. It's really looking good man.

Thanks man! It's good to see your tank coming along. Looking forward to a front tank shot!

 

[Scubareefman]

Here's a shot from a week or so ago, I've added another 40g to the system bringing it to around 120ish, 41DT, 40gish sump, 40g frag tank, 10g ATO with kalkwasser.
next weekend is the big STL frag swap so the rack is going to get stocked fast
Cheers,
tom
<a href="http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/Tom_Manes/media/IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag62/Tom_Manes/IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg"/></a>

 

[Isaacs55]

Here's a shot from a week or so ago, I've added another 40g to the system bringing it to around 120ish, 41DT, 40gish sump, 40g frag tank, 10g ATO with kalkwasser.
next weekend is the big STL frag swap so the rack is going to get stocked fast
Cheers,
tom
<a href="http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/Tom_Manes/media/IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag62/Tom_Manes/IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0838_zpsj9s4hewp.jpg"/></a>

Sweet man looking good! Coming along nice!

 

[Isaacs55]

Changed the 6 soft white led diodes to 3w 20000k led diodes. It was actually pretty easy. I'm still going to change some of the blues out for 420nm blue and ultra violet 400nm. But this all for now. Going to order more from china.