Adventures of a New 40g Breeder *Pics*

[FlipFlops24/7]

This is a thread which will document the conversion of my 29 gallon reef to a 40 gallon breeder.

Quick Summary
I chose the 40g(36"x18"x16") breeder because it was the perfect size for the hallway in which it is going. I like the shallow height(16" tall). The nice width of 18" will allow me to aquascape without having live rock against any sides of the tank. It also allows for me to install a glass overflow without losing too much space.

So far a friend from our local reef club has drilled my tank and installed a black glass overflow. I am also having a custom oak stand built by another local reefer. This stand will be finished this weekend(12/9/06) and I will post pictures of the stand.

Sump
I am using the old 29 gallon tank as a sump. I am currently trying to figure out how to install the baffles. I will be running a refugium with chaetomorpha and a deep sand bed. I will be using an AquaC Remora skimmer. My return pump is a Mag 7.

Lighting
I am still undecided on what lighting I will go with. I am torn between:

A. The Fully Assembled 36"Current-USA Outer orbit unit, which sports 2x96w PCs and 1x150w 14K Metal Halide HQI.

B. 36" Fully Assembled Tek T-5 lighting(4 bulb design)

C. Building a hood and installing T-5s and Metal Halide retrofits.


Here are a few pictures of how the tank looks drilled and how the overflow is installed.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

Plumbing

Tomorrow all of my plumbing supplies will arrive from Marine Depot, as well as my SCWD. I am going to layout how I plan to plumb everythign, and I would really appreciate some feedback since I am a complete noob when it comes to plumbing.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

well Marine Depot came a day early, but I'm at home sick with the flu so probably won't be running to the hardware store.

Here is the lockline installed.

 

[InvaderJim]

Looks really clean so far...are you planning on painting the back or anything?

 

[herostar]

Looks great. Same setup I'd like to put together!

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8687516#post8687516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by InvaderJim
Looks really clean so far...are you planning on painting the back or anything?

Thanks guys,

yes I am going to paint the back with a flat black. Its too cold here to spraypaint(21 degrees) and won't warm up again until spring, so I have to use a mini roller and roll it on...lol

 

[alien9168]

do you have a garage?

if so you could always spray in there and suck the fumes out with a fan....or open the garage door for a lil' bit. .... just a sugestion

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8688358#post8688358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alien9168
do you have a garage?

if so you could always spray in there and suck the fumes out with a fan....or open the garage door for a lil' bit. .... just a sugestion

Yes I have an attached garage, but its still about 25 deg in there. The can of black spray paint I have says that it needs to be about 70 degrees. Is this true? Would I have a problem spray painting in 20 degree weather? I can bring the tank back inside my house afterwards and let it dry inside.

 

[GSMguy]

looks great bare bottom or sand? i would go tek t5 hung from the ceiling for the really clean look
those lights will allow you to have sps clams and lps also will have very good flourescence
other option is 6 bulb tek instead of the metal halide if you feel like 4 wouldent be enough

 

[MrMexReefer]

awesome job debaser! An idea about the spray painting outside... ide painted interior car parts in my garage in winter, and they are still fine. You should just go buy the paint, and test it on some random piece of glass or mirror in the cold weather. That way, you will at least know what will happen

 

[Kinetic]

yikes sounds cold. =X but otherwise it's a beautiful setup!! I have a 40br I was going to setup as a frag tank, but what you've done makes it look like a high class display tank.

Who made the glass overflow? Where did you get it?

 

[sjm1978]

Debaser is the drain gonna be quiet like that? if not you can do a external durso standpipe. i did one on my 125g tank and its super quiet. its just a T with pvc and a endcap with a small hole drilled in it. heres a pic

 

[fishdoc11]

FWIW most types of paint will just run off of the surface at that low of a temp. Any reason you drilled the back instead of the bottom for the overflow?

Chris

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8689281#post8689281 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
looks great bare bottom or sand? i would go tek t5 hung from the ceiling for the really clean look
those lights will allow you to have sps clams and lps also will have very good flourescence
other option is 6 bulb tek instead of the metal halide if you feel like 4 wouldent be enough

I'm going with a shallow sand bed. I got the CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand: 1 - 1.7mm diameter grain size.

I'm still torn between lights. Both the Current USA Outer Orbits(one 150W Metal Halide and two 96w PCs) and the Tek lights (four T-5 bulbs) can be hung from the ceiling for a really clean look.

Which lights would look better?

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8690483#post8690483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kinetic
yikes sounds cold. =X but otherwise it's a beautiful setup!! I have a 40br I was going to setup as a frag tank, but what you've done makes it look like a high class display tank.

Who made the glass overflow? Where did you get it?

Thank you for the compliment. The glass overflow was cut at a glass shop and installed by a friend in our local reef club. He also drilled the holes in the tank for me. I don't have many tools yet (recently bought our first house) but he has tons and tons of tools so I let him do it.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8691118#post8691118 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
. Any reason you drilled the back instead of the bottom for the overflow?

Chris

I'm having a custom oak stand built for the tank by another local reefer. I didn't want to drill holes in it. That is my main reason.

Also, all my plumbing will be in back and I won't have to mess around inside the stand too much.

The person who drilled my tank has the exact same setup on his 75 gallon. Once I get things setup I will take pictures of his secret way of keeping the overflow dead silent

 

[GSMguy]

tek 6bulb would loook best tek 4 bulb second best they are very cool looking fixtures and the blues are sick sps clams they all love the t5 lights. i want the 6 bulb for my 50 gallon which is basicly a little taller 40 br like a 40br thats 18inches tall

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8691546#post8691546 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
tek 6bulb would loook best tek 4 bulb second best they are very cool looking fixtures and the blues are sick sps clams they all love the t5 lights. i want the 6 bulb for my 50 gallon which is basicly a little taller 40 br like a 40br thats 18inches tall

So by blues, do you mean the tank will always look very blue? Because I like more of a whitish light. If I do buy a Tek like I will buy it from reef geek. THere are so many different T5 bulbs I wouldn't know what to get.

The main reason I wanted the Outer Orbit is so I have a metal halide light to produce that "shimmer" look.

 

[GSMguy]

well then get the metal halide dont let me stop you i do think those t5s are sick they donthave to look blue the GE daylight bulb is verybright one white bulb and 3 blue is like a 14k metal halide 2 daylight bulbs andtwo actininc would be like a 10k
current makes a metal halide and t5 combo light that might be the best for what you want that way you get the much better spectrum of the t5 combined with the intesity of a halide there are lots of options and not onlyone right answer

 

[fishes2889]

Personally i wouldnt like the look of just one metal halide ona 3 foot tank. Metal Halides are sort of a spot light so you would have alot of shading on either side. I would go with the 6-bulb tek fixture.........

Steve