Another 40 breeder

[Zuti]

Well I started this project back in May of 2017 as an upgrade from a 20 tall that had been running for two years. I have been around FOWLR tanks for my entire life. Dad had a 120 when I was young and has had a 90 reef ready tank for the last 8 years. Anyway I have built a stand for a 40 breeder and have a 20 gallon 3 compartment sump in my garage. They have been sitting since May I was supposed to move and then I laid myself up but the time has come to setup and cycle some water.

Current livestock in my 20T
- snowflake eel 14"
- yellow damsel
- colony of zoanthids (small-ish)

Equipment
- drilled aqueon 40b
- 3 compartment 20L sump
- coralife turbo twist 9w UV
- 2 fishes GFO/carbon reactor
- reef octopus classic 110 skimmer
- aqueon 100w pre selected heater
- lifeguard quiet one 6000 pumo
- NEED NEW LIGHTS torn between Photon V2 24" Or radion xr30

Also have a 3 inch sand bed 1/2 fine sand and 1/2 arogonite on top and 20lbs of live sand to cycle with. I have 25lbs of rock so I know I need more I'm planning to build the aquascape out of the tank with dry rock and add live rock when I'm ready for water. I have flowtested the tank over the summer and I shouldn't have any problems there.

My goals are to end up with a mixed reef. I'd love to have a bunch of acros, some more zoas and polyps, an anemone and frogspawn. Not sure what my ideas are as far as fish go. I'm hesitant to get a pygmy angel due to coral. Also hesitant to go with smaller blennies and gobys due to the eel, although he has not eaten the damsel who would easily fit in his mouth and hangs out with the eel frequently.

Feel free to chime in with thoughts and opinions I have been watching and researching this forum for a while now.

 

[Zuti]

Well I started this project back in May of 2017 as an upgrade from a 20 tall that had been running for two years. I have been around FOWLR tanks for my entire life. Dad had a 120 when I was young and has had a 90 reef ready tank for the last 8 years. Anyway I have built a stand for a 40 breeder and have a 20 gallon 3 compartment sump in my garage. They have been sitting since May I was supposed to move and then I laid myself up but the time has come to setup and cycle some water.

Current livestock in my 20T
- snowflake eel 14"
- yellow damsel
- colony of zoanthids (small-ish)

Equipment
- drilled aqueon 40b
- 3 compartment 20L sump
- coralife turbo twist 9w UV
- 2 fishes GFO/carbon reactor
- reef octopus classic 110 skimmer
- aqueon 100w pre selected heater
- lifeguard quiet one 6000 pumo
- NEED NEW LIGHTS torn between Photon V2 24" Or radion xr30

Also have a 3 inch sand bed 1/2 fine sand and 1/2 arogonite on top and 20lbs of live sand to cycle with. I have 25lbs of rock so I know I need more I'm planning to build the aquascape out of the tank with dry rock and add live rock when I'm ready for water. I have flowtested the tank over the summer and I shouldn't have any problems there.

My goals are to end up with a mixed reef. I'd love to have a bunch of acros, some more zoas and polyps, an anemone and frogspawn. Not sure what my ideas are as far as fish go. I'm hesitant to get a pygmy angel due to coral. Also hesitant to go with smaller blennies and gobys due to the eel, although he has not eaten the damsel who would easily fit in his mouth and hangs out with the eel frequently.

Feel free to chime in with thoughts and opinions I have been watching and researching this forum for a while now.

Pictures

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[Zuti]

She's ready to move hoping to get some water going late next week. Also playing with the idea of a 29g separate system possible frag tank, I have the equipment, sump and tank simply need another stand. Added a picture of my dad's 90G that makes me jealous.

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[Zuti]

Now it's a tank. Going to add live rock under the dry rock currently in the tank hopefully I'll have some cycling happening quickly. Still have to finish running equipment wires and dial in the skimmer. Reef octopus vario 4 pump on the way to replace the old lifeguard currently running.

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[Novice101]

Now it's a tank. Going to add live rock under the dry rock currently in the tank hopefully I'll have some cycling happening quickly. Still have to finish running equipment wires and dial in the skimmer. Reef octopus vario 4 pump on the way to replace the old lifeguard currently running.

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I'm curious as from my own experience if I had my return that low in the tank and the power goes out will it flood your sump ?


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[JUNBUG361]

Siphon break or a back up battery connected maybe

 

[Zuti]

Heavy duty check valve. Works great yea I guess I'm putting a lot of faith into it if it ever did go bad. I've done a few power out scenarios and I'm confident in it. And it allows for maximum water volume in the sump.

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[Novice101]

Yeah just make sure it doesn't get Gunked up or you might have a huge problem lol I'm following along cool build


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[Zuti]

Yea ordered a varios pump so ill be able to control the flow and give it a quick blast now and again to blow out the seat on the check valve. I will be able to monitor it during water changes. I like it so far just waiting for it to cycle. Also waiting to get some money together to finish the stand. I gotta get my livestock into it soon the room that my 20 gallon is in doesn't get warm and the heater does not perform well in that tank.

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[Zuti]

Built this cabinet. Going to add in a fuge and ato. Should be able to store all my electric and supplies as well. Nitrates are really high.

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[Rjukan]

Cool, are you going to put the fuge up on top of that cabinet so it drains back to the tank rather than the sump? I did that on my last build with the idea that the pods will have an easier time getting to the display rather than taking a ride through the return pump.

 

[Rjukan]

After looking at the picture again I'm starting to think you aren't going to put the fuge on top since you didn't build it to transfer the weight directly to the floor. Unless you were planning on putting a thicker piece of ply up top, or the fuge is big enough to sit on all 4 of the "legs". Otherwise the weight of the fuge will be on the screws that hold the top frame together.

 

[Zuti]

Planning on putting the fuge between the sump and display and only using gravity to feed it. I feel like it's the safest way. Not concerned with pod growth because anything that requires pods as a food source (mandarins, scooter blennies) would likely be eaten by my snowflake eel already inhabiting the tank.

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[Night Reefer]

Looks great

 

[Zuti]

Thanks just ordered some plumbing supplies. I'm hoping to get the stand for the display tank and the storage cabinet finished next month. Going with tongue and groove boards and staining them.

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[Zuti]

Update. Added 25lbs of rock not pictured an auto top off a cleaner shrimp lightening maroon clown and a good sized flower pot frag. Gotta get a nem for the clown next and upgrade my lights. Thinking about trying a diy algae scrubber. Have all the equipment to do it and I don't use the pump for my UV sterilizer. I'll post some pictures of that when I get it going.

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[Zuti]

Added hydra52HD light and hanging kit. Only took an hour and half to install and program. Very happy with the setup and the light is awesome for the tank.

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[R1ant04]

Cool lil setup.....imo, black plumbing might have looked better tho.

 

[Zuti]

Hasn't been bothering me too much. I could put a background up but i can't find any that i really like

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[EPBen]

looks good!