bigfish14 40 gallon reef build

[bigfish14]

My tank is finally in its final resting location right next to my fish room (AKA my closet ). I have also set up my quarintine/acclimation tank in my fish room, where I also plan on storing my RO/DI water and SW. I will also keep all of my supplies there because my sump is going to take up most of the room in my stand that I built. My birthday is coming up in a couple days, so I think I will be treating myself to a protien skimmer and sump soon. Keep an eye out for more updates

 

[saltysailor2329]

Welcome to Reef Central!

I love the 40 breeder footprint. I have been running one for about a year now, but will be breaking it down shortly.

What type of equipment do you plan on using? What type of live stock do you plan on keeping?

Remember to take your time in this hobby as nothing good comes to those in a hurry. A lot of very helpful people on RC so make sure you ask questions before you go and do something that you aren't sure about.

 

[bigfish14]

I made my ATO tank on Saturday. It's just a 10 gallon aquarium painted black to match the stand. I left a vertical strip on the glass unpainted so I can quickly see how full the ATO tank is. I also made a little stand out of 2x4s for the tank to sit on. I figured it was only a matter of time before someone kicked it or it got hit by the vaccum and cracked. Never a good idea to leave a glass tank on the floor.

 

[bigfish14]

I was able to get most of the plumbing done today! Right now, everything is just set in place until I get the sump. Hopefully that will be soon, so I can glue everthing together and test it out with some H2O. I forget to by a 90 degree elbow for the end of my return tuner pipe, so that is unfinished. The only thing left to do is get the pump ordered and buy some flexible tubing to hook the pump up to the hard plumbing. Here are some pictures of my progress

 

[bigfish14]

My box of rocks came in today!! I ordered 50 pounds of reef saver rock from BRS a couple days ago, and I am very pleased with what I got. I am having a lot of trouble aquascaping though. Any suggestions?

 

[bigfish14]

Attempt number 2

 

[bigfish14]

Third and final attempt. I think I am going to keep it like this. My return pump came in today too.

 

[bigfish14]

Finally got the tank wet with tap water! No leaks so far

 

[bigfish14]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3SO4EjFCWc

 

[bigfish14]

I just placed my order for 1 Vortech MP10 powerhead! I debated this purchase quite a bit, but I decided that I would save myself some cash and buy the best powerhead up front. After all, lighting and flow are the two most important aspects of a reef tank, so I am going to spend a little more to get the best. I will have 1 MP10, 1 Koralia nano 250, and my return pump for circulation in my tank. I think that should be enough for my soft and LPS corals. I can't wait to try this thing out!

 

[bigfish14]

It doesn't look like anyone is following along, so I think I am doing this for my own benefit. Anyways, I got an email today saying my MP10 should be here on Thursday. I will spend Friday messing around with the vortech and build my light hanging brace and doors for the stand.

 

[Charley Diesing]

It doesn't look like anyone is following along, so I think I am doing this for my own benefit. Anyways, I got an email today saying my MP10 should be here on Thursday. I will spend Friday messing around with the vortech and build my light hanging brace and doors for the stand.

I've actually been following. Good luck!

 

[iadubber]

I've been subscribed!

 

[Lwhite]

Serial Lurking Looks great!

 

[bigfish14]

My MP10 arrived today! I set it up and I am amazed. These things are awesome and far better than the few koralias I have used. You truly get what you pay for.

 

[JMurphy97]

What mode did you decide to go with on the MP10?

 

[bigfish14]

I didn't get home from work until 9 last night, so I did not get a chance to mess around with it a whole lot. After I set it up, I went through a couple of the modes to see how it worked and I love it. I left it running on reef crest mode at 100% last night and I think I will use reef crest. I would like to see how the short pulse works when it creates waves. I know it is not ideal for corals, but it looks cool and I want to mess around with the vortech as much as I can before I get live stock :lolspin:

 

[bigfish14]

I ordered 3 125W Jager heaters and a Lifeguard Aquatics pump for my ATO tank. Two of the heaters will go in my sump, and the other will be for my SW mixing container. I originally planned to get a Maxi-Jet utility pump for my ATO tank, but Dr. Foster and Smith has them on back order until June. I don't want to wait that long, so I am taking my chance with the Lifeguard pump. I went with the 296 GPH pump because I plan on running my top off water through a Kalk reactor which requires 200-300 GPH flow. I am getting so close to starting my cycle. I will be buying sand and a test kit with my next pay check in two weeks. Once I get my tax return money, I plan to buy my RO/DI unit, two brute cans, salt mix, refractometer, and a mixing pump. Then I can start the much anticipated cycle!

 

[bigfish14]

I have done a lot to the tank lately and I thought I would share.

I added the DIY doors to my stand. It only cost me $5 to make them because I only needed to buy two 10 foot 1x4s. I cut the boards into 2 foot sections and glued the boards together. I glued two strips of wood to the back of each door to make them sturdy. I then painted them and they work great.

I added a lock to the doors because my mom babysits little kids. I know they are very curious, so I added the lock to prevent any accidents.

I plan on hanging my light fixture over the tank, but I cannot hang it from the ceiling because our basement has one of those recessed ceilings. This meant I had to improvise.

I always felt that my aquascape was to high and didn't allow any room for the corals to grow. While I was waiting for the paint to dry, I messed around with the rocks. I only flipped a couple rocks over, but it made a huge difference

 

[bigfish14]

Also, I was offered a couple odd jobs the past couple days and was able to make some cash. I was able to order my RO/DI unit, IO reef crystals, and a refractometer from BRS. Everything should be here next week around Tuesday or Wednesday. The only thing I have left to buy is the sand. I will be getting that with my next paycheck in about a week or so. Then the real fun begins, the cycle! :dance: