First saltwater build! 40b/20g sump reef.

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Little better idea of light coverage. Not sure why the other one looked so dark
 
Pm my if you want my to email you the plans i used to build my 40/20 stand.... you can put sump in front or side depending on final location and needs
 
Also research different overflows... i did herbie method 2 1" drains and 3/4 return it is silent.... would prob do a bean animal for any tank longer... herbie took up less real estate in a 36" tank
 
Okay, this question may seem kinda obvious, but I need some help with heaters. How do I determine how many watts I need, what are some good brands and what are some I should avoid? I've read that it's better to get two heaters of lower wattage so that if one malfunctions it shouldn't fry the tank. So should I go with one or two heaters? I'm browsing around for some used ones, but I'm not sure I trust my knowledge enough to find a good one, so I might just buy new.
 
Usually 3-5 watts per total water volume (don't forget the sump volume in your calculations). Also, put the heater on a controller and don't rely on the internal thermostat to always work - too many tanks have been lost due to the thermostat failing in the 'on' position, cooking the tank. Heaters are inexpensive enough to get new.
 
Agree with just getting new heaters. They are relatively cheap. Most heaters will give you the max water volume, so figure out what you have and go from there. The above post may be correct on calculating heater watts per gallon but I have no clue in that regard. I run a 300 w and 150w on my 125 with 30 gal sump and it keeps the temp fine. As to your coral rack question, that is usually for acclimation purposes. You can start them on a rock lower in your tank to adjust to lighting, and then raise the rack up as they progress. Basically allows you to get them in the tank without having to drop them on the sandbed or having to attach with glue to the rocks.
 
GHsaltie said:
Okay, this question may seem kinda obvious, but I need some help with heaters. How do I determine how many watts I need, what are some good brands and what are some I should avoid? I've read that it's better to get two heaters of lower wattage so that if one malfunctions it shouldn't fry the tank. So should I go with one or two heaters? I'm browsing around for some used ones, but I'm not sure I trust my knowledge enough to find a good one, so I might just buy new.
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I'm picky when it comes to heaters. I would never buy cheap or used heaters myself unless you know how long they've been used for. It's a great idea but I've got trust issues haha.

Any titanium heater from eheim are great or my favorite is the cobalt neo therm heaters.

Buy two heaters that equal the watts you need instead of one big one. This would help also if you buy used.
 
I use Eheim one my 40/20.... I have a 125 and a 75 controlled by a Ranco... No issues... I live in a fairly temperate climate in SE NC... if you are in a colder location you may want a little more to be safe
 
Eheim Jager's are the best heater bang for the buck IMO. They are reliable and have a great track record, and they are very reasonably priced. I too was faced with buying a quality heater because I got tired of the cheap ones that in most cases don't last a day or at best a week :hammer: so I got to checking around and found out about the Eheim Jager's Google them yourself and read reviews and find best pricing.
 
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Live sand is just an overpriced marketing trick imho. Id just use well rinsed dry sand. Ill post a longer response when i get home. On phone now
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I would do 2 100w heaters so they don't have to work as hard, which will save the life of your heaters even longer! I have a 40 gallon reef and 20 gallon sump and I use 2 heaters. 1-150w and 1-100w. I might buy another 150w just make my temperature even more stable.
 
Got my heaters on the way! Ended up going with the cobalt ones, 2 100w. I'm hoping that they will work out good, I just know that I'm going to be super paranoid running all the equipment the first time :eek1:. I really wanted to go ahead and get my protein skimmer, but BRS has been out of stock for a month or so now. I even checked Marine Depot and they are out as well, so frustrating. Guess the skimmer will have to wait a while longer.
 
Okay, so I'm running into some problems with the overflow design that I wanted. I was going to do the Herbie overflow, as it was explained on this site http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/, with a 1" main drain and a 1.25" E-drain (not completely set on this but that's the basics of what I was thinking). The problem I'm having is that I can't find an overflow box that extends down the bottom. I really wanted to have the pipes drilled through the bottom, as I like the use of gravity, but I can't find an overflow box that would work, or even someone to custom make one. Does anyone know of a solution? Or maybe a better suggestion?
 
GHsaltie said:
Okay, so I'm running into some problems with the overflow design that I wanted. I was going to do the Herbie overflow, as it was explained on this site http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-reef-tank-plumbing-method-basics/, with a 1" main drain and a 1.25" E-drain (not completely set on this but that's the basics of what I was thinking). The problem I'm having is that I can't find an overflow box that extends down the bottom. I really wanted to have the pipes drilled through the bottom, as I like the use of gravity, but I can't find an overflow box that would work, or even someone to custom make one. Does anyone know of a solution? Or maybe a better suggestion?
Click to expand...
Make one out of glass it's easy
 

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Here's a 40 breeder I built for a cousin of mines, over flow and all, just measure the size you want and get them cut at lowes then glue them together if you don't have a glass cutter
 

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