LooseHip's 40 breeder SPS build

[LooseHip]

Well after my little debacle over a month ago.. I am just about ready to get my reef going again...

Tank is nothing fancy, a standard 40 breeder drilled with a corner overflow..

Livestock:
Mostly SPS.

Equipment List:

Display 40 Breeder
50 gallon frag tank
75 gallon sump
1 250 watt 12 reeflux/radium (still deciding) bulb in a lumenbright pendant.
mag 7 return pump
MP20 vortech
modded dnw-110 skimmer
MaxCap RO/DI 90 GPD

The sump/frag tank will be plumbed to the laundry room located directly behind display tank...

pics will follow soon once I get them uploaded

 

[LooseHip]

stand build
Wood is poplar using a pocket hole jig... screwed and glued...

Close up of the pocket holes

couple more build shots

I forgot to take photos during the rest of the facing, sanding stage and painting stage, but here it is done..

 

[porthios]

awesome! i love 40b's.. stand looks great.

 

[LooseHip]

Got some more photos to share

Here is the tank with the back painted overflow installed, and light mounted... Mounting the light proved to be a pain as my heating return is located 1/4" behind the drywall. After several holes and failed attempts, I finally figured out a solution.

light finally mounted..

close up of 1/4" acrylic overflow custom built by spleify..

I had to custom fit some pvc into the skimmer after I broke the feed line for the water... I used a hole saw and dremel to remove the old pieces, and install a uniseal and 1/2" pvc.

new T installed top down view inside the skimmer..

I also framed out a hole for the drain, return line, and wiring

display side view

equipment room view

 

[spleify]

Looking good!! Can't wait to see it wet.

 

[LooseHip]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14619443#post14619443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by porthios
awesome! i love 40b's.. stand looks great.

thanks! but no where near as cool as your build

 

[LooseHip]

Time for an update I suppose... Was on vacation a couple weeks back, but since returning I have been working on getting the equipment room ready, and the tanks plumbed and filled with water.

Here is a pic of the equipment room before.

Here is pick of the equipment room after.

from the other side

I guess I should explain that the display tank is plumbed through the wall into my laundry room.. The display tank dumps into a 40 gallon breeder (future frag tank). The frag tank is plumbed to a 75 gallon RR tank. I am actually having the 40 drain into the overflow of the 75 gallon which then dumps the water into the tank.

Display tank drain to the 40 breeder

40 breeder drain to the 75

Luckily I was able to plumb in my skimmer so that it can be gravity fed, rather then having to use a maxi-jet to feed it.

Got all the electrical stuff mounted as well had to keep it high in case the little guy ventures back into the chemistry lab....

Finally water in the display... still a little cloudy from the sand.

Hopefully tomorrow or sunday I will have all my stuff back in the tank!

 

[Jerry Gonzales]

Looking good.. Did you decide on a bulb or is that an old one? in the last pic?

 

[spleify]

Man you were busy yesterday! Looks like everything worked out good with the plumbing.
I would keep an eye on that skimmer cup drain, being it goes up above the cup(at least thats how it looks in the pic), it may not drain. It needs to act like a siphon and should be below the cup. Just a thought, and that might have only been a temporary setup. But thought it was worth mentioning.

It all looks really cool though, and even better in person.

 

[LooseHip]

Thanks. For now I am sticking with the radium..

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14758179#post14758179 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jerry Gonzales
Looking good.. Did you decide on a bulb or is that an old one? in the last pic?

Thanks Leif, your idea of using a 45 instead of a 90 worked the best on the plumbing. As for the skimmer cup drain, I rigged it so it wouldn't drain last night. I plan on to cutting the tube and cap it off. At this point I will empty the cup manually.. Yep it was a late night I spent 8+ hours finishing it up.. Just need to test the water to see where the params are now.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14758742#post14758742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
Man you were busy yesterday! Looks like everything worked out good with the plumbing.
I would keep an eye on that skimmer cup drain, being it goes up above the cup(at least thats how it looks in the pic), it may not drain. It needs to act like a siphon and should be below the cup. Just a thought, and that might have only been a temporary setup. But thought it was worth mentioning.

It all looks really cool though, and even better in person.

 

[Haddonisreef]

Awesome build! have you thought about using stabitity to help speed up any cycle you may have? Look forward to seeing it stocked!!!!!

 

[spleify]

Sounds good, I didn't think that was how you were going to leave the skimmer, but thought is was worth mentioning.

Keep up the great work, and thanks for sharing.

 

[LooseHip]

Not familiar with stabitity.. But I using rock from my old setup 2+ years old. It has been cooking for 2 months now, so hopefully I do not have a cycle.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14758983#post14758983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CHARLIE AGUILAR
Awesome build! have you thought about using stabitity to help speed up any cycle you may have? Look forward to seeing it stocked!!!!!

 

[spleify]

If you need some sand to seed the tank too, I have some if you like.
IME you will still have a cycle, while it may be small, there will indeed still be a cycle of sorts. Just a heads up, and just be cautious when adding your corals back in.

Good luck bud!!

 

[LooseHip]

After about a 2 month break, I finally got my reef up and running yesterday. First and foremost I owe a huge thanks to Luis (Tagareef) for being kind enough to hold all my fish and corals . Thanks again Luis I owe you one!!!!!:thumbsup:

Here is a pic of the tank as it stands now.

and a couple more....

Here is the finished electric board with the vortech controller mounted...

 

[porthios]

very, very cool..

somehow i missed a lot of your updates. the reef looks great!

i'd be very interested to hear your husbandry plans and what you've done to facilitate them. what/how you're going to dose, wc's, etc..

 

[jaw969]

Love the rockwork!!!

 

[reefsafe]

awesome Derreck!!!!

 

[LooseHip]

Thanks Porthios, how is your build coming along?

For husbandry I will stick with the same methodology I was doing previously. I have had the best success by keeping things simple No fuge, no RDSB. Instead I will dose VSV, and two part until I purchase a profilux doser. Once I can convince the wife that a doser is necessary , I will switch to the balling method light.

I plan to do weekly water changes of 10-15 gallons..
I may dose a couple other additives iodine, koralcolor but first I will wait and see how things go right now.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14777748#post14777748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by porthios
very, very cool..

somehow i missed a lot of your updates. the reef looks great!

i'd be very interested to hear your husbandry plans and what you've done to facilitate them. what/how you're going to dose, wc's, etc..

 

[LooseHip]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14777759#post14777759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jaw969
Love the rockwork!!!

Thanks

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14777793#post14777793 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefsafe
awesome Derreck!!!!

Thanks