Spratocaster's 40B Build Thread

[spratocaster]

So I took advantage of the Petco $1/gal sale and picked up an AGA 40B Display tank and an AGA 20L for a sump. I have been lurking on this board for years, living vicariously through all the build threads, and I thought I would start my own.

I currently keep an open top biocube 29 in my basement. With all the equipment hanging off of it, my wife will not let me set it up where others can appreciate it. I finally convinced her to let me have a tank upstairs, and I am hoping to make the 40B into a bit of a show piece.

My plan is to have a mixed reef of mostly SPS and LPS with a few Zoa's and maybe a ric or two. I will be moving some corals and live rock from the biocube to seed this new tank. The plan is to keep the biocube up and running in the basement as a QT for the new tank and maybe a frag tank after the 40B is stocked up.

I plan to build the stand and canopy myself. I grabbed a bunch of 2x4's at the local Lowe's and can hopefully get started on that this weekend. The plan is to build a 2X4 frame and skin it. I have a bit of woodworking experience and a few tools so I hope I can make something that my wife will allow in the living room.

I also plan to set up the sump with a skimmer on the left, a fuge on the right, and the return in the middle.


As for equipment here is what I plan:

1. Herbie style over flow (1" main and backup) drilled into the bottom left corner with a DIY glass overflow. I am still deciding whether I should add an acrylic skin to add teeth or just paint the inside of the glass black and go toothless. Looking for opinions.

2. Eheim 1260 returning through a 3/4" return drilled into the back glass

3. SWC 160 Cone or Reef Octopus skimmer. Anyone have some good suggestions here?

4. For lighting I am considering retro'ing 6x39 T5HO's into the canopy that I will be making. I thought about doing something with PAR38's, but the cost is a bit high and I am unsure about using LED's.

5. As for flow in the tank, I am torn. I have an MP10 on the biocube, that I am thinking of using on this thank. However, I am afraid that it won't be enough flow for SPS. Unfortunately it is not the wireless version. So my options would be to sell it and put the money into an MP40. Or perhaps get 2 wireless MP10's. Do you think 1 MP10 is enough for a 40B mixed reef?

I will upload some pics this weekend once I get going on the stand.

 

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[samstersam]

My Tank is similar.

My Tank is similar.

After running my 40 breeder without a sump for years, i went on a hiatus and broke the tank down and now i have just rebuilt it with a 20l sump.

1) Running Mag 5 3/4 inch return at full throttle. Using a Lifereef u-tube overflow with durso. It is capable of 700 gph with a 1 inch pipe going down to sump.

2) Reef Octopus 1000sss In Sump Skimmer. Awesome skimmer! Its a bit oversized, but it works.

3) 2 150 watt HQI 14k phoenix lights. I am waiting for the Maristar 2 fixture from Sunlight Supply to come out any month now. It has 2 250 watt HQI's on a 36inch fixture with 4 T-5's.

4) I have 1 Vortech MP10 with ecosmart driver on the side of the tank. Full blast is good, it does reach all the way to the end.
I have 2 Koralia nano's pointed at dead spots behind my rockwork, so generally all 3 pumps are spinning the water counterclockwise throughout the whole tank.

5) I have an arctica chiller, and that is pumped from a Maxijet1200.

My tank is loaded with a few SPS, mixed everything, a clam, an RBTA, non-photosyn, dendros and duncans, around 6 3 inch fish, etc. and I am thankful to my girlfriend for her aquascaping ideas. The tank cycled for 3 weeks, and has been running stable for about 4 months post cycle.
Ignore the hammer coral in the PVC ruining the aquascape that is temporary.

 

[spratocaster]

Samstersam, tell your wife she has a knack for scaping. I really like that she made a little path through the rock wall. I have Phoenix 14k on my biocube, I am a fan of the color, but I really don't want to run a chiller.

 

[reefsurfing]

If I may make a suggestion that will give you a ton of more room in your cabinet it would be to ditch the 2x4's and build the stand from 3/4" sanded ply. I made my stand for my 90 gallon out of it and its been absolutely fantastic. This gave me room for a larger sump and my next addition which will be a 10gallon ATO in my cabinet.

 

[Jarret]

Samstersam, tell your wife she has a knack for scaping. I really like that she made a little path through the rock wall. I have Phoenix 14k on my biocube, I am a fan of the color, but I really don't want to run a chiller.

+1

The aquascaping is pretty damn good! :thumbsup:

 

[spratocaster]

If I may make a suggestion that will give you a ton of more room in your cabinet it would be to ditch the 2x4's and build the stand from 3/4" sanded ply. I made my stand for my 90 gallon out of it and its been absolutely fantastic. This gave me room for a larger sump and my next addition which will be a 10gallon ATO in my cabinet.

Building from 3/4" ply is an interesting idea. How did you join the sheets at the corners? This design would also require a solid back, correct?

 

[rroselavy]

So I took advantage of the Petco $1/gal sale and picked up an AGA 40B Display tank and an AGA 20L for a sump.

Funny. I was in Petco myself this week, and was tempted to do the same thing...great dimensions on the 40B, and the 20L will make a perfect sump. $60 for the combo is fantastic...

I also like the herbie. I have a 40g tank now (24"x24"x16"x3/8") that has a corner glass overflow (4"x6") with an acrylic skin (with teeth). Has a 1" and 3/4" drains. I also plan to do a herbie, and probably drill a return.

The SWC 120 or 160 is pretty tempting. Probably the best for the money value for the money.

6x39w would probably work well, but I doubt on that tank that shallow you would need more than 4x39w with some good reflectors and ventilation. I am an open top fan, so I would get a 4x39w Tek or a Aquactinics Tx5, or a ATI 4x39w Sunpower...the Tek would be quietest and continue the inexpensive theme.

I have a Eheim 1260 on my 55g and I really like their pumps. Zero problems over 3 years, rock solid, and I like the grill that helps keep the impeller from getting clogged.

 

[spratocaster]

6x39w would probably work well, but I doubt on that tank that shallow you would need more than 4x39w with some good reflectors and ventilation. I am an open top fan, so I would get a 4x39w Tek or a Aquactinics Tx5, or a ATI 4x39w Sunpower...the Tek would be quietest and continue the inexpensive theme.

I was looking at the icecap retro kits. They seem to have decent reflectors. Do you think 4x39 would allow for a clam on the sand? Perhaps I should start with 4 bulbs but leave room for 2 more bulbs.

 

[rroselavy]

Icecap and LET have good reflectors AND ballasts. The TEK kits have decent reflectors by have inferior (workhorse) ballasts.

4x39w sounds good for a clam on the sand(probably Derasa or Squamosa), or a Crocea on the rocks. 6x39w would be good for a clam anywhere, but your PAR may be a bit strong on the sand bed for more sensitive LPS corals.

Will you be installing fans on your canopy? It can improve PAR performance up to 20% and increase bulb life.

 

[spratocaster]

Icecap and LET have good reflectors AND ballasts. The TEK kits have decent reflectors by have inferior (workhorse) ballasts.

4x39w sounds good for a clam on the sand(probably Derasa or Squamosa), or a Crocea on the rocks. 6x39w would be good for a clam anywhere, but your PAR may be a bit strong on the sand bed for more sensitive LPS corals.

Will you be installing fans on your canopy? It can improve PAR performance up to 20% and increase bulb life.

I do plan to put fans in the canopy. I think what I will do for the lighting is to pick up the 4 bulb icecap retro kit. This comes with the 660 ballast. I can then pick up another 430 ballast. This will let me run acitinics on the 430 and the rest off of the 660. I will also have room left on the 660 to add 2 more bulbs if I decide to later on.

 

[spratocaster]

So it took a while, but I finally have the stand framed out. I originally built it a little too tall, and had to take it apart and shorten it. I think the current height (29") will fit in with the room and it's contents much better. So as promised here are a couple pic's I snapped of the frame. Enjoy.

Up next is to skin it. The plan is to use 1/2" birch ply on the sides and back and to create a face frame out of 1/2" pine boards ripped down to cover the frame.

 

[spratocaster]

I am thinking of going with a modified coast-to-coast overflow setup that runs about 24" across. That will give me 6" on each side for vortech's or returns. I am planning to use beananimal's setup. What size piping should I use? I am only planning to run 300-400 gph through the sump. At first I was thinking 1", but I see that that is capable of running 1500 gph or more. Would 3/4" be ok? The smaller pipe would allow me to make the overflow thinner and use less display area.