Help with a build

[YHSublime]

Pardon if this is not the right place to be posting this, but I felt like it belonged here.

 

I am getting ready to create a 40 gallon breeder build over the next couple months, slowly but surely. I wanted to take full advantage of the Petco's $ per gallon sale, and I did. I should probably explain my size choice. I am in a pretty small apartment, and although I could move things around and put in a 120, or a 90, 40 just seemed to be the perfect size for me at the moment. That, and it's completely open on the top! I was planning on making a 29 gallon sump (is this to big? Would a 20 gallon be better?) I figured the bigger the sump, the better?

 

I did a little research on sumps (seeing as I planned to build my own, maybe a bad idea?) and decided that I would need a space for a skimmer (to be determined), heater, several baffles, and maybe a small refugium. Is that realistic?

 

I plan on building my own stand, so space underneath will be limited to the dimensions of a 40 gallon breeder 36x18.

 

I plan on running two 36x3watt leds above the tank (18 cool white/18 royal blue.) This will be more than enough, and will provide for future builds as I learn and move up.

 

I'm heading overseas for about a week and a half in March, and would like to have the tank cycling just before I leave, which will give me enough time to build, setup, and then sit back and relax without having to worry about the next time I can add something else!

 

So I have my tank, I think I have my sump, and I have my lights.

I have a protein skimmer, but it's quite large, I can post a picture up when i get home.

I would like to do sand, and I would like to spend some time aquascaping (have seen some GREAT scapes, WAMAS member inspired)

I have an RO/DI in the works

 

What else am I missing? What else should I add? What would you add if you could go back and start from the beginning again?

[Quantum Reefs]

Bring these questions and and whatever else you have on Friday and we'll go over them.

[jimlin]

I would use the 29 as a fuge. You may even buy a couple of 10 gallons and use the glass for the baffles.

 

Do you already have the rocks?

If you have dry rocks, then you may want to get a couple of rubbles from an established tank to seed them.

You may also want a fuge light if you plan on having macro algae in the sump.

auto top off would also benefit when you are out of town. this freshwater reserve may take up some of the space from the sump though.

 

let me know if you need help building the stand and leds. I am always willing to lend a hand, even though I am still learning myself.

[YHSublime]

Bring these questions and and whatever else you have on Friday and we'll go over them.

Will do! want to get as much planned as possible!

 

I would use the 29 as a fuge. You may even buy a couple of 10 gallons and use the glass for the baffles.

 

Do you already have the rocks?

If you have dry rocks, then you may want to get a couple of rubbles from an established tank to seed them.

You may also want a fuge light if you plan on having macro algae in the sump.

auto top off would also benefit when you are out of town. this freshwater reserve may take up some of the space from the sump though.

 

let me know if you need help building the stand and leds. I am always willing to lend a hand, even though I am still learning myself.

From my understanding, the "fuge" can be in the sump? I was worried about the 29 gallon being a little to high, or to big (any such thing?) I have a pile of rock sitting in a tub, circulating with a pump at the moment. That will go in, and I have some rock from my nano I'll put in there to help as well. The rock is beautiful, It's completely white, and is gorgeous. I'm slightly concerned with it matching up with other rock that will go into the tank. I think I'll be able to get it cycled fairly quick.

Ato is a good idea, I shouldn't have left that out.

I appreciate the helping hand, I might take you up on that when I do the stand, I've seen some really nice ideas out there that I would like to try, and would love the company! I'll be in touch as it comes together.

[Der ABT]

ATO for sure (avast is my favorite followed by the expensive tunze)

 

look into a controller, not needed but is very nice, ACIII or cheaper ones work just fine, Apex is cream of the crop if you ask me but is very expensive for my tastes (ACIII used go relatively cheap) and they help monitor temp, turn things on an off remotely (aka your away and someoen tells you a pump is making a noise or skimmer is overflowing, log on turn it off for them until it can be fixed, can email you when temp spikes etc etc etc.

agian not needed but jsut makes it soo much nicer

 

sump ....i like to make a chamber big enough for my skimmer and another for the return, i then use whatever is left for a fuge with chaeto/sandbed/rocks.......many do just fine with only a skimmer/return section....

 

I prefer no sand bed in my tanks but im also an sps junkie and like lots of flow.....sand and high flow dont go wel together....it limits some fish and corals but i dont think ill ever go back to a sand bed....clean up is much easier with a bare bottom

 

You need to get a grounding probe, i have a drill and am in falls church now if you want to drill the tank for an overflow.....

 

what return pump you using, what powerheads in side the tank??

 

 

RODI is a must, one container for fresh water, one for salt mix/water change water, and one for the Top off water (can be your fresh water resivoir with space limitation)....good idea to get an auto shut off valve of some form with this, i prefer the selenoid style (ryans is selling one cheap if you look at his thread)

 

mag cleaners are your friend.

 

look into a small reactor for carbon and or gfo/biopellets ...big fan of all avast products

 

 

 

MAKE SURE YOU GET A BATTERY AIR PUMP.......seriously...i like the ones that plug in and when the power goes off they go on automatically.

 

P.S. if yout want to come see my set up it is in arlington just off glebe rd near marymount......its a 90g but als a 30g breeder tacked on...oh and its dirty

Edited January 9, 2013 by Der ABT

[Mike]

Apex Jr or Lite if you can afford it.

[jimlin]

let me know if you decide on building a sump. i will probably need to build one soon as well if i dont find one for sale soon since i will be leaving in a month. we might as well help each other out.

[YHSublime]

let me know if you decide on building a sump. i will probably need to build one soon as well if i dont find one for sale soon since i will be leaving in a month. we might as well help each other out.

I think this will probably be the case. I know that Petco is having their dollar per gallon until the 19th I believe? I figured why not DIY. I just need to figure out WHAT I'm doing first. Here is the protein skimmer I'm talking about, it probably stands about 2ft hight.

 

Some pictures of the pumps I have, I might need new ones, these are fairly old, but I think they'll work fine:

 

I have tried looking up Fasco motors, I presume they both work, they both came from another forum member on here, a little rusted, nothing a sanding and spray wont fix up alright.

[YHSublime]

Was able to find the first one, not a bad getup if it works:

http://www.amazon.com/Iwaki-WMD40RLXT-Water-Pump-American/dp/B001C1GPDW

[YHSublime]

So, took out my 40 and 29, tried it out with the fuge, and the lights, just to get a taste of what it will look like. The answer is: Awesome. At least once I get it setup and running.

 

Pic of it with whites and blues, and then just blues. Btw, there are no other lights on in the room, except from my Biocube, which is only one the actinic on in the pics.

 

 

 

Don't mind the 55 gallon freshwater in the back. That's where this 40 is going to go, maybe the Bio will become Quarantine tank. Very excited, had to share!