gibs Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Hi guys been awhile since I've been on the forums. Very shortly I have had 2 successful tanks up for over a year each, but after a catastrophic failure in one tank, while living in a apartment I made the hard decision just to get out of the hobby for a while. Soooo.....2 years later I've moved in with my girlfriend and she has given me the green light for a new tank!!!! So just in the planning right now, not going as big as my 85, I'm thinking of building a 40g breeder. Petco has the dollar a gallon sale again around the end of june beginning of july and 40g and 20g long for a sump would be a sweet deal. My first tank was a nuvo 16 and I loved the tank so I have been looking at the 30l fusion they have. However 350$ versus 60 is quite a difference... Was looking at a 55 also but most people think that the 12" width is difficult to aquascape. However I do like the idea of a 48" long tank....sooooo.... Im contemplating building my own acrylic tank with the depth and width of a 40 breeder. So something like 48"x18"x18" which comes out to being around 63 gallons. Or a 48"Lx24"Wx18H" and using the extra 6 inches to make my own AIO essentially like the 30l nuvo fusion. Also planning on running T5 HOs, mostly pally and LPS corals or even softies. So what do you guys think? Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Welcome back Gibs! Check out Offroaddodge's build thread he just started where he used a 40-gallon breeder. It looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 Welcome back! Welcome back Gibs! Check out Offroaddodge's build thread he just started where he used a 40-gallon breeder. It looks great! Thanks Guys! Ty I have been checking it out and your right it's awesome! Ok ignore my rambling first post. I kind of got reminded that if I got a tank I was going to keep it simple.....so no building tanks lol. I'm going with a 40g breeder and will probably start on the stand in the next week or 2. ( got graduations and my birthday over the next two weeks or I would already be working on it. LOL So...Tank: 40g breeder Sump : 20l sump Nutrient export: DIY algae scrubber Pump: syncra silent 3.0 or the syncra pro both around 800gph (this seems high but I know once you start getting to a 4 or 5ft head height this is going to be a lot less) Lights: My original plan was keep it simple and use T5 HOs, very simple and has been a successful option for years. After seeing offroaddodges build though Im thinking of going with the same LEDs http://www.amazon.com/ViparSpectra-Control-Aquarium-Dimmable-Spectrum/dp/B00UMXAR5S/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464099821&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=vipar+spectra+reef or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INM0J1M?psc=1 Both have good reviews....anyone had any first hand experience with them? Ok on to more planning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 Can a moderator edit my post title to say tank instead of track......Please LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Ok so an update next weekend going to get some metal and go over to my buddies and weld the stand together. Will probably put a coat of herculiner on it as I have read a few posts of people doing this and having excellent results. Skin is going to be some simple plywood and molding painted with a black oil based paint outside and white on the inside. Would prefer to go stained but it wouldn't match anything in our mish mash of a living room so just going with paint. Tank: 40g breeder Stand: Custom metal stand Sump : 20l sump Nutrient export: DIY algae scrubber Pump: syncra silent 3.0 or the syncra pro both around 800gph (this seems high but I know once you start getting to a 4 or 5ft head height this is going to be a lot less) Lights: Vipra spectra x2 (after seeing offroads thread I read up a great deal on these and look to be very very solid. Flow: Gyre 130 Stocking: 2 clowns 1 clown goby 1 mandarin dragonet (way way down the road until I have a extremely stable copepod population) Dartfish? Want something moving in the tank....maybe chromis???? Any suggestions? Corals: I never make a list of these i like to see what actually works in the tank and let the tank tell me what colors and corals will work... I will probably try a few frags of different zoanthids/softies/lps etc. and see what likes the lighting and decide to get more of what is doing good from there. Live rock.. I like the look of BRS reef saver or the pukani, both dry rock. 30-40lbs to start with and probably more rubble in the sump we'll see Cuc: I have some small kids so some of these are more for them 1-2 hermit crabs (I know the kids love these guys but I actually dislike them but a couple will be fine) 4-5 snails (I would like diversification more than anything so maybe a few astreas, trochs, ceriths) 2 Nessarius snails (these guys are just cool but don't want a bunch tearing through my sand bed I would like some help from you guys on extras. I want diversification more than anything. So maybe a sea star linkia? Emerald crab? Tuxedo urchin or another smaller urchin? So what do you guys think? To stocked? Not enough or to much CUC? Open to ideas or suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 I don't think that is overstocked far a 40B. You could probably go with a few more fish. Maybe consider a small wrasse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Hmm pygmy wrasse would be cool. I don't think that is overstocked far a 40B. You could probably go with a few more fish. Maybe consider a small wrasse? Thanks Jolt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 I wouldn't do a mandarin unless you can get him eating prepared foods. Even with a huge population of pods in a tank that size he will eat them all in a week the slowly starve. Same with the link is unless you have a ton of coralline algae since it would be his only food source. I do like the wrasse idea though Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 I wouldn't do a mandarin unless you can get him eating prepared foods. Even with a huge population of pods in a tank that size he will eat them all in a week the slowly starve. Same with the link is unless you have a ton of coralline algae since it would be his only food source. I do like the wrasse idea though Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I have to agree on the prepared foods thing. I want to have a huge copepod for him to chow down on but he needs to be able to eat prepared foods as well. This is probably the one thing I will absolutely either get at my LFS or someone who is selling one and I can actually see them eat. I am well prepared to not get one than get one and watch him starve. The link I'm ok with not getting one but the kids are asking about getting a star fish LOL! If it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. Anyone know of any other reef safe sea star that would be suitable? Appreciate the comment! Keep em coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Brittle star fish or Serpant star fish I have had both in my reefs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted May 28, 2016 Author Share Posted May 28, 2016 Ok so I did a quick sketchup of my tank let me know what you guys think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 Well.......so a few things went on this week. Number one looking at budget and needed to shave a few dollars off. So I decided to scrap the metal stand idea. While I like the idea of having magnets to hold on the skin, so I can pull it off to get access to anything.......the cost of the metal was almost as much as the whole project out of wood (I have a bunch of clean 2x4's and 2x6's laying around right now). So I also was trying to save money where I could so I could make sure to keep the money for lights and other more important equipment....Long story short looking around I found a 90g oceanic tank someone was giving away for free!!!! So here it is! My tank just got upgraded lol! Most of my equipment list will stay the same. It's almost the same foot print as the 40g breeder except a foot longer and 4" taller. Got some clean up work to do and the tank has a small leak in the right bottom corner. So I'm going to reseal the whole tank including taking out the overflow and getting in behind it. I have helped with one of these and watched a few videos but anyone have any good advice on this? Anyone had a tank like this? Im not sure if I like the overflow in the far corner. What do you guys think? I think it's my OCD kicking in and I have to put one in the opposite corner just to even out the tank! LOL! Anyways any thoughts on this? Only other thing I'm not sure about is the glass brace. Did some reading on this today and don't seem to be many great options. Anyone got any good ideas??? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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