40g Upgrade!!!

[kylie d]

I had started planning an upgrade from a 20g Long to a 40g breeder to go into effect sometime next fall but just got awesome news from my RA that I can have a 40g breeder in my room if I want! YAY! I still don't want to rush this though so I still have a lot of research to do.

What I have running now is a 20g Long with a 60g reef ready BakPak skimmer, phosphate reactor, 100watt heater, 20lb of live rock, about 1" of live sand, 4x24watt T5HO 10K/actinic/lunar Sundial by Current USA, and 2 nano koralia powerheads. Residents include 2 clownfish, 2 shrimp (cleaner and peppermint), emerald mithrax crab, 4 astraea snails, 5 nassarius snails, pulsing xenia, kenya tree, a small sps, a small lps, and a few small purple mushrooms. (I'm still really new to this).

What I have planned so far is this: I am either special ordering (if my boss can get it done and I get my employee discount) a 40g breeder with internal overflow or getting a normal tank and having it drilled. Also getting the stand and canopy to match. In the canopy I am going to install 2x150watt MH retrofits with 15K bulbs lengthwise and some sort of T5 supplementation.

Here is question 1) What type of T5's would go best with the 15K bulbs? I was told that 15K is good for a mixture of growth and color. Is this true? What would you suggest for lighting (what type of bulb and what type of T5)??

In addition to this huge upgrade in tank and lighting, I was also going to build my own sump to run in the stand. I've had a few people make them and show me theirs so I know how I'm going to break it up, my only question now is What size of tank to use for a sump? Do I use the 20g Long they are in now? Or would a 10g or 20g high work better? Those would give me more storage space in my stand.

Other than that, is there anything else you can think of I will need?

Thank you so much for your help! Please let me know any opinions, advice, criticism, whatever! that you have.

Thanks,

Kylie

[Electrobes]

Well a couple things/questions comes to mind you may want to ponder about:

- Lighting: I would honestly stick with all T5's before I'd go the MH route.. especially with a canopy in mind. Your evaporation rate will be pretty high and condensation on the bulbs is most likely going to be a bit of a problem for you. Running 4 X 36'' T5's would be great for this set up. I personally use VHO's.. and my evaporation rate is pretty high, coating my bulbs in water.

- The rest of your equipment should be suitable for now. While skimmers are typically over-rated for the gallons they say they can do, the bak-pak should be fine for now.

- When thinking about a sump, consider an ATO container. I refuse to live without an ATO, I keep a 5G bucket in my stand as the container. I am sumpless, so my finding space was pretty easy, but it'll be a tighter squeeze for you, should you consider it.

- If you can get an internal overflow, instead of a HOB one, I would definitely dish out the extra for it. Even if it was slightly out of my price range I would range till I could get it. The not having fear of overflowing lets just about all reefers sleep better at night.

All I can think of for now.. it's early and I'm groggy. ;)

[kylie d]

I am definitely going with an internal overflow. Turns out, a really nice sw fish store near me will drill my tank and get me set up with all of the necessary plumming for around $20 so that'll be nice. Saves me special ordering a 40g breeder.

What is an ATO?

Also, I had thought that T5's weren't enough light for things like high end SPS or clams. I really would like to have those so thats why I went with the MH. A friend of mine had showed me how he and all his friends had retrofitted the MH in the canopy. Would installing a fan help prevent condensation on the bulbs? I could do two each pointed at the two MH's. What kind of T5's and how many would I need to equal 2 150watt MH's??

[Electrobes]

Glad you're getting a drilled tank! :)

T5's are definitely enough light for hgh end SPS and clams. Take a peak at some of the Large Tank Threads. Here's a good example of an all T5 lighting scheme... SunnyX's (His thread has split multiple times... a lot of reading and info there!):

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1666271&highlight=SUNNYX&page=40

Look around to see what people have in terms of T5's. I am sure there are T5 threads here!

ATO = Auto Top Off. It's the unit used by most reefers to keep the water level the same, preventing the salinity of the tank to jump around. Usually it just inovolves a dosing pump, connected to a float switch, and a container of fresh water. As the water level gets low, the float switch turns on the dosing pump, which puts fresh water from the container into the tank.

[Alleykat0498]

40 breeders are like little versions of the bigger tanks. I set mine up a few months ago and couldn't be much happier with my single 250w MH retro in my canopy. I have quite a bit of evaporation, which doesnt really bother me too much considering that I enjoy tinkering with my system and topping it off every morning. Electrobes beat me too the punch on ATO's. (his explanation is much better anyhow)

I can send you a link to my build if you'd like...

[kylie d]

Yes, please do. I'm not worried about evaporation of my tank, I have no problem with topping of or setting up an ATO. I'm concerned about condensation on the MH bulbs. Is that hazardous?

[Alleykat0498]

I suppose condensation could be a serious risk if you had an air tight canopy. I have a 5$ wal-mart fan blowing into the open back of my canopy and I have 0 condensation.
Here's the link to my project:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1638488

[kylie d]

Ok, none of the canopies I'm looking at are air tight. They are all open in the back. And I would probably get a fan just to help reduce that risk even more and make sure nothing overheats.

Thank you for your thread! Its awesome!

[Alleykat0498]

Thank you for your thread! Its awesome!

Thanks. That was my first build and I'm already sketching out idea's for my next tank, thinking maybe 90 gallons. There are a few things I would have done differently but at the moment I'm still really happy with it.

As for the canopy and the fan. Before I added the fan I didn't have any issues with condensation, it was just the temp. By the end of the light cycle each day my temp would have risen 5-6 degree's depending on the ambient temp in the room. My 250 bulb is 9" off the water's surface so I can only guess as to how hot the system would have become if the bulb was any closer.

[kylie d]

How much does it raise with your fan on it?

[Alleykat0498]

Doesn't go up a single degree. Stay's at a cool 76.4 all day long. I have the heater set to kick on at 76 but as far as I know my pumps keep it right at 76.4. I actually bought two of the fans and put them on opposite ends, but one of my kids unplugged one of them and when I got home I ran to check the temp and it was still the same. So I unplugged it and saved it as a backup.

[kylie d]

Thats awesome! Thank you for that info. I will definitely have a fan going in the canopy.