My First Reef Build - 40G Breeder

[HiroPro]

I've been wanting to setup a reef tank for some time now and FINALLY got one under way. :dance:

For the past few years, I've been doing fresh water tanks, mainly planted tanks, and ended up with 5 or so tanks set up in my office. Well, I kinda got burned out on that and decided to break those down and setup one reef tank. I bought a 120G AGA reef ready and tank and was going to set that up but decided to hold off for awhile due the cost. So I'm going with the 40G breeder that I had used as a planted tank.

I've been lurking on here for awhile and have learned a great deal but still have a great deal more to learn.

Equipment:

Tanks
40G Breeder
20G Long Sump
15G Refugium

Overflows
Gl*******s.com

Lighting
4x39w TEK T5
Front
ATI Blue Plus
UVL Actinic White
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

Skimmer
Eshopps Gen. II PSK-100

RO/DI Unit
EXTREME TYPHOON III 150 GPD RODI with Gauge & TDS Alarm & Dual TDS Meter from Air, Water & Ice

Powerheads
Two Koralia 2 units

Return Pump
Eheim 1260

Controller
ReefKeeper Lite

[SWINGRRRR]

Ill be watching. Ive already decided, my next tank will be a 40B ala AIO though.

[HiroPro]

Here's some pics:

Tanks:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5368.jpg

Lights:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5374.jpg

RO/DI:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5360.jpg

[HiroPro]

Here's the tank when it was a planted tank:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF4085.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/40g2.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/40g.jpg

[Snakebyt]

looks like you are off to a good start

[SecGenGSX]

Looks like a good start to me. Love the way it looked as a planted tank. Very nice layout.

[HiroPro]

Looks like a good start to me. Love the way it looked as a planted tank. Very nice layout.

Thanks! Planted tanks were kinda fun - a lot more plants out there then I realized when I first got into it.

[spleify]

40 breeder is such a great little size tank. I have one of those set up too, and love it.

Good luck with the new build

[HiroPro]

Waiting to do the the plumbing. Glass-holes is on hiatus until the 15th. :(
Return pump and Reefkeeper Lite ordered today!

[ZC]

If you need Diamond hole saws, check diamondbitsusa.com. He's out of columbia, MO, good hole saws and FAST shipping!

[HiroPro]

ZC - I would but I've already ordered and these are the overflow kits as well as the holes saws.

[HiroPro]

Ok, I finally got my overflow kits in and about to start drilling! :lolspin:

While waiting on the kits, I finished building the sump and dry fit the return lines.

Sump:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5429.jpg

Return line:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5435.jpg

Tanks:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5428.jpg

Hopefully I can get the tanks drilled and get the backs painted this afternoon since we have some decent weather here.

[reefing102]

Definately looks like your off to a good start. I like the color of the stand and canopy.

[flamron]

Lookin good. The 40 breeder is a great size. Let me know if you need anything. Always glad to help a fellow reefer.

[HiroPro]

I was able to get the holes drilled in both tanks this afternoon. :rollface:
Not as bad as I expected it to be. A little nervous before starting since it was my first time. Drilled the tanks inside and used a spray bottle of water. They turned out good - minimal chip-out.
Also got the backs painted.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5431.jpg


http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5436.jpg

[flamron]

Very nice - are you going to do internal overflow or an external?

[HiroPro]

flamron - They're both internal from gl*******s.

[mnml]

Looking good so far. I really dig your planted tank too!

[HiroPro]

Looking good so far. I really dig your planted tank too!

Thanks! I'm anxious to get this going!

[iwishtofish]

HirePro, that's gonna be nice! What size hole did you drill in the 15g?

[HiroPro]

iwishtofish - It's a 1" hole. I bought the "Super Nano con Dientes Overflow Kit" from gl*******s.
http://www.glass-holes.com/Super-Nano-con-Dientes-Overflow-Kit-nanodienteskit.htm

[iwishtofish]

Ok, thanks Ryan. It will be fun to watch your build progress!

[HiroPro]

Well after the holidays and a vacation to Florida :beachbum:, I'm ready to pick up on the build of my system.

I got the control panel built and installed. Hopefully, I can get the plumbing done this week and do a leak test!

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/Control.jpg

[HiroPro]

I've made a little more progress on mu build. Got the base rock and sand in. :bounce1:

FTS:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5554.jpg

Left Side:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5555.jpg

Right Side:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5556.jpg

Making up the RO/DI water now. Should be filling up soon. Need to get some live rock next. Probably get some from the lfs and order a little online.

[flamron]

Very nice aquascaping!

[mnml]

Agreed, the aquacaping looks fantastic. How much more rock do you plan to add?

[spleify]

Looks like it is coming along nicely.

Keep up the great work

[HiroPro]

Thanks for the compliments all!

mnml - I plant get around 20-30lbs of live rock. Some for the dt and some for the fuge.

[HiroPro]

Had a minor setback today - cracked my 15G tank that was going to be the fuge. I was moving it a little and the drain line got caught on the stand and cracked the glass around the bulkhead. :sad1:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5559.jpg

Thought about trying to repair it but think I'll go out tomorrow and grab a 20 high since no one has a 15.

[HiroPro]

I've made some more progress on my system. :dance:
I ordered 30lbs of live rock from Premium Aquatics and it arrived on Friday Feb 5th. I also got 10lbs of their aqua-cultured sand and 1lb of their mud.
Everything looks to be of good quality. Little or no hitchhikers - good or bad - on the rock. Noticed a lot of pods and tiny brittle stars in my fuge tank.
Also, got a bag of Red Gracilaria from the lfs on Monday to throw in the fuge.

My skimmer is up and running and is pulling out some junk. Had an issue with a vibrating noise from the skimmer but it appears to have settled down.

Tested parameters today:
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrate: 0
KH: 179
Calcium: 460
SG: 1.026
pH: 8.21
Temp: 79.9

Fuge:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5607.jpg

DT:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5612.jpg

Skimmer:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5602.jpg

[flamron]

Very nice Ryan. Let me know when you want to throw some test corals in there :)

I have a couple "weeds" I can pull out for you.

[dubdlee]

Excellent build Ryan! Like the way the tanks look and the stands. good luck!!

[theyammieguy]

Very nice. How fast is the flow going through the sump? Im using the same overflow but was going to use an ehiem 1250.

[HiroPro]

Very nice. How fast is the flow going through the sump? Im using the same overflow but was going to use an ehiem 1250.

I went with the 1260 because I split the return to the dt and to the fuge which is beside the dt. I use to ball valves to control the flow to each tank.

[HiroPro]

Excellent build Ryan! Like the way the tanks look and the stands. good luck!!

Thanks!

[badguitarist]

The tanks looking great, I love the planted tank too! One thing I'm looking at that maybe I missed or you've already addressed is the return plumbing sticks pretty far down into the display tank. Have you made sure it won't overflow your sump if the power goes out? It appears that it would suck a lot of water into the sump during a power outage/main pump failure. Again maybe you have addressed this already but I thought I would chime in.
P.s. I love 40 breeders,
Keep up the good work,
Kyle

[HiroPro]

Thanks for the kind words Kyle!

Yes, I drilled 2 anti-siphon holes in each return. I tested it several times and have the sump marked for max level.

[HiroPro]

1 week down of the cycle. Added some Cheato to the fuge.

[HiroPro]

Now that my cycle has finished, I'd thought I'd post an update. Seem to going through a good algae and brown diatom phase. The diatoms seem to have faded away and the algae looks to be doing the same. Funny that most the algae is growing in the DT and the fuge is pretty clear. Going to be using GFO and carbon from BRS to help out. Also, I've been hunting aptasia in both tanks. :sad2:

Added the following:
CUC crew (split between DT and fuge):
6 Nassarius snails
4 Mexican Margarita Snails
6 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
4 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs
2 Cerith Caribbean Snails
2 Trochus Snails
2 Emerald Crabs

Corals:
Whammin Watermelon Zoa - single polyp
Toadstool Mushroom Leather Coral
Green Stripped Mushroom
Star Polyp Rock
Unidentified Zoa sp.

Inverts:
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Fish:
Bicolor Blenny

[HiroPro]

FTS shots.

DT:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5721.jpg

Fuge:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5709.jpg

[HiroPro]

Shrooms:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5740.jpg

Toadstool:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5729.jpg

Zoas:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5731.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5627.jpg

[HiroPro]

Cleaner shrimp:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5718.jpg

Blenny:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5734.jpg

[HiroPro]

Ugly algae: :mad:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5738.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn282/HiroPro08/DSCF5743.jpg

[flamron]

Looking good Ryan - might try some hand removal of the hair algae. It will go away eventually, but giving it a hand out of the tank never hurts.