Peale
05/15/2011, 05:21 PM
Hey, everyone! Up until Saturday, I had a 65g system with all HOB equipment. I have been saving and buying for a new system since Christmas.
I decided I wanted to go smaller but loved the 36x18 footprint, so a 40B was the perfect choice. I obviously hated having everything on the tank, so a sump was mandatory.
Here is the old system...
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0887.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0888.jpg
My old stand was a POS that I bought with the 65 from craigslist. It too had to go. My Dad is pretty darn handy in the woodworking department, so I sent him what I wanted and within a few weeks, he made the 6 hour trip from NY to VT to deliver my gorgeous new stand! It is built like a tank and will hold up a small town!
My Dad made the stand a little bigger than the measurements I gave him...bigger is always better with him! I found that it was exactly 2 inches on each side and 1 inch on the front. I found 1 inch glass tiles at Home Depot and they filled the gap perfectly.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0921.jpg
I kept my old lights (NEP 36" T5s) and obviously kept my Vortech MP40 (which went from being on 100% on the 65 to barely 25% on the 40!).
We started on Saturday morning with my husband hanging the lighting fixture from the ceiling. The legs that come with the fixture are less than sturdy for the weight they support. Shortly after I bought the fixture, I had one break and the light fall into the tank. I knew then that those legs had to go! The ceiling option is super sexy!
I drained the old tank and got everyone into their temporary holding cells. We didn't have a single casualty, so I am super happy! Usually we have at least one fish jump or get stuck in the rocks and get squished.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0891.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0892.jpg
It seems like it took forever to get the new tank ready for water. It was already plumbed because I wanted to be sure the PVC glue had tons of time to dry. I hooked up the RKL and got the power strips screwed into the stand. I always kinda rolled my eyes when people said they didn't have room under their stands, but now I totally get it! LOL! I thought I would have tons of space, but am already out of space and my ATO bucket will have to be on the side of the stand.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0890.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0920.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0919.jpg
I put in a new sand bed as my old one was really cruddy. It was also a mix of crushed coral (beginner mistake) and Seafloor Special Aragonite. I was not going to risk putting that nastiness in the new tank.
Got the sand in and started the aquascape. I tried to keep the colonies on the rocks they were already on and I am really happy with the results. I had bought a couple frag packs from other RC members and those frags have now graduated from the frag rack to their permanent homes. I am so excited to see them fill in!
Here's the tank still a little cloudy...
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0895.jpg
I decided I wanted to go smaller but loved the 36x18 footprint, so a 40B was the perfect choice. I obviously hated having everything on the tank, so a sump was mandatory.
Here is the old system...
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0887.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0888.jpg
My old stand was a POS that I bought with the 65 from craigslist. It too had to go. My Dad is pretty darn handy in the woodworking department, so I sent him what I wanted and within a few weeks, he made the 6 hour trip from NY to VT to deliver my gorgeous new stand! It is built like a tank and will hold up a small town!
My Dad made the stand a little bigger than the measurements I gave him...bigger is always better with him! I found that it was exactly 2 inches on each side and 1 inch on the front. I found 1 inch glass tiles at Home Depot and they filled the gap perfectly.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0921.jpg
I kept my old lights (NEP 36" T5s) and obviously kept my Vortech MP40 (which went from being on 100% on the 65 to barely 25% on the 40!).
We started on Saturday morning with my husband hanging the lighting fixture from the ceiling. The legs that come with the fixture are less than sturdy for the weight they support. Shortly after I bought the fixture, I had one break and the light fall into the tank. I knew then that those legs had to go! The ceiling option is super sexy!
I drained the old tank and got everyone into their temporary holding cells. We didn't have a single casualty, so I am super happy! Usually we have at least one fish jump or get stuck in the rocks and get squished.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0891.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0892.jpg
It seems like it took forever to get the new tank ready for water. It was already plumbed because I wanted to be sure the PVC glue had tons of time to dry. I hooked up the RKL and got the power strips screwed into the stand. I always kinda rolled my eyes when people said they didn't have room under their stands, but now I totally get it! LOL! I thought I would have tons of space, but am already out of space and my ATO bucket will have to be on the side of the stand.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0890.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0920.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0919.jpg
I put in a new sand bed as my old one was really cruddy. It was also a mix of crushed coral (beginner mistake) and Seafloor Special Aragonite. I was not going to risk putting that nastiness in the new tank.
Got the sand in and started the aquascape. I tried to keep the colonies on the rocks they were already on and I am really happy with the results. I had bought a couple frag packs from other RC members and those frags have now graduated from the frag rack to their permanent homes. I am so excited to see them fill in!
Here's the tank still a little cloudy...
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/SarahPeale/100_0895.jpg