bigfish14 40 gallon reef build - Page 2

Hyperion1337 · 04/23/2012, 06:15 PM

do you have a build thread on your light hanger? it looks really nice.

bigfish14 · 04/23/2012, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeebies

I think your rock set-up looks really good. Did you use all 50 pounds of the Pukani? Will you be adding sand?

That's actually 50 pounds of BRS reef saver rock. I did use all 50 pounds, which ended up being 7 good sized peices. I do plan on adding sand next week. I am going to add 1 inch of argonite sand, purely for cosmetics.

bigfish14 · 04/23/2012, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperion1337

do you have a build thread on your light hanger? it looks really nice.

Sorry, I do not have a build thread and I did not take any pictures. It was very simple to make though. It is made out of pine 2x2s. Just make an L out of the 2x2s and then cut some small peices and add them at the joint of the L to make a 45 degree angle. I will add some close up pictures later tonight if you are a visual person like myself.

TheFishTeen · 04/24/2012, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfish14

Sorry, I do not have a build thread and I did not take any pictures. It was very simple to make though. It is made out of pine 2x2s. Just make an L out of the 2x2s and then cut some small peices and add them at the joint of the L to make a 45 degree angle. I will add some close up pictures later tonight if you are a visual person like myself.

Whoooa wait a second the light hanger is wood? I really thought I was looking at steel! Nice job.

bigfish14 · 04/25/2012, 08:00 PM

Yup it's wood. Although I would have liked to make it out of steel, that would simply be out of my skill level and budget. I settled for wood with a gloss black paint, which is probably why you thought it was steel.

Here are some close ups of the light fixture stand:

bigfish14 · 04/25/2012, 08:05 PM

The UPS man came today!!! I now have everything needed to make saltwater

Some of you may be wondering why I haven't got my light to go with my light fixture stand or my protein skimmer. I am simply trying to manage my budget in a timely manner. I do not need the protein skimmer or light to start my cycle, so I can get my cycle going and then save up for those 2 expensive peices of equipment. I also want to wait to see what the Kessil Tuna light is all about, as I am considering buying it. I want it to be tried out by plenty of people first though.

bigfish14 · 04/27/2012, 04:16 PM

I hooked up my RO/DI unit today and was very disappointed to find out that we have less than 20 PSI water pressure. I dreaded this decision, but I was left with no other choice if I want to get this thing going. I had to order a booster pump, which should be here around Wednesday. Not too much of a set back since I won't be able to get my sand, test kit, and shrimp until Wednesday anyway. It is a huge dent in my wallet though

Those things are not cheap!

balto777 · 04/27/2012, 04:29 PM

Sorry to here that. I have near perfect water pressure for my RO/DI. I am currently in a setback, too. After going to Lowes to find the fittings I need for the returns, I decidied they didn't have enough choice, so I put in an order with Grainger. Stuff won't be in my local store until Wednesday, also.

bigfish14 · 04/27/2012, 04:54 PM

I guess it is all part of the hobby. This side of the aquarium hobby has really taught me to have patience. I will continue reading about tank cycling until I get the booster pump. I hope to learn something new and make this set back a good thing. Hopefully you get those fittings soon so you can keep moving forward with your tank. Better to do things right the first time, than to try and rush through it all.

bigfish14 · 04/30/2012, 05:51 PM

While I have been waiting for my booster pump, I have been messing around with my aquascape. To be honest, it is driving me crazy!

I started with a 2 island look and it was cool, but there were not enough hiding places for the shrimp and fish. Then I tried created a rock work that looked "fancy" but it seemed to take up the entire tank. Today, I know everyone hates it, but I tried the wall aquascape. It provides plenty of room for coral placement and has a lot of caves, but it simply looks like a pile of rocks. I do like that it gives the fish a lot of swimming room though. Let me know which aquascape you guys like.

balto777 · 04/30/2012, 05:59 PM

I liked the way you had it pictured in Post #19 above. However, all of them would work well. If you are worried about the "pile of rocks" look, once corals get place and the rock have some age you won't notice it anymore.

I will be playing around with my aquascape tomorrow, so we will see how that goes.

mx51 · 04/30/2012, 07:13 PM

I am getting ready to order one of the brs ro/di units...How much water pressure do you have to have in your house? I ask because I know for a fact mine is low... And which model booster pump did you go with?

bigfish14 · 04/30/2012, 07:21 PM

They recommend at least 40 PSI, but they say that 60 PSI will make the membrane the most efficient and reduce the amount of waste water. I went with the 1/4" booster pump kit on their website. If you are using a BRS unit then get the 1/4" pump, not the 3/8" pump. All Bulk Reef Supply RO/DI units use 1/4" tubing. Do you have a build thread? I would love to check it out.

bigfish14 · 05/01/2012, 07:59 PM

I have finally settled on an aquascape. I decided to give the "wall aquascape" or as some people call it "a pile of rocks" a chance. I think it can really look nice once covered in coraline and corals. There is actually room behind the rocks for the fish to swim. If they feel like escaping into the darkness then they can, or they can swim out in the open. Hopefully it turns out as cool as I imagine it. Sorry the pictures are so bad. I took them with my iPhone, but I will try to use a digital camera from here on out.

balto777 · 05/01/2012, 09:29 PM

Looks good! I like the side shots because it shows how much room you have in front of the rocks. My two big rocks take up a lot of space, but only a little more room than yours do; so I am somewhat relieved with my decision to use the rocks intact. Anyway, looking forward to beginning the cycle here shortly.

bigfish14 · 05/02/2012, 12:29 PM

I went to my LFS and bought 40 pounds of argonite sand.

Do you think 40 pounds is too much? It is about 2-3 inches deep, but I figured it would compact a little once the tank is full of water. I am not trying to make a DSB. The UPS guy should be here in a couple minutes with my booster pump so I can start filling the tank.

bigfish14 · 05/02/2012, 01:38 PM

My booster pump is here! Anybody think I have too much sand?

bigfish14 · 05/02/2012, 05:48 PM

I don't think I added too much sand to my tank. I hope not because I started filling the tank up with RO/DI water earlier. I cannot wait to add the salt!

bigfish14 · 05/04/2012, 12:50 PM

The shrimp has been added to the tank and the cycle has started. The tank is filled up with RO/DI water, the salt has been mixed in, and the heaters are running.

I still have to adjust my temp to 77 and my SG to 1.026. Hopefully I have a smooth going cycle

anbosu · 05/04/2012, 01:19 PM

I personally would take some of that sand out and put it in your sump, but it's really up to you.

bigfish14 · 05/04/2012, 03:53 PM

Hmmmm I might end up doing that

bigfish14 · 05/04/2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anbosu

I personally would take some of that sand out and put it in your sump, but it's really up to you.

Do you think its on the borderline of being a DSB?

zeebies · 05/04/2012, 04:57 PM

Hey Bigfish, can we see a picture of your sump. I'm interested in how you set it up. Is it a 20 high? What's your plan down there?

bigfish14 · 05/04/2012, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeebies

Hey Bigfish, can we see a picture of your sump. I'm interested in how you set it up. Is it a 20 high? What's your plan down there?

The sump is a 15 gallon tank. I wanted a 20L, but it was half an inch to long and the 20 high would not allow me to take equipment in and out. $40 dollars later and I have a nice little sump

I do not have any baffles inside the sump right now because I am waiting until I buy my skimmer, so I can build my sump around it. At the moment I have a Mag 9.5 return pump and two 125W Jager heaters inside the sump. It is going to be a tight fit, but it should all work out. Later on I am going to put a BRS carbon & GFO reactor next to the sump which will be fed by my return pump. I am trying to minimize the number of pumps I use. With the sump and reactor inside my stand, I am out of room

I had to improvise and put my ATO tank next to my stand. It is simply a 10 gallon tank painted black to match the stand. My controller for the MP10 is mounted to the right of the sump on the stand. The last thing I plan to add inside the stand is an Apex controller to monitor everything. That is it for the "brains" of my tank. As you can see I am doing my best to keep it simple and clean inside the stand. Although it doesn't look that way now, I promise it will a couple months from now. Hopefully I answered all your questions and if not then feel free to ask away.

zeebies · 05/04/2012, 06:33 PM

Thanks for the info! I'm about ready to build my sump (20H). Like you, my area underneath the tank is limited. I originally thought about going with a BRS reactor combo but decided that two TLF 150 reactors will take up less room. They can hang off the sump and the footprint for each reactor is only 3".

Enjoying following your thread.

04/25/2012, 08:00 PM	#30
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	Yup it's wood. Although I would have liked to make it out of steel, that would simply be out of my skill level and budget. I settled for wood with a gloss black paint, which is probably why you thought it was steel. Here are some close ups of the light fixture stand: __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

04/25/2012, 08:05 PM	#31
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	The UPS man came today!!! I now have everything needed to make saltwater Some of you may be wondering why I haven't got my light to go with my light fixture stand or my protein skimmer. I am simply trying to manage my budget in a timely manner. I do not need the protein skimmer or light to start my cycle, so I can get my cycle going and then save up for those 2 expensive peices of equipment. I also want to wait to see what the Kessil Tuna light is all about, as I am considering buying it. I want it to be tried out by plenty of people first though. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

04/27/2012, 04:16 PM	#32
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	I hooked up my RO/DI unit today and was very disappointed to find out that we have less than 20 PSI water pressure. I dreaded this decision, but I was left with no other choice if I want to get this thing going. I had to order a booster pump, which should be here around Wednesday. Not too much of a set back since I won't be able to get my sand, test kit, and shrimp until Wednesday anyway. It is a huge dent in my wallet though Those things are not cheap! __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

04/27/2012, 04:29 PM	#33
balto777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 450	Sorry to here that. I have near perfect water pressure for my RO/DI. I am currently in a setback, too. After going to Lowes to find the fittings I need for the returns, I decidied they didn't have enough choice, so I put in an order with Grainger. Stuff won't be in my local store until Wednesday, also. __________________ - Aaron Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder Mixed-Reef

04/27/2012, 04:54 PM	#34
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	I guess it is all part of the hobby. This side of the aquarium hobby has really taught me to have patience. I will continue reading about tank cycling until I get the booster pump. I hope to learn something new and make this set back a good thing. Hopefully you get those fittings soon so you can keep moving forward with your tank. Better to do things right the first time, than to try and rush through it all. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

04/23/2012, 06:15 PM	#26
Hyperion1337 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Miami Posts: 1,088	do you have a build thread on your light hanger? it looks really nice.

04/30/2012, 05:51 PM	#35
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	While I have been waiting for my booster pump, I have been messing around with my aquascape. To be honest, it is driving me crazy! I started with a 2 island look and it was cool, but there were not enough hiding places for the shrimp and fish. Then I tried created a rock work that looked "fancy" but it seemed to take up the entire tank. Today, I know everyone hates it, but I tried the wall aquascape. It provides plenty of room for coral placement and has a lot of caves, but it simply looks like a pile of rocks. I do like that it gives the fish a lot of swimming room though. Let me know which aquascape you guys like. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

04/30/2012, 05:59 PM	#36
balto777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 450	I liked the way you had it pictured in Post #19 above. However, all of them would work well. If you are worried about the "pile of rocks" look, once corals get place and the rock have some age you won't notice it anymore. I will be playing around with my aquascape tomorrow, so we will see how that goes. __________________ - Aaron Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder Mixed-Reef

04/30/2012, 07:13 PM	#37
mx51 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Great Falls,MT Posts: 51	I am getting ready to order one of the brs ro/di units...How much water pressure do you have to have in your house? I ask because I know for a fact mine is low... And which model booster pump did you go with?

04/30/2012, 07:21 PM	#38
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	They recommend at least 40 PSI, but they say that 60 PSI will make the membrane the most efficient and reduce the amount of waste water. I went with the 1/4" booster pump kit on their website. If you are using a BRS unit then get the 1/4" pump, not the 3/8" pump. All Bulk Reef Supply RO/DI units use 1/4" tubing. Do you have a build thread? I would love to check it out. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/01/2012, 07:59 PM	#39
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	I have finally settled on an aquascape. I decided to give the "wall aquascape" or as some people call it "a pile of rocks" a chance. I think it can really look nice once covered in coraline and corals. There is actually room behind the rocks for the fish to swim. If they feel like escaping into the darkness then they can, or they can swim out in the open. Hopefully it turns out as cool as I imagine it. Sorry the pictures are so bad. I took them with my iPhone, but I will try to use a digital camera from here on out. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/01/2012, 09:29 PM	#40
balto777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 450	Looks good! I like the side shots because it shows how much room you have in front of the rocks. My two big rocks take up a lot of space, but only a little more room than yours do; so I am somewhat relieved with my decision to use the rocks intact. Anyway, looking forward to beginning the cycle here shortly. __________________ - Aaron Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder Mixed-Reef

05/02/2012, 12:29 PM	#41
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	I went to my LFS and bought 40 pounds of argonite sand. Do you think 40 pounds is too much? It is about 2-3 inches deep, but I figured it would compact a little once the tank is full of water. I am not trying to make a DSB. The UPS guy should be here in a couple minutes with my booster pump so I can start filling the tank. __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/02/2012, 01:38 PM	#42
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	My booster pump is here! Anybody think I have too much sand? __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/02/2012, 05:48 PM	#43
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	I don't think I added too much sand to my tank. I hope not because I started filling the tank up with RO/DI water earlier. I cannot wait to add the salt! __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/04/2012, 12:50 PM	#44
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	The shrimp has been added to the tank and the cycle has started. The tank is filled up with RO/DI water, the salt has been mixed in, and the heaters are running. I still have to adjust my temp to 77 and my SG to 1.026. Hopefully I have a smooth going cycle __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/04/2012, 01:19 PM	#45
anbosu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, Florida Posts: 2,536	I personally would take some of that sand out and put it in your sump, but it's really up to you.

05/04/2012, 03:53 PM	#46
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 393	Hmmmm I might end up doing that __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

05/04/2012, 04:57 PM	#48
zeebies Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Midcoast Maine Posts: 339	Hey Bigfish, can we see a picture of your sump. I'm interested in how you set it up. Is it a 20 high? What's your plan down there?

05/04/2012, 06:33 PM	#50
zeebies Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Midcoast Maine Posts: 339	Thanks for the info! I'm about ready to build my sump (20H). Like you, my area underneath the tank is limited. I originally thought about going with a BRS reactor combo but decided that two TLF 150 reactors will take up less room. They can hang off the sump and the footprint for each reactor is only 3". Enjoying following your thread.