40g breeder, Tanked !

[Kizzy911]

Hey everyone, im looking to purchase a 40gal stabdard breeder (not drilled and no overflow). I was thinking of making it into a small frag tank but will i be successful with just a regular HOB filter, no sump? The usual powerheads, and a kessil a150w sky blue?

I was also thinking of putting a dwarf lionfish in there? (Or any fish suggestions?)
Also some live rock and some algae? Chaeto perhaps?
Will this be succesful ?


If not a frag tank then ill be doing a zoa tank. Whay do you guys think?

[Entropy]

Is this going to be a side tank or a display tank? I would go with the zoa's if it is a display. I am not a big fan of display tanks with temporary frag plugs haphazardly arranged all over the tank where ever there is room...

[Scoted]

Just off the top of my head, but I think you might need two lights for the 40g.
Most people put an employee in the frag tank like a tang to eat algae or a sixline wrasse to eat flatworms. Personally I would put a maroon clown in there to make it more interesting when you reach you hands in there! An ato is a good idea because corals like stability. I have also considered adding a 40 breeder in my basement for a coral qt tank. Good luck and I'm following along.

[reefbroao]

You will most certainly need 2 of those kessils. Great light but just not enough output for a 36" tank.

[Kizzy911]

sounds good, but this is just a display tank for my room haha, my main display tank is in the living room, also a 40 breeder but bean overflow and a sump.

For this one, i'm thinking about just using an Odyssea t5 40" fixture so it will fully cover the tank (just like in my display tank)
Also, I was planning on just letting the zoas grow in there and maybe even frag once they're all ready to.
My main question is, is a sump needed for such a tank? Will a regular HOB aquarium filter be fine? Or do i need something else?

[billdogg]

I had a 60g cube set up that used a dual biowheel HOB and a canister. I kept soft corals, zoanthids, palythoas, and a few LPS. I considered it to be a very successful tank. It ran that way for just over 22 years.

So yes, you can do your 40b that way.

[Kizzy911]

Originally Posted by billdogg

I had a 60g cube set up that used a dual biowheel HOB and a canister. I kept soft corals, zoanthids, palythoas, and a few LPS. I considered it to be a very successful tank. It ran that way for just over 22 years.

So yes, you can do your 40b that way.

Did ypu have any fish? What kind pf HOB filter did you use?

[reefbroao]

Im running my 56 gallon with a Hob Skimmer but it's pretty big. It should be fine; an aquaclear 50/70 would be decent for some baseline filtration.

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by Kizzy911

Did ypu have any fish? What kind pf HOB filter did you use?

It was a Marineland Emperor. I still have the original biowheels in my sump. They are ready to go for use as a QT filter.

Small fish are your friends. Before the Internet (and the Tang Police) I had a yellow and sailfin tang in it, along with too many others. They didn't do well. The last 10 years or so it was a YWG, Flame Angel, a fairy wrasse, several assorted Dartfish, and a cardinal or three.

Until it's final year, I used T12VHO (3x75w), then I switched to a single AI Sol.

[Kizzy911]

Will it be ok without a skimmer ? I figured theres not much bioload really except for a fish or two

[billdogg]

Never used a skimmer on mine. It could make your life easier, but it is not a "must-have".

[Kizzy911]

It looks awesome actually. Is that just your regular tank or a frag tank?

[billdogg]

That was my 60 cube shortly before the upgrade to a 120.

[Kizzy911]

Awesome thanks, i think a hob filter will do just fine then

[billdogg]

you will need a power head or two for added circulation. I used 2 x koralia 1150gph. You might also think about a HOB GFO reactor (TLF 150). I used the canister primarily as a place to put carbon. Lots and lots of carbon.