SaltyVT Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 So I have had my 20l for about a year now, and recently decided to upgrade with a 40 Breeder. I like the depth that it creates from it squatty fat look. I have set in an order with my LFS, seems they sell it 40 bux cheaper then Petsmart. I will be moving all my stuff from my 20L to the 40 Breeder. So my list for equipment is as follows: AGA 40 gallon breeder (purchased) 4x24 HO T-5 Tek lighting rio 2500 pump till it dies Tunze 9005 skimmer (purchasing) It will be open top, so I will have to hang the tek light over it. I will use the 20L for a fuge tank. I haven't found a suitable stand yet, so I don't know how things are going to work. All in all I will be taking my time putting this together. Thanks for looking! Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Okay been reading and reading alot. Been thinking of cooking my rock, only thing is 50 percent of it has corals on it, what do you do with that??? for budget reasons, I am skipping out on the skimmer for now, I will be buying a stand and tank from Petco. the only place with a stand that would work for a decent price, about 200 all together. I will be using my 20L for the sump, using a spare 16w PC light for fuge light. I will installing a overflow box, not sure on drilling though, with my luck I break the tank. Still up in the air about BB or shallow sand bed. I guess I have time. The background will be black, the top open with lights hanging. This time I will be using PVC pipe instead of tubing... I have a budget of about 300 right now, so looks like I should be good. I have many extra parts in my basement so that should help. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 So going with over flow box/u tube deal. Been reading more. Got really bored so I used this unbelievable paint program to come up with some ideas. I will try cooking some rocks, buying new, Cycling the tank first, then emptying the old tank, building the fuge, and putting it all together. here!! Link to comment
Capelaundry Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Why would you cook your LR?....seriously?....I think you should take a step back for a moment. If you already have a nice 20L, why don't you drill your breeder and make a nice refugium out of the 20L...There are plenty of previous treads here that could teach you how too do it. And even if you don't have..or feel comfortable drilling it yourself a glass shop in your area would probable do it for a small fee. JMO -Ryan Link to comment
bagoegg Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Kwa umsa la gee wan hahaha Why do you plan on cooking your rock? Do you have algae problems or something that you do not want to carry over? Link to comment
Capelaundry Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Overflow box will work fine as well. Are you still going to use the 20L for the refugium? Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 Well, I have been doing some reading up on the cooking of LR. Seems to be a pain but the out come is great, at least that what I hear.....Read. I do have a Bubble algae problem and a minor hair algae problem. I had a kid recently and the Tank suffered over the last eight months. I am not sold on the cooking issue. Most of my rock is covered in corals anyway, and the time and money don't seem worth it in the end. I will bump my CC up when the tank is transfered. I am also hung up on the tank drilling, I probably will drill (Good links welcomed), I have many spare tanks that will "take one for the team". I will be using the 20L as the Fuge. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 Okay, so I believe that I will go with a shallow Black sand bed. I ordered up a stand, salt, and silicone. My plan is too set up the 40BR, buy a little rock, or borrow some from the 20L, Cycle and slowly transfer over rock/coral until its all gone, then make the fuge out of the empty 20L, and put it together, and presto, Tank ready!!!!!! Link to comment
dtfleming Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 www.glass-holes.com has a video on drilling and they sell kits. I just bought a kit and drill my 40br yesterday. Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 www.glass-holes.com has a video on drilling and they sell kits. I just bought a kit and drill my 40br yesterday. I also bought their drill bits and drilled my 40B. Eight holes! It's not that difficult if you keep the drill level and don't go too fast. Take maybe five minutes to drill each hole, and have plenty of flowing water for coolant. I don't like the plumbers putty dam, I like flowing coolant. Also, having had black sand before, and now going BB, I'm going to offer up a suggestion. Paint the bottom of the tank whatever color your sand will be. It will look way better if you wind up with any bare patches from flow patterns/sand sifters, and if you get sick of the sand like I did, you can siphon it all out and still have a black bottom. Link to comment
redfishsc Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 ^ great idea on painting the underside of the bottom, neanderthal. Never thought of that. Looking forward to see what you do with the 40g breeder. I do not have one but this is by far my favorite tank. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 Nice thinking, Didn't ever occur to me to paint the bottom! Need to drill soon if I'm using water as coolant, already 24F outside, don't think snow would work the same!! That Glass-holes sight is pretty cool might have to order one up. So knowing that my return pump is rated at 748gph at 0', head loss I guessed to reduce it to around 350 gph, so is the 300 gph overflow the one to shoot for? What should I shoot for drainage? I was hoping to use the pump I have for now, and upgrade in the future. So which do you prefer? Shallow bed of BB?? Thanks for the pointers people, very appreciated!! Link to comment
dtfleming Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 i dont think your gonna have that much head loss. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 yeah, I might have over compensated.... Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Stand will be here tomorrow, sweet. So I have been searching out clues to drilling and fun stuff. Now what do people think about a 1.5" bulkhead three inches down, and two 3/4" returns, slightly lower?? I will do the intake centrally and the returns of either side. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Stand in!!!!!! Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Here are some pics of the stand and tank. I ran into a problem with the stand. It fits the tank perfectly, but has a brace in the rear which would make it impossible to squeeze the 20l into the stand after the 40br was started. So I am going to have to only attach one side to make it a "door" so I can stick to plan! and budget... Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 AHHHH!!! I am so up in the air whether or not I want to go with a bare bottom or shallow bed. Decision decisions..... Link to comment
masterbuilder Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Go shallow man.....bare bottoms look....well...so bare and un-natural. Mark p.s. 40B....best reef tank ever made Link to comment
dtfleming Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 hahahaha i know where u got that stand from. Salty I setup the baffles in my 20L sump and then took the top back off the stand and put the 20L in. I just finished my plumbing today on it. Looking good. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 You have good taste!! Brother tanks! i have an unfortunate dilemma though. i want to start my 40 first then place in my 20L....what a pain...I have been leaning towards a shallow bed too. Link to comment
dtfleming Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 shallow bed is cool. I think I have like an 1/2" to 1" sand bed. I upgrading from a 26gal and tearing down my frag tub and using equipment from that. Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 How much sand did you use??? Link to comment
SaltyVT Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Cool thats what I was aiming for!! By the way what size bulkhead did you go with?? Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.