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Steely's 40 breeder


steely185

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As of March 11, 2009:

 

The beginning:

 

So everyone has been on the 40 breeder build kick lately and I guess I just happened to jump on board.

 

I managed to pick up a 40 breeder, drilled with two 1" bulkheads and painted black background for $50 from a LFS.

 

I've been surfing craigslist and was able to pick up a 20 long tank (future sump once sectioned), a 250 watt stealth heater, and coralife 36" t5 2x21w" strip (just plan to use for two 420nm actinic lighting addition) for $42 total.

 

My boss is going to give me an old oceanic lizard lounge stand (pictured or linked below) for free. It should hold the weight but I may brace it to be safe. I may possibly paint it, still undecided.

 

http://images.craigslist.org/3nc3m03p3ZZZZ...fd5dfa61345.jpg

 

Equipment that I will probably purchase at the end of the week include:

 

-A 36" 2 x 150W 14K sunpod

-two Hydor Koralia 2 powerheads (may bump it to Koralia 3's, looking for input)

-A mag 7 return pump

-A Octopus NW-110 protein skimmer w/pump

 

Right now I think that Fishtanksdirect.com has the best deal to get everything from one place for the cheapest price.

 

As for the stand I may buy or build a new one once I get and inspect the free one.

 

Last question: Anyone have problems with eggcrate (to prevent carpet surfers) under a MH light or should I just risk going completely topless?

 

By the way this is my first reef tank after a 15 year absence(previous was 55). It's a habit you can't kick.

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welcome to the club!!! wow, ive said that a lot lately! any way... glad to see another breeder i can follow! what do you plan to keep in there? lps/softies, sps?? this will better us to help you figuring out your flow. and for skimmer, i have heard and seen so many good things about these....

 

bubble magus skimmer

05xrunner is using this skimmer on his tank with great results! and i hear they have awesome customer service. i will be using one soon on my 40 breeder.

 

a mag 7 return pump would be great flow for a sump/refugium!

 

and lighting, will you be using the feet to sit the light on the tank or hanging it? either way i dont really see a problem with using the eggcrate.

 

any more ques i will be glad to help!! good luck!! looking forward to updates!!

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Still working on a list. I would love to have a A. nigripes pair, and am leaning heavenly towards the gobies.

 

Looking at a mix of SPS, LPS and softies. Maybe a clam or two when running solid.

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sweet pics!! i have a 2500 gallon pond in my backyard...i love it!!

 

oh, and if you copy the image code from ur pic on photobucket, and paste it in the blank feild were u type your reply, the pic will just show up, no clicking linky needed.

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if your going with a mixed reef, two korilia 2's and mag 7 should provide adequite flow...and hey if ya can spring for it, you could get the controllable korilia's with the wavemaker, and have some nice wave action. or go with one vortech mp20. and if you get heavily into sps, you could always upgrade the driver to make it an mp40...

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if your going with a mixed reef, two korilia 2's and mag 7 should provide adequite flow...and hey if ya can spring for it, you could get the controllable korilia's with the wavemaker, and have some nice wave action. or go with one vortech mp20. and if you get heavily into sps, you could always upgrade the driver to make it an mp40...

 

Sometime down the line I may spring for the vortech but not at the time. Probably will just bump the current setup up to 3's for a difference of 12 bucks. Later down the line though possibly the eco-techs.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's a long over due update on this build. I'm starting a 20 H while a work on the 40 breeder over the next couple months.

 

Here's some pics of the 40 breeder project. The stand will be sanded and cleaned prior to painting black. The stand is a 3/4 " plywood stand made by oceanic for their lizard lounges. It should hold but may be braced.

 

DSCN0342.jpg

 

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DSCN0364.jpg

 

 

Here's the old school top fathom skimmer that can be used in a pinch.

NewImage.jpg

 

I'll provide some updates as they become available.

 

Steely's 20H build

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This may be a slow ride over the next couple months as I may have a pending engagement that will suck up my funds. The 20 should still move along with no problems.

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Looks great.

 

Sounds like you're getting some really great deals on the equipment. That's a good thing because now hopefully you can spend more on the inhabitants!

 

Anyways, I'm excited to see the progression on this.

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  • 2 weeks later...
steely185

So I've done a bit of painting on the stand lately and I'm just about done. I have to paint the doors a few more times and add the knobs I picked up.

 

Here are some pics:

 

17f311c7.jpg

 

ea75c03a.jpg

 

3271805f.jpg

 

395e3416.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Long time since updating. I should be ordering a light for this badboy sometime this week. Here are my options. Feel free to weigh in on them.

 

I love the growth and shimmer of a MH and really want to stay this route.

 

1) 2 x150 watt sunpod (most probable route)

 

2)Building a canopy, running retrofit 1 x 250 watt MH and 4x39 t5's to give some of the actinic look that I miss in the early morning and late evening.

 

3)An outer orbit 2x150 MH and 4x39 T5 setup. (heat and two much light concerns me)

 

 

 

I have to go to a reef yard sale this weekend to see if I can get some bargains. One that I know if is a mp40 for $250 used. I may wait to order until I see what may be available.

 

I have also enquired about 40lbs of BulkReefSupply rock that someone is selling locally that I can cycle in a brute and transfer to the 40 a few weeks later.

 

Unless a skimmer is priced pretty nice I may wait for that purchase until later as I have been running skimmerless and dosage free on my 20 for it's life.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I will place my order for equipment this weekend. I will be buying a 2 x 150 sunpod, koralia 4, 40lbs of carib sea fiji pink sand, and a mag 7. I will have my sump tank baffled this week. If everything goes according to plan I may be able to move my 20 to my new 40 breeder next weekend. I will be using my K4, K3, K2 and return from the mag 7 so the breeder should have some great flow. I will move the old sand to the fuge section of the sump along with some chaeto.

 

I will probably order a second phoenix 14K in the coming week as well. I'm pretty excited about the coming move and I know the crowded coral will love it as well. I'm thinking of ordering 20lbs of bulk reef supply rock to cycle in the garage but that may not happen for a couple of weeks.

 

Stay tuned...

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Everything is on the way minus the light. It seems it has been discontinued so it's time to make some new lighting plans....

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I'm thinking that a 2x250 sunpod is going to be overkill and lead to bleaching. It's tempting because the price is down now but overkill. I'm really thinking of buying a 6 bulb tek t5 fixture. Looking for what bulb combos people advise. Let's hear it. Looking for colors to really pop.

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I was looking at this lighting configuration for the tek 6 bulb t5 setup. I was going to order this from fishtanks direct if anyone has dealt with them please let me know. I have an extra bulb on there to give me something I can play with for color configuration. I'm assuming these bulbs will all work with this fixture so please let me know if they don't and if I'm going to end up with a completely blue tank.

 

ATI Blue Special

ATI True Actinic

ATI Blue Special

ATI Blue Plus

Giesemann 15K Aquablue

Giesemann 22K Aquablue plus

URI 75/25 v-HO t5

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I have a 30 gallon breeder and use T5 on it and have had good growth on the corals in the tank. MH will probably burn the corals in a tank like these as the depth is minimal compared to the standard 2'+ tanks. Further I have seen comparisons on MH vs T5 and the T5's have beaten out MH on PAR readings and economy of usage of electricity.

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I had seen the PAR comparisons. I will miss the shimmer of the halide as I enjoy it now on my 20H. I may have to keep that running.

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Mag 7, K4 and 40lbs of fiji pink sand arrived today. If all goes well I will order a 6 bulb tek fixture from Reef Geek this weekend. I just want to get this stuff moved to a new home with more room to grow.

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