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Cultivated Reef

Lara's 40B


Aqualara

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April 15, 2012

DSC00674.jpg

 

TANK
36x18x16 40 Breeder

EQUIPMENT
2 kessil ocean blue LEDs
AC110 fuge
Koralia evolution 750
Koralia 550240

Koralia
Jager 100 watt heater

FISH
1 ocellaris clown
1 flame tail blenny
1 Green banded goby

3 Red saddle anthias

CORAL
A lot.

INVERTS

a whole lot of snails
Some hermits

 


===========================ORIGINAL POST==============================

I was going to start my first non-pico tank as a 25G, which already have, but I hate that it's only 12" from front to back. I wanted something with more depth, and I decided on a 40B. I just ordered the tank today!!! Aqueon 40B with a black pine stand. I'm SO EXCITED!! It seems like people loooove 40 breeders on here, and I can see why. The depth is wonderful!

I'm new to saltwater, so advice/comments/suggestions about the following plans are highly reccommended :D

Tank
40B 36x18x16

Equipment Plans -- don't necessarily have all of these yet
Spectrapure 90gpd RO/DI system (ordered)
AC 110
Jager 75 watt heater (from my old 25G)
Koralia evolution 750
Lighting -- currently the old fixture from my 25G: a catalina 3x24W 30" fixture. Plans for a TEK light.
Plans for a skimmer eventually, and maybe a sump with HOB overflow.

Livestock plans
2 ocellaris clowns
maybe six line wrasse
maybe flame angel
maybe some sort of blenny

Questions

1. Should I get another 75w heater, or just upgrade to one 100w?

2. Anyone have livestock suggestions?

3. With my future HOB overflow plan, is the disadvantage of flood during power outage solved by making sure that my sump isn't filled up all the way?

4. My current light (3x24W) is temporary, but will I still be able to keep zoas, softs and some LPS with it? I'm broke and can't spend $350 on a light and bulbs right now.

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You're going with the 40B...good choice - you won't regret it :D

 

I'd get the 100w heater...but if you do go with a sump and taking up space in your display tank isn't an issue... having a 2nd heater isn't a bad idea in case one fails.

 

Looking forward to watching this develop.

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I would not anything other then mushies or some lower light softies until you get more light on there. Those short bulbs don't have as much PAR as the longer ones do. I am running a 4x39watt T5HO on my 46 gallon Bowfront. I do have SPS and other corals in there growing and thriving. But my fixture is 36" long.

 

Looks like a good plan. Got any pics?

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Yeah, I didn't think 75W would be enough. I'll go ahead and order a 100W.

 

As for pics.. well, I don't have the tank yet, but I've included a photo of where the tank is going to be. What you see there is my 25G planted tank; I'll be selling that :tears: to set up the new tank. But no worries... I have a 45G planted, too ;) This tank is a bit of a mess. I haven't had a 'scape in that one for awhile because I'm a med student and this past semester was full of the toughest rotations time-wise. But now I'm on my "easy" semester, so I have the time to set up this new tank. YAY!

 

Also.....please excuse the seams. I siliconed the tank myself after I discovered a leak and that's the first time I've done ANY DIY project. LOL.

 

DSC00368.jpg

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Just ordered reef crystals, 40lbs of sand, a mag float, and the heater :) Filter and powerhead will have to wait at least a week.

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For awhile I had crystal red shrimp, but now there are only three otos. They will go into my 45G when I take this tank down. They'll be happier in there anyway, because there are 5 other otos in the other tank.

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I have an AC110 but you said "lighty" :lol:

 

Glad to see you decided to go with a 40. :)

 

ME TOO!!

 

As for the filter, I might still be interested... how old is it, and what kind of condition is it in?

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Already sent you a PM back, trust me, you don't want it.

 

If you were local I would consider giving it to you but I don't think it's worth your time/money to have it shipped. :lol:

 

That said, it's 10 years old and still works, pretty good for a filter. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Filled!!

 

Just got my LR yesterday! There are 22 pounds of Tukani live rock there, and a 7 pound chunk of dry rock. It took me a couple of days to fill the tank, and I added the LR yesterday. I thought the water would have cleared by now, but no such luck. I don't know how I feel about the 'scape now, but I'll have to let the water clear before I move things around.

 

I wanted two "islands" as my main 'scape, but that dry rock sticks out like a sore thumb. I haven't decided what I'm going to do, or how I will change things around, but I'm open to suggestions! The LR is 3 large chunks and that little one at the bottom left. I'm open to buying a little more rock, too.

 

Also, finally went for a Kessil! I plan on buying another one, but I've spent enough money for now. I figured that I could just keep the corals on the left side until I buy the second Kessil -- that will probably be in a couple of months, so I won't have too long to wait :D

 

Anyway, here it is all cloudy!

 

DSC00412.jpg

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So, after starting a thread in the beginner's section, I learned that I can add livestock if my LR is cured? Well, I got 6 more pounds of LR for good measure, and got me some livestock :D

 

3 hermits, a frogspawn, and the best part....

 

I got two baby occellaris clowns and a small starry blenny!!

 

They're wonderful. I think I'm in love :wub:

 

More pics later tonight :-)

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Keep a close eye on ammonia and nitrite.

 

Where did you get the 22lbs of rock? If you ordered it online you may still get a cycle as you will have die off from being shipped and out of water. As they say with this hobby, only bad things happen fast, good things take time. Have patience!

 

Might want to get some nori for your Blenny too as they eat mostly algae but are omnivorous.

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Got all of the LR from my LFS. It's cured and had been sitting in the store for at least 5 or 6 weeks. When I posted my thread in the beginner's forum, everyone implied that I wouldn't get any ammonia or nitrite spikes and said I was "good to go" to add livestock since the rock was cured and from nearby. :(

 

Did I make a mistake? :(

 

Also, I make sushi regularly, so I have a lot of nori. Plus, my LR has a good amount of algae on it. LOL.

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Water has cleared up quite a bit, but every time I move a rock, it clouds up again. I'm trying to keep my hands out of the tank, but I'm not happy with the scape. I really like the pointy rock sticking up, but nothing else seems to be to my taste. Maybe it will grow on me? It's hard to move things around, because not including the dry rock on the left, there are only 4 large chunks, and a few tiny ones. I can only find so many different ways of placing them.

 

Ideas, comments, suggestions about the scape or the cycling issue in the previous post?

 

FTS!

DSC00424.jpg

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Just keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite, I wouldn't add anything new for awhile. I like your scape except the one sticking up almost to the surface it seems outta place imo.

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Water has cleared up quite a bit, but every time I move a rock, it clouds up again. I'm trying to keep my hands out of the tank, but I'm not happy with the scape. I really like the pointy rock sticking up, but nothing else seems to be to my taste. Maybe it will grow on me? It's hard to move things around, because not including the dry rock on the left, there are only 4 large chunks, and a few tiny ones. I can only find so many different ways of placing them.

 

Ideas, comments, suggestions about the scape or the cycling issue in the previous post?

 

FTS!

DSC00424.jpg

I really like hte tall rock, and the arch. In fact I would just ditch the rock to the left and keep the one island structure you have, that will give the tank that feeling of space ...

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I briefly thought about doing that, but that rock cost me $30. That stinks. I really like the rock, but I agree that it sticks out. I'll think about it.

 

Water parameters day 4:

 

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

 

big tank effect?

 

Also, my starry blenny is the MOST ADORABLE thing I've ever seen!!! He is SO cute. He needs a name. Will the reef gods be angry? Ralph or Benjamin?

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Got my CUC and a few corals. Everything is going well so far. Fish seem happy--clowns are eating well, Blenny is cleaning up all my hair algae.

 

my CUC....How many do you think are in there?

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More pics

clowns:

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Starry Blenny (really difficult to get a picture of him)

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Frogspawn

DSC00448.jpg

 

Dendros (not open yet)

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Meteor shower cephastrea

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Yellow maxi mini

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magicians palys

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Right side of the tank:

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