Mojado's 40-Breeder build - now w/FTS

[Mojado]

Instead of waiting until I can mess with a DSLR to post FTSs, here are some cellphone shots. Color representation is off : (

 

Strike up Date: Build started June 2012, slow going. Started cycling May 31, 2013

Display Tank: 40G Breeder.
Display Lighting: GHL Mitras LX
Stand: DIY Stand. 2x4 frame with an Poplar board shell.
Sump: 20L [Skimmer section l Fuge l Return Section]
Total System volume is approx 43G.
Overflow: Glass-holes 700 gph overflow box.
Refugium Lighting: N/A.
System Water: RO/DI.
Display Water circulation: Vortech MP10ES.
Controller: n/a
Return Pump: Sicce 3.0.
Skimmer: Eshopps S-120.
Evaporation Top Up Unit: Eshopps Float valve with 5.5 gallon ATO reservoir, gravity fed.
Chemical Support: carbon, purigen, and phosguard as needed.
Dosing: Magnesium, Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH, Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium as needed. Potassium Iodide weekly

 

March 1, 2015

A year and a baaaad algae-outbreak-that-I-battled-for-9-months later. In recovery mode

 

March 1, 2014

FTS

 

March 2, 2014

 

 

[Mojado]

Just getting into this awesome hobby, but taking advantage of as many lessons learned by others as I can (a lot of reading), especially under the tutelage of MadDevil1.

 

Started this tank build back in June 2012 with Petco's dollar-per-gallon-sale. It has been slow going, as I thought it'd be, so that's why I waited to post this build until I had some progress to show.

I bought a 40 breeder and a 20 long for the sump.

 

For the 40 Breeder, I first did a leak test on it. Filled it with tap water, put a pump in there to churn the water. I wanted to test for leaks before I started drilling into it. I drilled into it to install a glass-holes.com 700 gph overflow box and two 1/2 return kits. I then plugged the holes with news paper (I should have used something better, as I had to go back and clean the inside of the tank from overspray that got through the news paper wads) and spray painted the back of the 40-breeder black..

[Angel<3Nanos]

let me start by saying your name rocks! lol

 

And to NR mojado!

 

Nice build here, ill be following!

[andre]

Looks good. Have you added baffles to the sump yet? The one thing I regret not doing with my 40B is using a 20L as a sump.

[jgilvey]

let me start by saying your name rocks! lol

 

And to NR mojado!

 

Nice build here, ill be following!

Yes! Might be the best avatar I've seen. ¡cuidado! :-)

[BeardedReeferLLC]

Nice setup you got there bud.

[Mojado]

let me start by saying your name rocks! lol

 

And to NR mojado!

 

Nice build here, ill be following!

It's been my Xbox Live screen name since 2002. It fits perfectly here, haha! Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

Looks good. Have you added baffles to the sump yet? The one thing I regret not doing with my 40B is using a 20L as a sump.

Thanks! I did. I did this back in Oct/Nov. Pics of that part of the build are coming up.

[CrazyEyes]

Like it so far. Welcome to NR.

[frags]

Love 40 Breeders! Looks good

[Mojado]

After I got the 40 breeder drilled and fitted with the bulkheads, I felt the next thing to get straight was the plumbing to the sump. To do that, I needed to frame the stand (I'm building that too, btw). I decided to build the stand instead of buying one to ensure it met my needs

 

I was scared of messing with PVC because routing is final with rigid PVC, so I decided I was going to use ribbed spa hose. I mocked everything up and quickly realized that spa hose was too loud for my liking.

[BeardedReeferLLC]

After I got the 40 breeder drilled and fitted with the bulkheads, I felt the next thing to get straight was the plumbing to the sump. To do that, I needed to frame the stand (I'm building that too, btw). I decided to build the stand to ensure it met my needs. I was scared of messing with PVC because routing is final with rigid PVC, so I decided I was going to use ribbed spa hose. I mocked everything up and quicly realized that spa hose blows; It is just too loud.

 

Copy Cat.

[Mojado]

Copy Cat.

Copy cat on the stand frame? No doubt! Haha, I aped A LOT of stuff for this build.

[CrazyEyes]

Any thoughts on lighting?

[Mojado]

I come to the realization that I need to use PVC. A quick youtube video later and I'm now a ninja with PVC primer and cement. Off to Ace Hardware I go. There I find flexible PVC pipe! It's flexible yet thick (which should keep it quiet). That's what I'm doing! I ape a sock holder design I found on-line and I'm making progress!

 

 

 

 

Any thoughts on lighting?

 

 

During this stage of the build (late Sept 2012), I was planning on going with T-5's. Lights was actually the last thing I settled on (Early June 2013). . . and the wife wasn't too happy with my choice.

[frags]

Careful with those socks they love to destroy detritus and spread it around in your tank. I just cant understand why to trap detritus and put a lot of flow through it.

 

Build looks good so far.

[Mojado]

At this point, it is time to tackle the sump. I have the vaguest idea regarding the intricacies of the sump's water flow. I have a hard time understanding how water levels are maintained in the display tank and the sump; I just don't see it. MadDevil1 tells me not to overthink it.

 

I do A LOT of reading online. I read competing over-under vs under-over philosphies, thoughts on bubble traps, etc. I even see exotic designs that have two sump inputs with one output. . . which of course I respond with, "Oh hell no!" I decide to modify a layout I see online, based on my gut feeling cos again, I don't fully understand this stuff. I plan the baffles out, draw them out, mark where I want the corners beveled and go off to a glass store. I get the baffles back ($25, though I was quoted at other places as high as $125) and silicone them in one by one. I make a holder out of cardboard to help hold a baffle in place as I silicone it to the 20L.

Careful with those socks they love to destroy detritus and spread it around in your tank. I just cant understand why to trap detritus and put a lot of flow through it.

 

Build looks good so far.

Thanks! Yeah, I read about folks who don't like them, others who use them for a few days only after they do water changes. Then I see folks who always have them in, changing them out once every two weeks. I can remove it if it proves troublesome.

[frags]

Water level looks pretty high in the sump... do you have check valves on the return? I'm wondering if the sump would fill up with a siphon from your display.

[Mojado]

Water level looks pretty high in the sump... do you have check valves on the return? I'm wondering if the sump would fill up with a siphon from your display.

No check valves, but I calculated volume of water above the display tank returns vs unused volume in the sump. The last chamber on the right I actually run at a lower level. With pump off, I end up with comfortable margin in the sump's water level.

[frags]

Sweet!

[Mojado]

Up until now, I had thought an Automatic Top Off (ATO) was a "nice to have". It kept you from having to add fresh water every few days. I talked again to MadDevil1 and he set me straight. Turns out, it's essential to keeping your salinity at a constant level . . .so I have to have one.

 

 

I decide to go with a simple float-valve gravity fed system as opposed to a complex (read: expensive) pump/level switch set-up. I decide I need at least a 5 gallon ATO reservoir. . .but my tank stand can't accommodate one. No choice but to tear it down and give it longer legs. I also take the time to turn the front legs sideways to allow a larger opening in the front and give it a better look when skinned. For aesthetics, I turn the lower horizontal support 90 degrees so that I can give it a better cabinet look when I skin it.

 

 

I add a platform for the ATO reservoir. I drill into the bottom of the 5 gallon tank to retain as much of its capacity as I can. I plumb it out to my float valve and I'm ready to go. ATO done!

 

Edit: Pics coming . . .my skydrive on my laptop is acting up.

[frags]

Pics man you need pics.

[Mojado]

Pics man you need pics.

Pics coming . . .my skydrive on my laptop is acting up.

[Mojado]

Here are the pics of my taller cabinet with ATO. I had a scrap piece of MDF laying around so I temporarily use that for the platform. . .just to test the fit. I'll eventually put in a plywood platform for the ATO. The final plywood platform I route a grove in so that my ATO reservoir doesn't slide off of it with whatever vibrations are in the tank. I make the grove shallow enough to ensure the bottom glass of the aquarium doesn't touch the ATO platform.

 

This was also the first time I ran it wet in its eventual place in the house.

[Mojado]

Closeup of the bottom of the ATO.

[Mojado]

Now it's time to skin this stand. I paint black the inside part of the stand, then put down black (kinda black) vinyl tiles on the plywood bottom to better deal with spills. I nail (nail gun) the poplar boards to the front and back, plywood on the sides. At this point, I'm pretty stoked with how it is coming out.

 

I attach some trim to the upper part, just under where the table top will go. I router the table top board to fit just right with the trim. I then cut out where the tank will go, as it will be recessed into the table top. At this point, I'm shrieking like a 14 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert with how it is turning out!

 

In the pics, you can see where I routed a grove into the ATO reservoir platform. Again, deep enough to keep the 5 gallon from sliding around, but shallow enough to ensure the weight of the tank is still only resting on the black frame and not on the bottom glass of the 5 gallon tank.

Doors are next!