40B Without a Catchy Title

[Eisernes]

Current FTS 9/14/14

 

Tank Start Up Date 11/25/13

Display Tank: 40G Breeder w/ Glass-Holes 700GPH overflow

BRS DIY Screen Top

Sump: 20H with Baffles (DIY) |Skimmer|Return|

Stand: DIY 2x4

TSV: 45ish

Display Lighting: ATI Sunpower 6x24w T5's w/ moonlight mod
System Water: RO/DI Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt
Display Water circulation: MP10, WP-10
Return Pump: Reef Octopus Diablo DC 3500 w/ split 3/4" returns

Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5

Reactor: Modified TLF Reactor w/ Bio Pellets

ATO: Avast Marine ATO w/ Toms Aqualifter

Substrate: 1.5" Tropic Eden Reeflakes

Controller: RKL

Fish:

Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse (Female) (Cirrhilabrus solorensis)

Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse (Male) (Cirrhilabrus solorensis)

Royal Gramma

Yellow Watchman Goby

Yellow Coris Wrasse

Inverts:

Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Scarlet Hermit (Paguristes cadenati)

Blue Legged Hermit (Calcinus sp.)

Nassarius Snails (Nassarius sp.)

Super Tongan Nassarius Snails (Nassarius distortus)

Banded Trochus Snails (Trochus sp.)

Cerith Snails (Cerithium sp.)

Corals:

Rainbow Acan (Acanthastrea echinata)

Gold Torch (Euphyllia glabrescens)

Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoas

Keds Reds Zoas

Miami Vice Zoas

Devils Armor Palys

ORA Bird of Paradise

Montipora Setosa

Acropora Spathulata (Purple and Teal)

Purple Monti Cap

Purple and Yellow Tubinaria

Bleeding Apple Scoly

Feeding

PE Mysis

Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes

Reef Chili

Maintenance Routine

 

I do a 4 gallon water change every two weeks on my Sundays off. Prior to the water change I wipe down the inside of the display with a magic eraser and pull the dog hair out of the powerheads.I blow off the rocks and stir one half of the sand bed with the siphon as it removes water. Afterwards I use vinegar Windex to clean the outside.

 

I clean out my mesh in the overflow and change filter socks once a week.

 

I haven't had to do it yet but the skimmer will get cleaned every six months.

[dtitus1]

My best piece of advice, get a lid I think the marineland ones which will fit are like 23 bucks on dr.s foster and smith. Have the same tank though and I like the tetra's better than aqueon.

[Eisernes]

*original post*

My wife always wants fish that are way too big for my little 5 gal pico so I decided to take advantage of the $1 per gallon sale. I don't actually have any of that equipment yet but I will. I am shooting for January to start the cycle. This will be a sps dominated reef with probably more livestock than it should have. I will also be making my own water for the first time so I'm pretty excited about that. I'm really looking forward to this build but progress will be nice and slow. This is twice as large as any salt tank I have had and my first sump. I will try to keep it interesting and provide many many pictures.

 

I have been working on my stand today. It's a DIY 2x4 stick built joint with the finishing material yet to be decided.

I HAD a 20L for a sump until I miscalculated and made the inside of the stand 2" too short. I couldn't return the wood so I returned the tank and got a 20H.

 

I have to wait until the boss tells me what wood and what color paint she wants on it. She has some sort of color theme going on in the house and the stand has to match. The inside will be white exterior paint but beyond that I don't know. Also still need to get plywood down on the top and the sump floor.

 

 

My best piece of advice, get a lid I think the marineland ones which will fit are like 23 bucks on dr.s foster and smith. Have the same tank though and I like the tetra's better than aqueon.

 

 

 

I'm thinking about a DIY screen top.

[llama roadkill]

I'm setting one up too! I'll follow!

[Sunar357]

Yep go screen top with clear mesh. I didn't bother with plywood on top as the weight is supported on edges anyhow.

[Chris L]

Nice i love 40 Breeders!

[Eisernes]

The skimmer is designed for 8" of water so the first baffle is 8". The second one is 9" and set 1/2" off of the bottom. The third is 7", and the baffle between the pump chamber and the fuge is 10". The bubble trap baffles are set 1/2" apart. There is a tee with a valve in the return line going to the fuge to produce flow.

 

What are the flaws with this system? This is my first sump design so fire away. I can take it.

[Sunar357]

Generally you want an inch from the bottom for the second baffle and most sumps i've read of do an inch apart from each other also. Is there a reason you don't want the third baffle the same height as the first?

 

Generally a setup like yours would be 8" baffle, 1" space, 8" baffle that is 1" off ground, 1" space, 8" baffle.

 

Note: I'm no sump expert but have look at far too many when planning mine. lol

[DannaM]

Awesome start cant wait to see more. I just started a 40 build 3 weeks ago - you'll LOVE the shape for aquascaping

[Eisernes]

Generally you want an inch from the bottom for the second baffle and most sumps i've read of do an inch apart from each other also. Is there a reason you don't want the third baffle the same height as the first?

There is no practical reason. I just thought it would look cool having three different water levels. Extra ooo ahh factor when I show it to my non aquatic people.

[Mojado]

There is no practical reason. I just thought it would look cool having three different water levels. Extra ooo ahh factor when I show it to my non aquatic people.

You'll acutally have 4 different water levels. One in the skimmer section, one in the fuge with water flowing over the top into the pump chamber, a different level in the pump chamber, and the fourth (not obvious one) level would be the bubble trap water level. You wouldn't want to run the water level in your sump at the height you have drawn. . . maybe half as high as you have it. It gives you more room to take in water from your DT when pumps are off.

 

Baffle sizing/spacing is good.

[ArabTanker]

It is possible to have two water levels in the sump. Just know that the water will be 'waterfalling' into the return chamber. However the skimmer chamber and return pump chamber will have the same water hight - keep that in mind when you're picking your skimmer. Some skimmers need a certain hight to function efficiently.

 

*sigh* I want a 40b.

Good luck!

[Eisernes]

I need 8" for the skimmer I want.

 

 

You'll acutally have 4 different water levels. One in the skimmer section, one in the fuge with water flowing over the top into the pump chamber, a different level in the pump chamber, and the fourth (not obvious one) level would be the bubble trap water level. You wouldn't want to run the water level in your sump at the height you have drawn. . . maybe half as high as you have it. It gives you more room to take in water from your DT when pumps are off.

 

Baffle sizing/spacing is good.

 

I think I have calculated the space needed for when the pumps are off and for the possibility of a siphon from the DT. My return lines in the DT will be 2" lower than the water line of the return box leaving a possible siphon volume of 1296 cubic inches which is 5 gallons. At those sump heights I should have 2304 cubic inches (9 gallons) of space. I don't know how to calculate the volume in the return lines themselves but I can't imagine it being more than a gallon or two. Do you think I'm cutting it too close? I have to have 8" for that skimmer so if I need to drop the water line I need to shop around for a different model.

[Eisernes]

A couple of newbie sump questions and a more debatable one....

 

1) Should the drain line be in the water or hovering over the water? Also, years ago when I did plumbing work, if we had an open drain over a floor drain we used to cut the end of the drain line at a 45 degree angle. I believe it was to reduce splashing. Has anyone done that with their drain and if so have you seen any benefit to it?

 

2) Where in the sump is the most stable place for the ATO sensor?

 

3) If I tumble bio pellets is there any need for the fuge other than possible increasing pods? Can macro algae even thrive with an over sized skimmer plus pellets? Will pellets be enough to control phosphates or would I need a gfo reactor as well? I notoriously overfeed. My three fat dogs can attest to that.

[Eisernes]

I'm thinking of not having a fuge at all and using bio pellets and having the sump look more like this...

The large first chamber would house the skimmer and reactors and the second would be the return pump. I would probably still tee off the return line like in the first sump design to help with flow control.

[Mojado]

that'll work. Just run the water level in the return pump section a little lower. Have your ATO sensor in the pump section.

 

In-line valve to control water pump output works better than a T. It's counter-intuitive (so people will incorrectly tell you that an in-line valve will stress the pump and other incorrect things).

[Eisernes]

that'll work. Just run the water level in the return pump section a little lower. Have your ATO sensor in the pump section.

 

In-line valve to control water pump output works better than a T. It's counter-intuitive (so people will incorrectly tell you that an in-line valve will stress the pump and other incorrect things).

Thanks. I love your stand. If mine turns out half as nice I'll be happy.

[Mojado]

Thanks. I love your stand. If mine turns out half as nice I'll be happy.

Thanks, man!

[Boyder]

If it makes you feel any better, I couldn't decide on my sump design so for now I'm just using a 20 tall without any baffles. Just a filter sock, skimmer, heater and return. I might use some eggcrate to corral some cheato but other then that no baffles. I'll throw in a pump for my BRS reactor when I get it. As well as the ATO, when I decide which one I want. But really just a super simple sump.

[Eisernes]

Stocking List:

 

3x Vanderbuilt Chromis

2x Bartlett's Anthias

Yellow Watchman Goby w/ Tiger Pistol Shrimp

 

 

I've decided to not have a fuge. I'm just going to use bio pellets and GFO.

[Pinner Reef]

Just gonna say I love the fact that my tank only has two fish... So easy to maintain. Your list is a slight bit heavy, I'd say go with anthias OR chromis then maybe one other filler fish,

[Eisernes]

This is the first time I have attempted any woodworking in over 20 years when I was in high school wood shop.Pine 2x4 structure skinned and trimmed with oak. It's primed ready for painting. I still don't have doors. They will have to be ordered because that's beyond my skills and tools.

 

[Eisernes]

We have holes!

 

[Eisernes]

Baffles are in. Ghetto clamp worked like a charm. (With an obligatory photo bomb from my little helpers)

 

 

This will be a zeo system. The sump ended up being very tight. Just enough room for the skimmer on the left side and the reactor and pump on the right.

[Eisernes]

And now we have bulkheads