Cake's 40BR Build

[I Ate A Cake]

Look what I got for Christmas... (12-27-08)

 

A 40G (Breeder Style) tank. Sure, nothing special. But it sure is a lot bigger than the ten I have. Anyways, you all know the specs of 40s and blah blah...

 

Specs as of now:

-40G breeder tank

-3x72W T5's (216W Total) (4 10k daylights, 2 Actinics). I plan to switch out some with like Blues or UVLs

-About 50lbs of LR

-30lbs of LS

-1 Koralia 1's (Will use 2 1's)

-Tunze 9002 DOC Skimmer

-Stealth 100W Heater

 

I plan to stock this tank with:

-2 Clownfish (have 1)

-1 YWG (have)

-Others

 

-Hermits

-Snails

-Red reef Starfish, maybe

-A few Clams

-Peppermint Shrimps

-Cleaner Shrimp

-Others

 

-Corals

 

Right now, I have 35lbs of rock from Liveaquaria, and 16lbs from my LFS. I will also be transferring the rock from my 10G once the 40 is done cycling. I will bring most of my corals back, and the fish+inverts. The tank is very, very cloudy ATM. Here are the first pics:

 

Too lazy to get the first pics off like imageshack so I'm just uploading here.

FTS (before spraypaint) with no lights on and nothing in the tank:

Daylights:

Actinics:

Both:

Infamous Cloudy FTS:

Angled:

 

And now. Please excuse all the dustiness.

FTS:

Left:

Middle:

Right:

 

let me know what you think.

[pineo]

looks good man. I like the way you have placed the rocks. What coral are you looking at stocking?

[joel sandoman]

what kind of light is that:?

[I Ate A Cake]

They are just 3 Nova Extremes placed side by side by side. Daylights on both the outsides, and actinics in the middle. I know they are like the worst T5s you can get, but they are good for my needs.

I got them here. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=16770

 

I plan on doing mainly softies and LPS. Maybe easy SPS down the road like Monti Caps or Birdsnest.

 

And thanks. I tried getting some little tunnels here and there. I still have like 20lbs of rock in my ten I will move over too.

[SaltyVT]

Off to a good start!!

[joel sandoman]

the nova extreme pro is definitely not the worst fixture out there. Check out Nessbuilder's tank, he has one over his 72 and his SPS and entire tank is thriving. good luck, I'm gonna be setting up a 40b soon too.

[I Ate A Cake]

Well, I tested ammonia and nitrites for the first time today (nitrates take too long), and all I have to say is WOW.

 

Ammonia: Off the charts at more than 8ppm

trites: 1.0ppm

 

I just can't believe I have this big a spike already. I guess thats what happens when you get rock from liveaquaria...

[davidr2340]

Looks great!

Thanks a lot though... Now I really want to upgrade!!!

 

[I Ate A Cake]

Last update if the year.

 

Starting to see some light diatoms on the sand, so hopefully I will get the bloom within the next day or two.

 

And thanks for all the comments. I'll try to get some coral pics tomorrow so the thread isn't as boring.

[I Ate A Cake]

Day 8

 

Diatoms are showing their ugly faces finally. Also, here are some new pics.

 

And Params:

Ammonia: ~6ppm (in between the 4 and 8ppm colors. but at least it went down)

Nitrites: More than 5ppm

pH: 7.9. I know that is low, but in the cycle stuff is all over the place so I wont bother with it. this happened in my 10G as well.

 

At least my cycle is comnig along. And I think I am going to get a Black Clown at my LFS to pair up with my regular clown. It is a lot smaller than the one I have, so hopefully I'll get a boy/girl. I'll just be sure to add them at the same time.

 

Pics.

FTS:

Diatoms:

[I Ate A Cake]

Pics:

 

I came home from Snowboarding (for 2 days) and I gots the hair algae.

 

Crooked fts :

Hair algae:

Bad pic of a snail:

Skimmer cup when first setup:

24 hour Skimmate:

 

Skimmer is doing pretty good. Somewhat loud, but I can still sleep, so it is fine.

 

Let me know.

[hooligan_78]

I saw the one snail, but what do you have for a CUC in there?

 

Nice 'scape!

[I Ate A Cake]

Ive been adding water from my 10G, and I had nitrates under 10ppm. Fast cycle I guess because of that.

 

I know it is, and was early, but I want to get all of my stuff in this tank soon.

[I Ate A Cake]

Decided I would just post about what's happening... count on pics tomorrow.

 

I tested my water yesterday and I had 0 trites, 0 ammonia, and anywhere from 5-10 trates (more like 5ppm I think, though). Skimmer is doing great.

 

I also added some hermits a week or two back (five that is). Really helping out and I think I'll get a few more.

 

Lastly I have been slowly adding some corals over from my 10G. I have one small polyp of a Ricordia, a small frag of orange zoas (maybe 15 polyps), and a small kenya tree frag.

 

And the bad news is that I keep having some cyano popping up in the same spots. I got it almost all the way gone but then it came back. I think it may be lack of flow, as I am only running 2 K1's plus the skimmer. I'm going to try to get some out this weekend with a WC. Could this also be formed because of stocking too quickly?

 

Ok, lastly for real. I want to change out one of my 10k bulbs for a different one, since I feel it is lacking in blue or the like. I think 2 actinics if fine. Any suggestions on a bulb change? I was thinking about getting a blue or some sort of UVL thing.

[I Ate A Cake]

FTS ( I cannot take a straight one, and no I don't ever use a tripod):

Zoas:

Kenya:

Ric:

Ric in actinics:

Zoas:

 

I was going to take more, but my battery died.

 

Let me know.

[pismo_reefer]

i love de ric...dah zoo's give me seizures...

[I Ate A Cake]

Thanks.

 

Brought over some more zoas. And yes another bad pic.

 

[I Ate A Cake]

Update:

 

Pics:

 

FTS (sorry, didn't clean off glass):

Redish Zoas:

Kenya Tree:

Bad shot of one of the mushrooms:

Pagoda/Cup:

[I Ate A Cake]

I just realized how long its been since I last updated this.

 

The tank is very different; I have a good amount of corals now and coraline growing everywhere.

My current livestock list;

-2 clowns

-1 YWG

-Frogspawn

-5 different types of zoas, soon to be 6

-red mushrooms, maroon mushrooms

-kenya trees all over

-pulsing xenia

-same old ric

-flower anemone

-cup coral

 

Nothing too special, but I like it. Camera is currently getting fixed, but expect some pics tomorrow.

 

Also a question... I am going to be adding another fish soon, because I want something purple/pink. I have been thinking Purple Firefish, Diadem Pseudochromis, or Royal Gramma. Any ideas?

[I Ate A Cake]

Just a few pics. I apoligize up front for the bad pic quality and actual pictures.

 

As you can see, I'm battling an algae problem ATM. Nothing too bad yet IMO.

 

FTS:

Frogspawn

Zoas:

Kenya Tree

[Maroon Clown]

wow, great tank. i hope to have a tank like yours some day.

[I Ate A Cake]

I picked up a little Toadstool frag yesterday. I said for $10, why not. I don't have ay other leathers.

 

 

I'm still stuck on fish. What do you guys think of adding a Purple Firefish and Coral Beauty? Not in the same day (or even month or two) of course.

 

I think Im going to be picking up a lot of corals sometime in the next two weeks. So stay tuned.

[I Ate A Cake]

The tank is progressing very nicely. I'm seeing a lot of growth between all of my corals.

 

Today, I picked up three corals and a fish. The corals being a small Monti Cap Frag (my first SPS), some GSP, and an ~8 head Candy Cane. The fish is a small Blue Flasher Wrasse. He is still a little shy, but no worries.

 

I'll get some pics tomorrow.

[plainrt]

Looking good.Gotta love the breeders.Looking forward to the pic of the wrasse.I have a blue sided fairy in my 30b in sig and its one of my favorites in my tank.

[I Ate A Cake]

Thanks. I think it looks better every day, but the pictures don't do any justice.

 

Any opinions on having a Mystery Wrasse? I would have picked one up today, saying they had one at $99, but I wanted some corals as well. Any size/compatibility issues? That would probably complete my stocking, for a while at least. IE:

-2 Clowns

-1 YWG

-1 Blue Flasher

-1 Mystery Wrasse