Drew's 40 Breeder

[Drew220]

Almost done setting up my 40 breeder that I picked up during the Petco dollar per gallon sale. This tank will replace my 24 gallon Nano Cube. I just finished plumbing it today and hope to start leak testing tonight. I was going back and forth on the lighting choice and decided on a 4 bulb over a 6 since it may be to much light for some of my lower light coral.

 

Current FTS:

12/24/2010

 

Details of my build:

 

Equipment:

40br tank (36x18x16)

Glass Holes 700GPH Overflow with Dual Returns

Aquaclear 70

Fish Need It 4x39 T5HO light fixture (2 ATI Blue +, Geissman Aquablue special, Fiji Purple

Vortech MP10

20 Gallon High Sump with two Baffles (10 and 9 inches)

Eshops PSK-100H Skimmer

Via aqua 3300 Pump

150w heater

Large magfloat

Thermometer

DYI Stand

 

Livestock:

Approximately 30-35lbs. LR

One occ. clownfish

One Black occ. Clownfish

Yellow Wrasse

Sunburst Anthias

Golden Dwarf Moray Eel.

Porcelain crab

Snails

Hermits

Various zoas/palys

Frogspawn

GSP

Ricordeas

SPS

Acans

Neon toadstool

1 Blue Lani MiniNem

1 orange and green Mininem

 

Now on to the pictures:

 

Stand Construction:

 

 

Stained

 

Plumbing:

 

 

Sump

 

Overflow

[rnd4]

Can't wait to see how it turns out! Following along!

[Clavius85]

Looks like it's going to be a nice setup!

[ajmckay]

Nice Tank!

 

I'm still in the process of finishing my 40b build (I also got the tank at the petco sale)

 

Your stank looks good too. Are you going to include doors?

 

I also like your simple plumbing setup.

 

Now regarding the stocking list aren't those dwarf morays really $$? I honestly don't know much about them will they be safe with your fish choices?

[Arkayology]

Now regarding the stocking list aren't those dwarf morays really $$? I honestly don't know much about them will they be safe with your fish choices?

My LFS has them for 21 bucks.

 

I like your design a lot. I am wondering where the skimmer is going to go? I figure it would sit right in front of the pipe coming from the overflow?

[Grom]

Nice clean looking set up you have.

Looks like we shop and do our research at the same place,I also have the 40 gal from the pet co sale,700 gph overflow from glass holes and a 20 gal high sump.

I love your stand are those 1"x4" you used for the frame?I'll be building my stand as well.

[Drew220]

Your stank looks good too. Are you going to include doors?

 

Now regarding the stocking list aren't those dwarf morays really $$? I honestly don't know much about them will they be safe with your fish choices?

 

 

Yes, I'm working on the doors now.

 

Regarding the Dwarf Golden Moray:

 

He is living in my 24 gallon right now, and does not bother the other inhabitants. Hes been great. I've had him for 6 months now. They do cost alot of $$ but I got him direct from Les with Wet Pets Hawaii for really cheap. He was awesome to deal with and has great prices.

 

My LFS has them for 21 bucks.

 

I like your design a lot. I am wondering where the skimmer is going to go? I figure it would sit right in front of the pipe coming from the overflow?

 

Yes the skimmer will go in the second chamber with a little live rock and a basket of cheato. I doubt those are Golden Dwarf Morays for 21 bucks . If they are then man did I get ripped off!

 

Nice clean looking set up you have.

Looks like we shop and do our research at the same place,I also have the 40 gal from the pet co sale,700 gph overflow from glass holes and a 20 gal high sump.

I love your stand are those 1"x4" you used for the frame?I'll be building my stand as well.

 

Yup. I used 1"X4" and 2"X2" posts. It's still way overbuilt. Here is my stand build thread.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=241513

 

If I were to do this again, I would use pocket hole screws and a table saw!!

 

 

Current plans are to build a auto top-off out of a 2+gallon cereal container.

[Drew220]

No leaks, but damn the overflow is loud. I have the flow dialed down to 90% and its still unbearable. The included air tube does nothing to help it. Increasing the flow only makes it worse. Any thoughts?

 

The wife will not let me keep the tank until this is fixed.

[msujeff]

Following along, I am starting a 40br as well but I am still in the planning stages.

 

Looking forward to hearing about the the fix to the overflow problem.

[nanogeo]

I have a nearly identical set up...40 breeder with 700 gph gl@ssholes overflow and also feel it's pretty loud. I've messed with a bunch of things and if you adjust it correctly, the vent tube does help a bit. I managed to get it quite enough so the wife isn't pissed by messing with the vent tube, running my pump about half way open (eheim compact 3000) at about 400 gph.

 

Most of the noise now comes from the water / air going through the drain pipe which I slanted so it wasn't a straight drop - pic below. Since the pic, I've gotten rid of the 90 turns on the return and used spa flex which also helped. Putting some filter floss in the overflow helped quite it down a bunch but that's a pain and risks an overflow.

 

 

[pumarjr]

Is there any way to get the overflo pipe primed with water? If you can prime it so that no air is inside the pipe it will quite down considerably. Maybe try putting a U shaped end on it and see if you could get all the air out? My old tank that I had, I had the same issues until I was able to prime the overflow, then she was as quite as could be, I also installed a sock in the sump over the pipe with holes drilled in it to soften the waters entry into the sump.

[Giga]

I use one of those overflows in the past it they are not worth it. It was so loud no matter what I did that I tore down the tank and got a new tank with a Herbie overflow and it DEAD silent with no bubbles at all(no salt creep sump)

[Byrdman]

Looking really good. I am cycling my 40 breeder as we speak. I had one of those kits also but never could really get it quiet on my 75 gallon. On this 40 I drilled the bottom and made a durso stand pipe. The thing is so quiet. I never tried this on my 75 cause I took it down after i thought of it but I was thinking instead of that last 90 you have I wonder if you inserted a tee fitting and capped it off drilling a couple smalles holes in the cap until its quiet. You could actually do this for the first 90 coming out of your aquarium and it should make it quiet, but I'm assuming you already glued that fitting to pvc.

[Grom]

No leaks, but damn the overflow is loud. I have the flow dialed down to 90% and its still unbearable. The included air tube does nothing to help it. Increasing the flow only makes it worse. Any thoughts?

 

The wife will not let me keep the tank until this is fixed.

I would eliminate the 90 and ball valve that's under your tank.

If you raised the 45 that's below your bulkhead 90 and turned the 45 that's under your stand the opposite direction,the pipe should drop straight into your sump.(you will need to add a piece between the 45s)

And if you blow into the the vent tube and it makes it quieter you need to extend the vent further into the drain pipe

[Drew220]

I would eliminate the 90 and ball valve that's under your tank.

If you raised the 45 that's below your bulkhead 90 and turned the 45 that's under your stand the opposite direction,the pipe should drop straight into your sump.(you will need to add a piece between the 45s)

And if you blow into the the vent tube and it makes it quieter you need to extend the vent further into the drain pipe

 

 

It's more form the overflow Grom. The water going into the sump isn't that bad.

 

I'm going to try a smaller pump today and look for some enkamat or some other coarse mesh to put in the overflow to see if it helps.

 

Do you guys think it may improve once I put live rock and sand in the tank?

[ScubaJ]

Same story. 40B, GH 700 Kit, although I have a AquaVia 3300 pump. The overflow is fairly noisy at full flow. Now that I have a comparison, the eshopps 300 overflow box is WAY quieter. Albeit its half the flow, but its far less than half the noise.

[Drew220]

Same story. 40B, GH 700 Kit, although I have a AquaVia 3300 pump. The overflow is fairly noisy at full flow. Now that I have a comparison, the eshopps 300 overflow box is WAY quieter. Albeit its half the flow, but its far less than half the noise.

 

Are you still using the glass holes overflow?

[Drew220]

Okay so I managed to quite down the overflow by placing squares of really coarse foam on both sides of the overflow. Now my main noise is from the water in the pipes were it hits the first 45 degree bend. I going to try some spa flex later. Vibration from the pump is causing alot of noise as well.

 

I upgraded the pump to a Sicce Syncra 3.0. It's a little quieter.

[gutterguy]

Looking good drew, my set up is very simular. What are the two pieces you have on your return lines, check valves?

Thanks

gg

[Drew220]

Looking good drew, my set up is very simular. What are the two pieces you have on your return lines, check valves?

Thanks

gg

 

Those are couplings were I can disconnect the plumbing. Just in case I need to move the tank in the future

 

35 lbs of Reef cleaners Caribbean dry rock are on the way as well!!

[Grom]

did you order the lid that comes with the 700 gph overflow,I'm just wondering if that would help quiet it down some

[ScubaJ]

Yes, I have the GH 700 still on my 40B. Since its in my office and not my home, the noise isn't as bothersome. It would bother me watching a movie though. The ES HOB overflow is in my home office and its QUIET.

 

I do have the lid as well. Makes a minor, near insignificant difference. It does it's job though. According to AGA/Aqueons brochure, the 40B is NOT a tempered bottom. So if I break this down and move it, I will most likely go to a bottom drilled overflow. As I do not care to have 4" of plumbing on the back side either.

[phi delt reefer]

Yes, I have the GH 700 still on my 40B. Since its in my office and not my home, the noise isn't as bothersome. It would bother me watching a movie though. The ES HOB overflow is in my home office and its QUIET.

 

I do have the lid as well. Makes a minor, near insignificant difference. It does it's job though. According to AGA/Aqueons brochure, the 40B is NOT a tempered bottom. So if I break this down and move it, I will most likely go to a bottom drilled overflow. As I do not care to have 4" of plumbing on the back side either.

 

 

Try dialing back your return pump to see if the reduced flow will quiet down the overflow. Sounds like your taking some air in. The overflow comes with a white tube that supposed to go in the black 90 degree elbow. I don't see it in any of your pics - try putting that in and moving it up and down as well to help some of the air escape.

[Drew220]

did you order the lid that comes with the 700 gph overflow,I'm just wondering if that would help quiet it down some

 

Yes I have the lid.

 

Try dialing back your return pump to see if the reduced flow will quiet down the overflow. Sounds like your taking some air in. The overflow comes with a white tube that supposed to go in the black 90 degree elbow. I don't see it in any of your pics - try putting that in and moving it up and down as well to help some of the air escape.

 

Yeah I tried the airline tube and no luck. I only had success when I stuffed the foam in the overflow which raised the water level in the overflow.

 

I just finished a major re-plumb job to fix the situation without using the foam. I tried a external durso method using a tee fitting with a stand pipe and drilled end cap. I tried several different hole configurations and none of them worked.

 

However the spa flex plumbing has quited down the drain to my sump significantly. Now I just have a bad vibration to deal with from the pump.

[Drew220]

I kinds wish I had just gone with a HOB filter