4 Year Old 40 Breeder

[GobyInPeace]

Im not making fun of your setup at all....Fullham ballasts run fine but you claim:

 

Lighting: 4x39 watt T5s overdriven to 64 watts each

 

How do you know they are overdriven to exactly 64 watts each? Also how are you able to keep the bulbs running for 18 months? I ask that because overdriven bulbs wont last 18 months. You are running 156 watts over your tank not 256 watts like you claim

 

They will overdrive just fine but you need to wire them differently and the ballast needs to be double the wattage rating. (Electronic ballasts are rated with a maximum wattage they can drive, and will accept several bulb configurations under that wattage).

 

The wiring essentially brings two lamps together as one. Each endcap accepts two wires, and (for example) in a 4-bulb configuration, only one wire from the ballast goes to each endcap but is jumpered to both holes. To overdrive, take the singe wire from each of two endcaps, then plug them both into one endcap. This is a 2x overdive since one bulb is wired as two. It is also possible to do 3x and 4x overdrives.

[adinsxq]

NICE

[SaltyVT]

:bowdown:

[razataz]

Very nice tank you have there. I like all of the colors.How do keep your corals so close with out them stinging each other. Do you have a list of your corals.

Edited November 30, 2008 by razataz

[GobyInPeace]

Could you post some more pics of your damsel?

 

Here ya go:

 

 

 

Very nice tank you have there. I like all of the colors.How do keep your corals so close with out them stinging each other. Do you have a list of your corals.

 

Thanks!

 

Part of my luck is that most of the corals are growing into each other rather than just plopped as large colonies. I think they may tolerate each other that way but who knows. Otherwise I cut back corals that are in warfare or move them around. Some corals I have traded out when they got too big like the bubble and toadstool.

 

Here is a brief list:

 

hammers, frogspawn, candycanes, lobophyllia, echinophyllia, symphyllia, pipe organ, nepthia, pocillopora, branching porites, toadstool leather, cyphastrea, blastomussa merletti, clove, acan lord, gsp, zoos, and shrooms.

Edited November 30, 2008 by GobyInPeace

[glennr1978]

saweeeeeet tank!!!!

[xavier1]

Amazing tank. whatever you are doing keep it up

 

i did have a couple questions.

1. what other equipment are you using?

 

and

 

2. how large/often are your water changes?

[jerzsky]

first off...i love your setup! corals look like they were laid out on blueprints by an architect! looks awesome!!! what do u use in ur hob?

[GobyInPeace]

Amazing tank. whatever you are doing keep it up

 

i did have a couple questions.

1. what other equipment are you using?

 

and

 

2. how large/often are your water changes?

 

Thanks!

 

Besides the HOB I have a heater and 4 58 GPH Elite Mini power filters for flow. I chose them because they can't harm my pipefish and they give off just the right amount of flow. Before the pipefish I had as much as 1440 GPH in the tank. I have always had 4 powerheads and they are configured to move the tank's flow in a circular pattern around the rockwork.

 

I do 9 gallons worth every month or so. The longest I went with-out one was 5 months though.

 

first off...i love your setup! corals look like they were laid out on blueprints by an architect! looks awesome!!! what do u use in ur hob?

 

Thanks for the compliment!

 

Only carbon. I have never run GFO.

Edited November 30, 2008 by GobyInPeace

[SeeDemTails]

Thats a really neat fish, I think I might have to have one.

[GobyInPeace]

Thats a really neat fish, I think I might have to have one.

 

Thanks. I've had him for over 3 years now. He really glows under actinics. I think he is as beautiful a fish you can get for this size tank.

[jokercykoe]

Beautiful tank. Whats the pod tank for? (Obviously to grow pods), but if its not connected to the main tank, how do you plan on harvesting the pods/moving pods between that tank and main tank.

[GobyInPeace]

Beautiful tank. Whats the pod tank for? (Obviously to grow pods), but if its not connected to the main tank, how do you plan on harvesting the pods/moving pods between that tank and main tank.

 

Thanks!

 

He's just a baby right now but the pods will be for my pipefish when he gets bigger.

 

 

The pods will be siphoned and acclimated to the main tank. Here is a good link on raising pods. Once I see a small population building I will dose heavily with some live phyto.

Edited November 30, 2008 by GobyInPeace

[I Ate A Cake]

Love this tank. I'm going to be setting up a 40G breeder soon, sumpless. I am debating between using a Skimmer or the "Turf-Filter" build on it, though.

 

I really like your pipefish too. Does he require much care? What kind is he?

[JBM]

epic!

[Ocho Cinco]

Wow! Awesome tank! Where do you get your corals from? That Damsel is sweet for a damsel...

[GobyInPeace]

Love this tank. I'm going to be setting up a 40G breeder soon, sumpless. I am debating between using a Skimmer or the "Turf-Filter" build on it, though.

 

I really like your pipefish too. Does he require much care? What kind is he?

 

Thanks! He is a dragonface pipefish. They are more of a substrate dweller than other pipefish and are poor swimmers. They are defenseless and at the mercy of the other fish in the tank so non-aggressive tank mates are a must. He is too small right now to eat anything other than the live pods he hunts down in the tank. The pods he hunts are the size of a pinhead. You can see them scurry out of the way when he approaches. High flow tanks may not be the best for them but some SPS keepers are stocking them because they eat red-bugs.

[jerzsky]

im sorry...gfo??

 

Thanks!

 

Besides the HOB I have a heater and 4 58 GPH Elite Mini power filters for flow. I chose them because they can't harm my pipefish and they give off just the right amount of flow. Before the pipefish I had as much as 1440 GPH in the tank. I have always had 4 powerheads and they are configured to move the tank's flow in a circular pattern around the rockwork.

 

I do 9 gallons worth every month or so. The longest I went with-out one was 5 months though.

 

 

 

Thanks for the compliment!

 

Only carbon. I have never run GFO.

[GobyInPeace]

Wow! Awesome tank! Where do you get your corals from? That Damsel is sweet for a damsel...

 

Thanks!

 

Most all of my corals where acquired from an LFS I frag for. When orders come in I frag some of the colonies for them and can often keep a frag for myself. The symphyllia I won in a tank contest from reefhotspot.com. Some of the corals are over 4 years old now. Many have been cut back and fragged. The toadstool was so big I traded out the colony and just kept a small frag for myself. That frag is now getting to a good size now.

[turboclown]

this is the best tank i have seen in my life! great job!

[BKtomodachi]

EVERY NOOB SHOULD LOOK AT THIS TANK, IMO.

 

There is much to be learned here.

[FLIPbmw]

Lighting color is amazing. Show us the fixture! The spread of the light is also nice and looks like it gets mixed pretty well.

[rhogeo]

Incredible tank. Great setup and coral selection. You have done a very good job. I agree with BK above, everyone should look at your tank and learn....

[debbeach13]

Very beautiful tank. Some day I hope my 40B comes close.

[erich_9175]

lovely!