Byrdman's 40 Breeder

[Arkayology]

Just wanted to get away with one pump really. At the time I thought it would be cheaper to buy one mp40 than two 10s. The guy I bought it from had it on his 30 long and he said his corals loved it. I I feel it's too much May go with two tens.

I think that using one mp40 is a good idea to try out. Maybe if it is too much, dial it down and put a mp10 on the opposite side? I am using you as a test subject for when I upgrade

[Byrdman]

It will be dialed down to darn near the lowest I believe being on a 40 gallon. Got one baffle in and the rock came in. Need to go to hardware store and buy some silicone if I can find out what is safe to use on aquariums. I dont wanna keep paying high price for the small AGA tubes.

[Byrdman]

Ok I worked on my rockwork today and got another baffle in my sump siliconed in. I ran outta silicone so I have to go purchase more. I originally bought acrylic rods to attatch my rock work together but as I started doing this I realized what a PITA it is. I really love the fiji rock that BRS sent me it was absolutely awesome quality. I do have a few acrylic rods here and there and in some pieces I felt I just couldnt do without. In the end the rock was so porous that it was hard to follow where I drilled and getting the rock to cooperate the way I wanted after the rod was in place just didnt sit well with me. Anywhere here are a couple pics of what I came up with.Overall I am satisfied with this layout and I think it will provide me with the feel I would like once corals are placed in the tank. Thoughts opinions are welcome as it will be a few days before there is sand/water in this thing.

 

[Arkayology]

Looks good.

[Byrdman]

Thanks. I think it will be ok once I fill it with coral. It's really stable so that is comforting.

[Twinn]

Don't forget pics of the sump

[Byrdman]

I'll get some pics of the sump up in a day or so. I got the second baffle silicones half way in but I ran outta silicone. I picked up two more tubes today. Sump is just going to consist of four baffles. Firs section is skimmer followed by over then under baffle. Next section is nothing really I'll probably keep my heaters here and my add a par30 bulb here at some point for growing frags or something who knows. Then I'll have an over and a under baffle going to the last section which will be the return section. Sump is 29 gallon baffle heights are 12 inches high. Under baffles will be inch off bottom for overall height of 13 in. Pics to follow soon

[Byrdman]

OK sump is done. It looks really bad as far as cosmetically but it will work. The reason its black silicon is because it was what i used to secure my overflow in my aquarium. Its on thicker because I order my baffles about 1/2 too short so I had some space to fill up with some silicone. I also snapped a pic of my removable side which comes off really simple.

 

Side of tank with panel off

 

Panel resting on side of stand

 

Sump in stand

[HiImSean]

very nice. i got a stand with my 40b and im gonna have to rework it to fit my 29g in it. right now the only way in is through the top which isn't gonna fly

[Byrdman]

very nice. i got a stand with my 40b and im gonna have to rework it to fit my 29g in it. right now the only way in is through the top which isn't gonna fly

 

Yeah its nice to be able to remove the sump if you have too. My first tank it was dang near impossible to get out so I made sure on this one I could get it out easy.

[Byrdman]

Tank and sump are about 95% full. Will finish making water tomorrow morning and will get everything going at that time too I hope. Guess I may just pee in it to get the cycle going this time. Lol will take some pics if I get it all done at a decent time. 

[Arkayology]

So what kind of livestock can we expect to be in this?

[Byrdman]

Well got the tank up and going now and Im not loving it right now lol. I had to dremel my teeth in my overflow lower because the water level was at the top lip of the upper rim. After I got that straightened out I cut the drain pipe where it was about 1-2 in below the water surface entering the sump. The problem I am having now is the dam* durso pipe. Its not gurgling it just sounds like loud running water because the water level in that area is 4 inches below the DT level water. I cant get it to rise any more. I even took the lid completely off to see if I could get it to come up because I was tired of drilling little holes everywhere lol. Any ideas on what I can do to make the water level come up?

 

So what kind of livestock can we expect to be in this?

Not for sure what I will add besides what I have in my 20 atm. Its a pair of clowns and a midas blenny. I think I can get two more fish but not for sure what really lol. ANy suggestions?

[Byrdman]

any thoughts on raising the water level?

[Arkayology]

Not for sure what I will add besides what I have in my 20 atm. Its a pair of clowns and a midas blenny. I think I can get two more fish but not for sure what really lol. ANy suggestions?

I can't help you with the water level. I have never had a sump.

 

As for the livestock, maybe you could look into a mandarin or a wrasse?

[pyronus]

So you want to raise the water level inside the overflow box so that more of the upside down elbow on your durso is covered so that you have more a more silent drain?

 

Am I getting that right? The problem is that you aren't going to be able to do that without either more flow from your return pump or a smaller drain size, also you would need to have your return pump slightly outpace your drain and that is a recipie for disaster if you think about it.

 

To silence a durso you need to restrict return flow, so get a ball valve in the return to slow it down the flow so you drain less. TBH you probably are going to need to replace the cap on your drain, the 1/8" hole in my glass-holes kit was more than enough of an air hole for a completely silent overflow.

[Byrdman]

Yes I want the water level higher so the splashing noise stops. If I slowed down the return line wouldn't that allow the water to drain even faster this causing te water level to go lower?

[pyronus]

The water drains at the exact same rate that the return pushes water into the display, unless the return runs at a faster rate than the drain is rated for and then the tank overflows until the pump can push no more water. The only way to silence a durso is to slow down the return flowrate.

 

I guess you could also try taking the cap off the standpipe. That might raise the level a little bit.

[Byrdman]

I did try removing the cap. No luck. Not sure how good it would be to restrict flow of return pump. I wonder if I could remake the standpipe and try raising the upside down fitting closer to the water level?

[Byrdman]

well this morning turned out to be fun. In an attempt to make the durso taller. I had to get under neath the tank and take off the bulkhead because I glued the pipe into the bulkhead. The reason I did this because my overflow box i made and silicone in has a small leak that gets into the chamber and the water was going down the bulkhead in between the pipe and fitting so I glued it. Stupid I know because once it gets to the correct water level its going to travel down the tube like it was operating anyway. I was paranoid when I left for work the other night that I would come home to a overfilled sump. But anyway, enough with my stupid decisions. I ended up having to drain the entire tank and put the water in the tub and lift the tank out off the stand some to get to the bulkhead. I unscrewed the bulhead and took the durso outside to cut and add couplings (which i didnt glue this time) to achieve the desired height on the standpipe.So now I'm making more water to refill my tank because I seem to loose some during all the madness. Hopefully by this evening everything will be functioning again and I'll be enjoying the cycle and waiting for it to complete.

[Byrdman]

Making the durso pipe longer solved my problem. I now have an extremely quit tank!!! Now just waiting on the cycle to complete.

[Byrdman]

Well as I stated up above I am just waiting on the cycle to complete. I am also in the process of looking up mods for my skimmer. It has the GV mod and the original owner sent me an impeller that had been moded but it doesnt wanna start up because I believe its not that enkai mat everyone uses for the mod. I am also looking into the venturi mod for this skimmer which I believe has the most effect on the skimmer. I have also decided to use Tropic Marine BIO-ACTIF salt for this tank. Now i must say off hand that I didnt set them aquarium up with it because I just recently discovered it and am going to give it a try. I bought two 32 gallong boxes that should be here today so I guess once I get the coral in this tank and start my WC we shall see how it goes. Here are a couple pics to make this thread not so boring lol.

 

FTS with the bulbs that came with it. I am going to buy new ones about this time next week.

 

Just a pic of the tubing I used underneath in my sump

 

The skimmer section

[Byrdman]

Ordered my bulbs yesterday. 3 ati blue+ 2 aquablue special and one other I forgot the other one lol. Still waiting on the cycle to complete. I guess I peed in it too much lol.

[Mojorizn]

It's the bulb you forgot that i'm curious about...lol

 

I'm running 4 ATI B+ / Fiji Purple and a GE 6500.

Looks ok but a bit washed out, imo. I have several "slightly used" bulbs that i'll be switching around till i find the combo i like.

 

nice tank / setup...btw

[Byrdman]

Cycle is almost complete!!! ammonia at .5