My new 40B

[sr71pav]

I finally got it filled with water last night and began adding the salt, so it's probably time to start a thread about it.

 

Specs:

40B main tank

Internal overflow w/ external durso overflow

20L sump divided into three chambers

Mag3 return pump

250W MH w/ AB 10K bulb HQI DE

2xSeio 620s

250W Jager heater

DIY stand

 

I've been working on this for the past few months slowly acquiring all the pieces and building the stand. This tank represents a lot of firsts for me. It's my first MH setup. First time I've drilled glass (much easier than I expected). First sump (and DIY!) First PVC plumbing. And first DIY stand. I've been working on getting it going since the beginning of the year, and it's been very satisfying to watch it all come together, testing as I went.

 

Here's a pic of the basic setup in my garage.

 

 

It didn't have the back painted or the plumbing in when I took the picture, but that's the last one I have. I'm planning on hitting up Premium Aquatics this weekend to get the LR and substrate. There will definitely be pictures when I get that set up.

 

I'm also planning that when the time comes, this will be my first tank to have fish. The Georgia Aquarium this weekend inspired me with some ideas. I'd never given hawkfish much of a look before, but they were fun to watch in the reef setup they had (I spent almost a couple hours just sitting and watching).

 

Here's what I'm thinking in terms of livestock ATM:

 

snails

-ceriths, nassarius, trochus, nerites

Maybe a tuxedo urchin

Fish (probably need advice)

-flame or longnose hawkfish

-blenny of some kind

-pair of ocellaris

-coral beauty or flame angel

-royal gramma

-six- or four-line wrasse

 

The fish list is just a listing of some I'm thinking about. I'm also open to any suggestions I'm certain I couldn't have all of those, and the angel is probably the one that'd cause the most issues in terms of what else I could keep. There was a time I wanted a snowflake eel, but I just think they would want a still bigger tank ideally.

[evoracer]

Fish (probably need advice)

-flame or longnose hawkfish

-blenny of some kind

-pair of ocellaris

-coral beauty or flame angel

-royal gramma

-six- or four-line wrasse

 

Looks good lets see those updated pics! I am looking into a 40B myself. As for the fish, I would say:

-Flame hawk (I like the way they "perch")

-Lawnmower Blenny and/or Bicolor Blenny (the Bicolor stays small and has a TON of personality, and the Lawnmower will help keep algae down)

-Clowns, if you provide them a host coral or anemone (not ab. neccessary, but it is cool to watch)

-Ditch the angel (I have had both nip at corals)

One or the other six line or Gramma. I like Royal Grammas, but they aren't as hardy as six lines, IME.

-If you get the Gramma, that leaves the door open for the coolest little fish ever, a Mandarin (when the tank is estblished, obviously!)

All of these stay reletively small, so I don't think that it would be an overload. HTH!

[HotRod68Camaro]

yea iv had a bicolor blenny and it really does have a lot of personality, probably the most out of the fish i have owned.

[scarf_ace1981]

one more for the 40br club. woohoo. i'm rooting for you man. keep the pics coming, we never get tired of pics

[crrichey]

The only thing I can say is don't get a blenny with a hawkfish. My hawkfish at my jawfish a while back! They will eat anything that can fit in their mouth and blennies are a perfect shape!

[reffer9391]

FlameHawk and Six-Line

IDK what ealse

[sr71pav]

Hmmm...Well, the planning's on hold as of my arrival home today. I'm trying to track down the source of some water. It's not much water at all. It's underneath the tank, which leads me to think maybe I have a seam breaking. However, working against that is that I had this full up and running in the garage for a couple weeks just to make sure of everything and I figure things would have happened then. My other theory, and the one I want it to be and think is a bit more likely is that after I turned the pump on from the sump, it's causing just enough of a level rise in the tank with the disturbance that there's a very slight drip at one of the front corners that goes down to the base and across the front until it reaches a very slight opening where it can get underneath. I'm going to let things sit, no sump circulation, and see what happens for a couple days. I'm already thinking about getting a new tank, just for peace of mind.

[sr71pav]

Someone has pointed out that I probably have a terrarium instead of an aquarium. Note the lesser height of the rim at the front. I'd like to thank the certain nationwide company that has terrariums in their aquarium section.

 

Edit:

Just got word back from another LFS that they do have 40B's in stock. I can think of other things I'd like to spend that money on (LR, for instance), but I think it's probably necessary. If I can pick it up today, and get it drilled tonight, paint it tomorrow, things have probably only been pushed back a week. The biggest pain is re-filling with water, in terms of time.

[sr71pav]

OK, so the LFS that claimed they had a 40B actually had a terrarium, not aquarium. They're ordering it and hopefully I'll have it next Wednesday. Probably pushes me back a total of two weeks instead of one. Argh!

[sr71pav]

Update: Tank was back-ordered this week, but I've been promised I'll have it next Wednesday. I swear this hobby is trying to force patience on me! I'm just spending my time thinking about what fish I want for the tank. The only one I'm currently dead set on is the flame hawk. Beyond that, I'm not sure.

[xavier1]

atlantic pygmy angel

pair of clownfish

pistol/gobie combo

scooter blenny

firefish

 

 

howd does that sound?

[sr71pav]

Doesn't the scooter need a bit more volume because it's actually a dragonette? And which pygmy angels are atlantic?

[jeremai]

And which pygmy angels are atlantic?

The 'flamebacks' are Atlantic (Centropyge acanthops and C. aurontonotus). So is C. resplendens. But he was probably talking about the Cherub Angle, C. argi.

[sr71pav]

I got the new tank last night and already have it drilled. Today I'm going to get the overflow installed and get the back painted in the next couple days as well.

 

How hit or miss is a cherub angel with regards to nipping corals? Also, which type of clown would be good?

[jeremai]

How hit or miss is a cherub angel with regards to nipping corals?

They're not as likely as some other Centropyge species, but I'd say it's about 50/50. But of course, the more expensive your corals are, the more likely they'll get nipped.

[sr71pav]

I finally have the new tank filled with RO water and have started adding the salt. With any luck, I'll be able to drop by Premium Aquatics either tomorrow or Saturday and get my LR. I figure I'll just go in and see what they recommend. They have a much better eye for it than I do. Then the dog and I can sit and watch the rocks.

[seabass]

Then the dog and I can sit and watch the rocks.

My dog gets pushy if I spend too much time watching my tank. He starts to ‘paw’ at the stand to tell me that he has had enough.

 

It sounds like it's going to be a nice setup. Do you have any close-ups of the internal overflow? Is it glass with an acrylic overlay? How is it attached to the back wall?

[sr71pav]

It's a black acrylic overflow. I attached it with some silicone. Supposedly not the best seal in the world, but I was ptugging on it a bit after it cured to see how strong it was and it seemed plenty strong to me. Doesn't seem to be leaking. I'll get a picture of it tonight.

 

Edit: The overflow was made by First Class Aquatics. Outstanding quality, and certainly cleaner than anything I could do myself.

[sr71pav]

Big day today. Picked up the LR. Was at PA and they had a couple people helping me pick it out. I think it's almost exclusively cured Fiji. Gotta love being able to pick up the cured rock for the same price as uncured.

 

First up a pic of the overflow.

 

 

Now for the FTS aquascaping shot.

 

 

It was great going through the rock cleaning it up before putting it in the tank and finding bits of life already (microstars, amphipods, etc.). It took me a week or more before to see my first pods in the 15G. Maybe I just know better what to look for now. Tomorrow I'm going to put the sand in the display. I wanted to make sure that it's fairly stable and I like the look of it before I put the sand in.

[jasert39]

looks great. Nice looking rock and i like how you arranged it in there. Lots of different levels and areas for different corals. Nice.

[sr71pav]

I still have another 15-20 lbs of LR in my 15G that will be transferred when this is finished cycling. I have a nice pocket on the left side that, once I get fish, I'm hoping they'll spend the occasional bit of time swimming through.

 

It's quite a jump going from a 15G to a 40B + 20L sump. Great water volume, and I'm really looking forward to stocking it when the time comes. I'll probably have my first SPS and maybe even a clam eventually.

[sr71pav]

Just a quick update.

 

Going through a diatom bloom at the moment. At least this time I know what to expect a bit more. I plan to hit the store on the way home and get the light for the fuge. Then I'll get some chaeto in and let it do it's thing.

[sr71pav]

OK, not in the 40, but in my 15 (soon to be moved to the 40) I just saw some great little featherdusters. They're not the white or red I'm used to seeing. These little guys actually flouresce. I wish I could get a picture of them somehow. Any suggestions for a Lumix?

[jeremai]

How big are they? I noticed two little green dusters attached to a turbo snail this morning, and they flouresced, as well - maybe only a millimeter across, each.

[sr71pav]

I'd say the crown is about a half centimeter. They're not huge, but there's 5 or so in the cluster.