41 G plans, so far....need more input...

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 05:27 PM

here's kinda what i'm plannin on for my 41 gallon tank. let me know if i should change something or consider something else, none of this is ordered or carved in stone.

a refugium of some sort. at least a ten gallon tank converted...maybe something larger.

glass-holes overflow the super nano with teeth, rated at 300 GPH. also the 1/2 inch thru glass return.

return pump ehiem 1250 rated 320 gph with max head of 6.5

1 koralia nano powerhead rated at 240 gph ( or i guess maybe it should be the one above that at 600, since i guess i will probably only run about 120 GPH thru the fuge.

reef octopus external skimmer, the one rated for 100 gallons. still figuring out exactly how the pluming would work on that.

sundial 4x24W T5 with moonlight leds. 24" fixture. and if i really need more light i can put the hagen glo t5 2x24, the fixture that came with the tank, on there as well. probably remove the light rig for hanging the fixture over the tank. just kinda depends...

this is the tank:

this is what i have for stand space:

planning on taking that center brace out and re framing the entire top of the cabinet and running studs down the outside edges. basically a stand within a stand.

again any help or comments are greatly appreciated. thanks!

johnny 5 is ALIVE!!!

iglooreefer · 02/09/2010, 05:39 PM

Nice tank, but if you're drilling it, I would double check that it's not tempered glass...I would hate to see you put a bit to it and have it go into a million pieces.

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 05:45 PM

just got the email from hagen today telling me that it is not tempered. good lookin out!

also will be painting the back black. i did it on my 55 FW and it turned out great. just regular old krylon. nice, smooth, uniform color across the back.

bertoni · 02/09/2010, 06:32 PM

That all sounds okay. It does look like a nice setup! Good luck!

mudskipper1 · 02/09/2010, 06:45 PM

Depending on what you are planning to keep, you may want to use a larger koralia, maybe a couple 2's. If you aren't gonna keep coral, you would probably be okay, but otherwise, i'd suggest a little more flow. JMO. Looks like a nice tank though

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 07:31 PM

yeah. was thinkin i might need more flow. how can i tell if i have enough? i was plannin on gettin some softies, but not really sure about how deep i wanna get into corals...

bertoni · 02/09/2010, 09:15 PM

For soft corals, 400-800 gph of total flow should be fine. I've run tanks at the lower end of the spectrum without problems, but I am very careful about the number of fish I put into systems.

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 09:58 PM

i'm kinda more in favor of fish at the moment. haven't really found too many corals that i'm just DYING to have.

i do want a black long spine urchin though. and a firefish of some sort.

bertoni · 02/09/2010, 10:04 PM

I don't know much about that urchin; maybe someone else can add some comments. Firefish are a good choice for that size tank.

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 10:06 PM

probably get the obligatory clown. for the girlfriend mainly.....and she wants a mandarin on down the road....and she wants a purple fish.....pseudochromis i think.

geaux xman · 02/09/2010, 10:09 PM

whats the dimensions on that tank?

GQJake81 · 02/09/2010, 10:10 PM

24 wide x 24 tall x 18 deep (front to back)

mudskipper1 · 02/09/2010, 10:56 PM

Mandarin would require a sizable refugium in that size tank, and a lot of LR. I would reccomend maybe another koralia nano, or similar. But I don't have experince in a tank this size

GQJake81 · 02/10/2010, 06:49 PM

a 10 gallon refugium wouldn't supply enough pods for a mandarin? well that's a real bummer.

i think i might take the leap and have my girl get me my skimmer for V-day....we'll see.

mudskipper1 · 02/10/2010, 06:52 PM

I guess it depends on what exactly you put in the fuge, but i think you'd be much better off with a 20 gallon fuge. Somebody with specific experience should chime in here.

bertoni · 02/10/2010, 07:11 PM

I've seen a rather thin mandarin in a 65 g system with a fairly large refugium. I wouldn't try that fish in that size tank, personally.

GQJake81 · 02/10/2010, 07:48 PM

alright. well i'm more concerned with keeping a happy healthy fish than, just keeping it alive. so i'll probably see what what else i can get in there. definitely want a firefish and a long black spine urchin....open to any other stock suggestions. i like flame angels too, but i'm not sure if i will be gettin into corals and i know they can nip and whatnot...

bertoni · 02/11/2010, 03:54 PM

Flame angels are pretty, but they often nip at corals. There are lots of good reef-safe fish. I'd just start looking at some pictures. If you like reading books, Scott Michael's books are generally very good.

GQJake81 · 02/12/2010, 10:42 PM

just got "the new marine aquarium" by paletta. so far it's pretty decent. there is a whole chapter on stocking, so i might skip ahead to that just to start gettin an idea.

02/09/2010, 05:27 PM	#1
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	41 G plans, so far....need more input... here's kinda what i'm plannin on for my 41 gallon tank. let me know if i should change something or consider something else, none of this is ordered or carved in stone. a refugium of some sort. at least a ten gallon tank converted...maybe something larger. glass-holes overflow the super nano with teeth, rated at 300 GPH. also the 1/2 inch thru glass return. return pump ehiem 1250 rated 320 gph with max head of 6.5 1 koralia nano powerhead rated at 240 gph ( or i guess maybe it should be the one above that at 600, since i guess i will probably only run about 120 GPH thru the fuge. reef octopus external skimmer, the one rated for 100 gallons. still figuring out exactly how the pluming would work on that. sundial 4x24W T5 with moonlight leds. 24" fixture. and if i really need more light i can put the hagen glo t5 2x24, the fixture that came with the tank, on there as well. probably remove the light rig for hanging the fixture over the tank. just kinda depends... this is the tank: this is what i have for stand space: planning on taking that center brace out and re framing the entire top of the cabinet and running studs down the outside edges. basically a stand within a stand. again any help or comments are greatly appreciated. thanks! johnny 5 is ALIVE!!!

02/09/2010, 06:32 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That all sounds okay. It does look like a nice setup! Good luck! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/09/2010, 06:45 PM	#5
mudskipper1 Trust Me I'm an Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 1,085	Depending on what you are planning to keep, you may want to use a larger koralia, maybe a couple 2's. If you aren't gonna keep coral, you would probably be okay, but otherwise, i'd suggest a little more flow. JMO. Looks like a nice tank though __________________ -Eric kazyakphoto.zenfolio.com Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube and 20L displays plumbed to a single sump, Kessil, Onyx, MP10, RKL

02/09/2010, 09:15 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	For soft corals, 400-800 gph of total flow should be fine. I've run tanks at the lower end of the spectrum without problems, but I am very careful about the number of fish I put into systems. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/09/2010, 10:04 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't know much about that urchin; maybe someone else can add some comments. Firefish are a good choice for that size tank. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/09/2010, 05:39 PM	#2
iglooreefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Grande Prairie, AB Posts: 13	Nice tank, but if you're drilling it, I would double check that it's not tempered glass...I would hate to see you put a bit to it and have it go into a million pieces.

02/09/2010, 05:45 PM	#3
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	just got the email from hagen today telling me that it is not tempered. good lookin out! also will be painting the back black. i did it on my 55 FW and it turned out great. just regular old krylon. nice, smooth, uniform color across the back.

02/09/2010, 07:31 PM	#6
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	yeah. was thinkin i might need more flow. how can i tell if i have enough? i was plannin on gettin some softies, but not really sure about how deep i wanna get into corals...

02/09/2010, 09:58 PM	#8
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	i'm kinda more in favor of fish at the moment. haven't really found too many corals that i'm just DYING to have. i do want a black long spine urchin though. and a firefish of some sort.

02/09/2010, 10:06 PM	#10
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	probably get the obligatory clown. for the girlfriend mainly.....and she wants a mandarin on down the road....and she wants a purple fish.....pseudochromis i think.

02/09/2010, 10:09 PM	#11
geaux xman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 3,279	whats the dimensions on that tank?

02/09/2010, 10:10 PM	#12
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	24 wide x 24 tall x 18 deep (front to back)

02/09/2010, 10:56 PM	#13
mudskipper1 Trust Me I'm an Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 1,085	Mandarin would require a sizable refugium in that size tank, and a lot of LR. I would reccomend maybe another koralia nano, or similar. But I don't have experince in a tank this size __________________ -Eric kazyakphoto.zenfolio.com Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube and 20L displays plumbed to a single sump, Kessil, Onyx, MP10, RKL

02/10/2010, 06:49 PM	#14
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	a 10 gallon refugium wouldn't supply enough pods for a mandarin? well that's a real bummer. i think i might take the leap and have my girl get me my skimmer for V-day....we'll see.

02/10/2010, 06:52 PM	#15
mudskipper1 Trust Me I'm an Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 1,085	I guess it depends on what exactly you put in the fuge, but i think you'd be much better off with a 20 gallon fuge. Somebody with specific experience should chime in here. __________________ -Eric kazyakphoto.zenfolio.com Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube and 20L displays plumbed to a single sump, Kessil, Onyx, MP10, RKL

02/10/2010, 07:11 PM	#16
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I've seen a rather thin mandarin in a 65 g system with a fairly large refugium. I wouldn't try that fish in that size tank, personally. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/10/2010, 07:48 PM	#17
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	alright. well i'm more concerned with keeping a happy healthy fish than, just keeping it alive. so i'll probably see what what else i can get in there. definitely want a firefish and a long black spine urchin....open to any other stock suggestions. i like flame angels too, but i'm not sure if i will be gettin into corals and i know they can nip and whatnot...

02/11/2010, 03:54 PM	#18
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Flame angels are pretty, but they often nip at corals. There are lots of good reef-safe fish. I'd just start looking at some pictures. If you like reading books, Scott Michael's books are generally very good. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/12/2010, 10:42 PM	#19
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	just got "the new marine aquarium" by paletta. so far it's pretty decent. there is a whole chapter on stocking, so i might skip ahead to that just to start gettin an idea.