38 Gallon skimmerless/sumpless build.

Francis163 · 09/09/2013, 09:02 AM

Hello!

I'm new here, lurked for a good long while. I'll be chronicling my re-immersion into the fish keeping world in this thread. I'm military, so the tank size will always be small. On to the new tank!

Current Equipment:

-Used 38 Gallon aquarium, glass
-Fluval 205 cannister filter(scored for $50)
-Hydor heater, 200w
-Hydor Koralia Nano 425
-20ish lbs of live/dry rock mixed
-50 lbs of sand

Current stock:

Yellowtail Damsel x 2

Plans!

-Live rock - I plan on adding dry pukani rock up to 50-60 lbs total in the tank, along with any exceptional coraline algae pieces that I happen to find.
-Stocking - One more damsel, 2 x clowns, CUC, then I'll start diving into the zoas, ball of chaeto in the back.
-Lighting - I'm looking at this unit.
-I'm altering the fluval 205 to act as a surface skimmer. The only thing inside the cannister after the initial cycle will be rock rubble and carbon.

Pictures:

Ignore current aquascaping please, I'm doing the big aquascape after I acquire all of the live rock that I'll be adding to the tank.

At some point my wife will have to teach me how to use her camera properly.
I'm using this build by Aquabuckets as my inspiration.

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated!

Francis163 · 09/11/2013, 04:37 PM

Note, I was actually going to try and get rid of the damsels after the cycling is complete. My wife, however, believes they are cute and must stay.

Reeferz412 · 09/11/2013, 06:24 PM

Nice setup I like the rock work a lot. I would like to add:

There should not be anything in the tank other than rock and sand when the tank is cycling. It puts a lot of stress on the fish because it has to endure huge parameter swings and ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. You should probably remove the fish while the tank cycles and use a cocktail shrimp from the market to cycle, it has the same effect and you don't torture the fish slowly. Also, damsels are very aggressive fish, they can get scrappy with pretty much anything you throw in the tank. If the damsel makes it through the cycle which it probably will since they are hardy, it will develop a territory... the whole tank. It will pick on anything you throw in the tank if you decide to purchase other fish. Go against the lady's wish and remove it, you will be sorry once you add more rock and have to catch that sucker and dismantle your whole rockwork to get it.

09/09/2013, 09:02 AM	#1
Francis163 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 2	38 Gallon skimmerless/sumpless build. Hello! I'm new here, lurked for a good long while. I'll be chronicling my re-immersion into the fish keeping world in this thread. I'm military, so the tank size will always be small. On to the new tank! Current Equipment: -Used 38 Gallon aquarium, glass -Fluval 205 cannister filter(scored for $50) -Hydor heater, 200w -Hydor Koralia Nano 425 -20ish lbs of live/dry rock mixed -50 lbs of sand Current stock: Yellowtail Damsel x 2 Plans! -Live rock - I plan on adding dry pukani rock up to 50-60 lbs total in the tank, along with any exceptional coraline algae pieces that I happen to find. -Stocking - One more damsel, 2 x clowns, CUC, then I'll start diving into the zoas, ball of chaeto in the back. -Lighting - I'm looking at this unit. -I'm altering the fluval 205 to act as a surface skimmer. The only thing inside the cannister after the initial cycle will be rock rubble and carbon. Pictures: Ignore current aquascaping please, I'm doing the big aquascape after I acquire all of the live rock that I'll be adding to the tank. At some point my wife will have to teach me how to use her camera properly. I'm using this build by Aquabuckets as my inspiration. Any thoughts/comments are appreciated!

09/11/2013, 06:24 PM	#3
Reeferz412 Coral Hoarder Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,247	Nice setup I like the rock work a lot. I would like to add: There should not be anything in the tank other than rock and sand when the tank is cycling. It puts a lot of stress on the fish because it has to endure huge parameter swings and ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. You should probably remove the fish while the tank cycles and use a cocktail shrimp from the market to cycle, it has the same effect and you don't torture the fish slowly. Also, damsels are very aggressive fish, they can get scrappy with pretty much anything you throw in the tank. If the damsel makes it through the cycle which it probably will since they are hardy, it will develop a territory... the whole tank. It will pick on anything you throw in the tank if you decide to purchase other fish. Go against the lady's wish and remove it, you will be sorry once you add more rock and have to catch that sucker and dismantle your whole rockwork to get it. __________________ Alex FMAS Member Current Tank Info: 400 Gallons of frags... 30 gallon Deep Blue mixed reef ... 70 other tanks throughout south FL

09/11/2013, 04:37 PM	#2
Francis163 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 2	Note, I was actually going to try and get rid of the damsels after the cycling is complete. My wife, however, believes they are cute and must stay.