Dragonfish's 40B Build Log - Page 2

DragonFish · 10/23/2009, 03:45 PM

Sure, I'll take some updated pics tonight.

DragonFish · 10/24/2009, 10:40 AM

I've added more liverock, a second clownfish and got my chaeto going. Tank looks spotless, but for some reason I can't get coraline to grow. CA, Alk and Mag are spot on...

Actinics only

All lights on, I'd like to replace the coralife 10K with something bluer

DragonFish · 10/24/2009, 10:42 AM

Oh, and I'm replacing the sand bed as soon as my order comes in from Premium Aquatics. I used ultra fine limestone sand and it gets blown all around. I'm switching to Tropic Eden miniflakes which are 2mm grain.

upster · 11/05/2009, 01:57 PM

I really like your stand. I am going to try to incorporate some of your finishing work into the look of mine.

I need to change my sand. I'd be very interested in your opinions when you get yours replaced.

DragonFish · 11/05/2009, 02:10 PM

I actually changed out the sandbed last week, what a PITA!! It was worth it though. I love the look of the Tropic Eden sand and now I can turn on my SEIO and not have a sandstorm. I also replaced my Odyssea PS-75 skimmer with a Vertex IN-80, and I have to say WOW! It's a lot bigger than I was expecting, barely fit in my sump. It hasn't finished breaking in yet, but I can already tell it's going to do a better job. I'll get some updated sandbed and sump pics tonight.

DragonFish · 11/05/2009, 10:35 PM

Pics as promised. Hopefully I'll get a camera with an adjustable white balance soon.

Toddrtrex · 11/05/2009, 10:40 PM

Liking the new sand. Any chance of getting a FTS with the new sand in?

Pdubss · 11/08/2009, 08:25 PM

Looks good. What do you plan on keeping under the four bulb T5?

Pdubss · 11/08/2009, 08:28 PM

[QUOTE=DragonFish;15977155]Pics as promised. Hopefully I'll get a camera with an adjustable white balance soon.

Is that a metal hose clamp on you return pump? It looks pretty close/maybe in the water, it eventually is going to rust.

DragonFish · 11/09/2009, 03:22 PM

The center rock structure will be all SPS. For the sandbed I'm planning an ausie elegance and a nice open brain coral. That is a metal hose clamp, I couldn't find plastic locally but I'm placing an order with Premium Aquatics in the next week or so and I'll get some then.

DragonFish · 11/27/2009, 11:32 PM

Some updated pics with my new Nikon S570

The last acro pictured was totally brown when I got it two weeks ago. I can't tell if it is bleaching, or just changing color? It has great polyp extension.

DragonFish · 11/27/2009, 11:35 PM

Couple more

ludnix · 11/27/2009, 11:37 PM

Tank look great! I look forward to watching it mature.

The last acro looks like it's bleaching, but it will probably regain color after it adjusts to your lighting. It might take a while but there shouldn't be any permanent damage.

Rhizo · 02/24/2010, 12:32 AM

I just noticed your build. Looks awesome! Any updates?

OldNemo · 02/24/2010, 08:31 AM

Yeah updates please.

How are the corals doing under the 4x39w Tek???

DragonFish · 02/24/2010, 09:03 AM

I'm getting great growth out of the staghorn and the rainbow monti! The Lokani browned out and hasn't grown at all, but I was told that it's a very light demanding coral so I'm not too surprised. Looking back at these pics, I'd say the staghorn has lost color too, it's not that purple anymore.

OldNemo · 02/24/2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonFish

I'm getting great growth out of the staghorn and the rainbow monti! The Lokani browned out and hasn't grown at all, but I was told that it's a very light demanding coral so I'm not too surprised. Looking back at these pics, I'd say the staghorn has lost color too, it's not that purple anymore.

Do you think you have enough light for the SPS? Given how shallow the 40br is, I would think it would be fine.

DragonFish · 02/24/2010, 10:54 AM

My other SPS look great, it's just the two higher light demanding corals that are showing some color loss. I would think that if it was a water quality issue, I'd see all the SPS showing some stress. This is my first shot at SPS though, so I could be totally wrong.

Wannabe29 · 02/24/2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonFish

A few new pictures to add. Sorry for the crappy camera-phone pics, my camera battery died.

This is the perma-sump. Basically a perma-sump is one that is wedged so tightly into the stand that the only way it's coming out is in more than one piece

Very nice build. I'm working on a 40 breeder setup, myself. Just a suggestion to those following this build for their own tanks, you can get a larger sump in the stand if you use pocket screws instead of the additional uprights recommended in the DIY stand template thread here on RC. I followed the same template and the guy who started it suggested the screws. Just get the pocket screw jig and screws from lowes.

By doing that, I can fit a 29 gallon sump under my stand with plenty of room to move it in and out and accomodate hoses, fittings, etc.

Nice build, though! Seems like a lot of people are starting 40 breeder tanks. We should form a club and post all of our projects.

footballdude2k3 · 02/24/2010, 12:45 PM

love the tank

abfleck · 11/12/2010, 04:20 PM

Very Nice!

11/05/2009, 01:57 PM	#29
upster Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 143	I really like your stand. I am going to try to incorporate some of your finishing work into the look of mine. I need to change my sand. I'd be very interested in your opinions when you get yours replaced. __________________ "I've fixed it, it'll work this time." Just upgraded to a 58g Oceanic and the only thing I broke was the old tank.

11/05/2009, 10:40 PM	#32
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Liking the new sand. Any chance of getting a FTS with the new sand in? __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

11/27/2009, 11:37 PM	#38
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	Tank look great! I look forward to watching it mature. The last acro looks like it's bleaching, but it will probably regain color after it adjusts to your lighting. It might take a while but there shouldn't be any permanent damage. __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

11/12/2010, 04:20 PM	#46
abfleck Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lake in the Hills, IL Posts: 3,773	Very Nice! __________________ ((((((((((((((((29 Gallon Reef, 10 gallon sump/Fuge, Tunze Nano Skimmer, Precision Marine media reactor, 250 watt MH with XM 20K and two VHO actinics)))))))))))))))))0 Current Tank Info: 29 rr

10/23/2009, 03:45 PM	#26
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	Sure, I'll take some updated pics tonight.

10/24/2009, 10:40 AM	#27
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	I've added more liverock, a second clownfish and got my chaeto going. Tank looks spotless, but for some reason I can't get coraline to grow. CA, Alk and Mag are spot on... Actinics only All lights on, I'd like to replace the coralife 10K with something bluer

10/24/2009, 10:42 AM	#28
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	Oh, and I'm replacing the sand bed as soon as my order comes in from Premium Aquatics. I used ultra fine limestone sand and it gets blown all around. I'm switching to Tropic Eden miniflakes which are 2mm grain.

11/05/2009, 02:10 PM	#30
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	I actually changed out the sandbed last week, what a PITA!! It was worth it though. I love the look of the Tropic Eden sand and now I can turn on my SEIO and not have a sandstorm. I also replaced my Odyssea PS-75 skimmer with a Vertex IN-80, and I have to say WOW! It's a lot bigger than I was expecting, barely fit in my sump. It hasn't finished breaking in yet, but I can already tell it's going to do a better job. I'll get some updated sandbed and sump pics tonight.

11/05/2009, 10:35 PM	#31
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	Pics as promised. Hopefully I'll get a camera with an adjustable white balance soon.

11/08/2009, 08:25 PM	#33
Pdubss Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wheaton, IL Posts: 461	Looks good. What do you plan on keeping under the four bulb T5?

11/08/2009, 08:28 PM	#34
Pdubss Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wheaton, IL Posts: 461	[QUOTE=DragonFish;15977155]Pics as promised. Hopefully I'll get a camera with an adjustable white balance soon. Is that a metal hose clamp on you return pump? It looks pretty close/maybe in the water, it eventually is going to rust.

11/09/2009, 03:22 PM	#35
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	The center rock structure will be all SPS. For the sandbed I'm planning an ausie elegance and a nice open brain coral. That is a metal hose clamp, I couldn't find plastic locally but I'm placing an order with Premium Aquatics in the next week or so and I'll get some then.

11/27/2009, 11:32 PM	#36
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	Some updated pics with my new Nikon S570 The last acro pictured was totally brown when I got it two weeks ago. I can't tell if it is bleaching, or just changing color? It has great polyp extension.

11/27/2009, 11:35 PM	#37
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	Couple more

02/24/2010, 12:32 AM	#39
Rhizo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SoCal / Chicago Posts: 839	I just noticed your build. Looks awesome! Any updates?

02/24/2010, 08:31 AM	#40
OldNemo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Eagan, MN Posts: 197	Yeah updates please. How are the corals doing under the 4x39w Tek???

02/24/2010, 09:03 AM	#41
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	I'm getting great growth out of the staghorn and the rainbow monti! The Lokani browned out and hasn't grown at all, but I was told that it's a very light demanding coral so I'm not too surprised. Looking back at these pics, I'd say the staghorn has lost color too, it's not that purple anymore.

02/24/2010, 10:54 AM	#43
DragonFish Unregistered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI Posts: 1,988	My other SPS look great, it's just the two higher light demanding corals that are showing some color loss. I would think that if it was a water quality issue, I'd see all the SPS showing some stress. This is my first shot at SPS though, so I could be totally wrong.

02/24/2010, 12:45 PM	#45
footballdude2k3 Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 1,974	love the tank