40 breeder help

[Kirru]

I'm starting my 40 breeder here soon and need to know how to minimize the cycle. I have a 10 gallon nano that has been running since 9/10/08 but need to take it down so there will be less clutter. I'd like to get them in the larger tank as soon as I could.

I will be using all the live rock currently in the 10 and using the sand to seed the 40 if not all depending on the advice. Thanks for the help.

[E.intheC]

problem is; with reef tanks you have to have patience. I'll try to help out though as best as I can.

I would try to spend some money on great, CURED live rock from the LFS or fellow reefer in the area. This is crucial. There will be some die off with any rock, but the more cured you can get it, the better. Also, take a few cups of sand from your current tank and use that to seed the 40 breeder. Depending on how stocked your 10 gallon is, you shouldn't really need to do much more than that. Just be sure to match the water parameters

[Kirru]

Well, I was planing on doing exactly that but I would wait about a week check params then another week before continuing.

but right now this all developmental stage and I am not sure what I am going to do.

I plan on have a 5" DSP or 7" haven't made that decision. so should I just use the regular agronite sand or use live sand and seed from the 10g.

in my 10 i have 2 firefish, orange spotted goby, fire shrimp, candy red pistol shrimp(not sure where he is though) and snails and hermits. and some corals, 2 zoa frags and 3 sps corals(birds nest, le tyree soli, blue mili)

[E.intheC]

I'm not sure where you'll get the livesand from. If you mean the 'live' sand from LFS that comes in a bag with water.. I feel its' anything but live.. and is a waste of money, IMO. I would just use the regular sand, or you can even do a remote deep sand bed. Overall, your livestock (possible SPS exception) are pretty hardy and should survive a small cycle. Just keep on top of it and do more water changes than normal.

[Kirru]

mmk, the SPS are really hardy IMO, i moved up from savannah to conyers, about 4 hours took me 5 though. and i didn't lose any fish, crustacean corals. grant it they weren't very happy though. I think I will use just regular sand and seed it.

[fambrough]

A five or seven inch sand bed in a 40 breeder is going to kill your realestate. You'll have no space. No room for upward growth. Also, it's going to look really weird. Get an overflow and use your 10 for a sump. I run a 15 gallon sump under my 40, with Chaetomorpha and an in-sump skimmer. FWIW, I have a shallow sandbed. Between harvesting the chaeto, the skimmer and WCs, I seem to have a decent handle on nutrient export. But I also keep a low fish load (two small fish only) and have mixed soft corals and LPS. My tank has been running since 9/05.

They are great small tanks. I love the shape and size. Mine's getting too crowded though, the shortfall of a small tank.

Best of luck.

[Kirru]

I wanted to have a Jawfish, Yellowhead
(Opistognathus aurifrons) thats the reason for the DSB and I'm not to concerned on real-estate. But it says to have a 5"-7" sand bed. I planed on doing a 29g sump/fuge or a wet/dry with a fuge dump back to the return in the wet/dry. still developmental at this moment

I'm planning on having a pair of clown, not sure which ones yet, yellow headed jawfish, and the current residence of my tank, and something else. then i will have a few softies and lps and sps. but again all developmental.

[aaron1987]

You can get away with more like 4" with a Jawfish... or take the route I opted for and give them a PVC pipe buried in sand to live in. My Yellowhead loves it.

[Kirru]

how big of a PVC pipe? I have a very long 1" pipe that I could cut. well its good to know that 4" will be ok, would 4" plus the PVC be ok? I like the looks of it.

[aaron1987]

I'm using just enough to cover the PVC pipe, it's more than happy if you provide it with rubble to close the top of the pipe at night with. I used .75" for the outlet of the pipe angled upwards and then connected it to a T fitting and used 1" pipe sections from there. Jaws build their burrows in a bottle shape in the wild but mine hasn't shown any inclination to expand into the sand beyond the pipe.

The hardest part of keeping a jawfish is the initial acclimation and getting them into their burrow... if using a PVC pipe, with the lights out, invert the bag over the opening of the pipe and coax the jaw down into it so he has no other options. They take to it readily, but if you don't insure that they end up in the pipe they'll end up hiding in the rockwork and could burrow wherever (usually out of sight haha).

I'd disguise the opening by coating it with a thin layer of superglue and then sprinkling substrate and small rubble pieces over it.

[Kirru]

Ok, that sounds easy enough. ha

ok, the bulkhead has been drilled on the left side of the tank with the back being painted black. I have made an overflow the height of the tank with 1" and some teeth around it. I made it to cover up the bulkhead from inside of the tank. now my question is, to try to keep the drain pipe as close to the tank as possible, should I have the part of the bulkhead that has the glossy plastic on the outside or inside of the tank. Outside keeps it close to the tank but has a big enough opening on the inside for fish to swim through if they jump. inside makes it look bulky. what are some suggestions and i'm on a tight budget.

I still need lights(already picked out), sump/fuge(or wet/dry with fuge attached to the return section), return pump, return fittings, heater( i currently have a 50 but will get another or two just incase one or both fail), anything else?

and i forgot some more live rock and sand

thanks for the help