My 40 breeder

Mad_Reefer · 10/24/2016, 08:10 PM

I'm probably rushing too fast and causing myself issues. But most everything seems happy, except two monti that the bicolor blenny is snacking on. It's all about two months old.

Mad_Reefer · 10/26/2016, 11:29 PM

I thought maybe I should describe what I did.
I started with a Petco sale 40b, and I tried to drill the bottom, but it was tempered. So I had to buy another, same brand, and it wasn't tempered. I built an overflow and the drain goes straight down to the corner of the 29gallon sump fuge. A few baffles just to give me options, but for now I have no skimmer. Old Mag 7 return pump with a valve turning it down a little. I put the tank on a cheap metal stand. One of my goals is to keep all costs down. Another is to keep it simple.

20 pounds of live sand
40 pounds of dry sand
15 pounds of oolite sand
40 pounds of fiji rock
20 pounds tukani rock

3 small powerheads in dt
1 tiny pump in fuge to add flow

Float valve for top off
RO/DI

Black box LED with wifi
Home made LED for fuge

Two ocellaris
Bicolor blenny
Cleaner shrimp
RBTA
Hermits and snails
Two types birds nest
Pocillopora
Two types of montipora (currently a snack for blenny)
War coral
Chalice
Duncan
4 type zoa/paly
Caulerpa and chaeto (chaeto grew at first but at one point didn't look good and has been mostly removed)

The picture in the post above shows some of the algae issues. I haven't done a water change in about a month or more, so I'm mixing some water. Nitrates went up to almost 20 but are dropping now and about 10. RBTA stayed right where I put it and seems happy. All corals that are not being eaten seem happy, except the zoas don't all open all the time. Fish and shrimp look happy. One of the clowns jumped out of the tank a few weeks back. I don't know how long it was on the carpet, but I got lucky and managed to revive it. That's it so far.

Mad_Reefer · 10/30/2016, 02:31 PM

I forgot to mention I have a plate coral ( one of my favorites).
After a water change o the 27th, I tested zero Nitrates today, and maybe zero phosphate.My caulerpa is growing well. Maybe I can feed more?
Cal 420
Mag 1230
KH 8

Mad_Reefer · 10/30/2016, 02:33 PM

I have been thinking about adding another fish (or three chromis), but part of me wants to keep it as is.

Mad_Reefer · 11/11/2016, 07:01 PM

I like how things are going. Except the blenny eating corals.

Mad_Reefer · 11/13/2016, 06:28 PM

I cleaned the glass. It freaked out the fish. But the cool thing about that is that one of the clowns ended up in the anemone. It left the anemone a minute later, but it's a start. Maybe I'll try putting a picture up on the glass to teach them.

Clarkii3 · 11/14/2016, 01:42 PM

Looking good man. I almost picked up a 40B for my new build but just got a 29 instead. Definitely do not want to rush anything in this hobby that's for sure. Interesting rockwork. Keep an eye on that Caulerpa especially since its in your display, if that stuff goes asexual you'll have a huge mess on your hands. If i were you, id stick that crap back in the sump.

Mad_Reefer · 11/14/2016, 07:19 PM

Thanks!
I bought too much rock but made it work, I think.
My plan is to remove the caulerpa before it grows onto the rocks, and it is just a temporary solution until the tank ages a bit more. I haven't had a problem it in the display.

Mad_Reefer · 11/19/2016, 11:18 PM

I removed a lot of caulerpa today. The second time I've removed a large amount. This time it had grown to the point it had no more room to grow in the center fuge.

I'm seeing I tiny bit of nitrate and phosphate still close to zero, but some tiny color difference in today's tests. It's probably a good thing considering many of my corals will like a little and the new tank algae has disappeared.

Nitrate 0-5
Phosphate 0-.25
KH 7
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1290

I added some calcium and alk from BRS after testing. I made sure to do it hours apart and the alk shortly after lights out. I should probably measure how much I put in and start a regular schedule of dosing.

SantaMonica · 11/20/2016, 08:55 PM

How bout a sand sifting goby or similar, to keeps the sand clean.

Mad_Reefer · 11/24/2016, 01:37 PM

What do you think?

SantaMonica · 11/24/2016, 03:17 PM

Caves/arches are always nice. And for fish I wish I could have jumpers like those.

Mad_Reefer · 11/24/2016, 03:28 PM

I have a glass top, and all still seems okay.

reef thief · 11/24/2016, 06:01 PM

This is a great 40B. Thanks for sharing.

Mad_Reefer · 11/25/2016, 10:50 PM

Thanks. But I'm not seeing it as too great at this point. Although, I like its simplicity and overall cost so far.

neiltus · 11/26/2016, 08:19 AM

It has been less than a month...be patient.

I like the cave as well...did you epoxy the rock down?

I also like the macro...

mpierce · 11/26/2016, 08:48 AM

My bicolor likes to taste monti as well. Leaves little white mouth size patches on certain ones.

Ritten · 11/26/2016, 12:35 PM

That will fill in nice.

Mad_Reefer · 11/26/2016, 02:01 PM

Thanks.

I hope it fills in. I might add a clam, but I think I'm mostly done adding stuff. Now I just want stuff to grow for a while.

I did not epoxy the rock down. I might change my mind and move everything around. I think it is stable enough. The arch would hopefully settle downward before rolling off towards the glass.

Mad_Reefer · 01/20/2017, 12:52 AM

Even with a glass top, my wrasse jumped out. lt was dried out on the glass top. But everything else is doing well. Coraline is starting to grow well on snails and powerheads. I've seen bristleworms, pineapple sponges, and flatworms too. I hope they are the harmless, early cycle type of flatworm. Things seem good. I don't do a lot and I think that helps.

10/24/2016, 08:10 PM	#1
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	My 40 breeder I'm probably rushing too fast and causing myself issues. But most everything seems happy, except two monti that the bicolor blenny is snacking on. It's all about two months old.

11/20/2016, 08:55 PM	#10
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	How bout a sand sifting goby or similar, to keeps the sand clean. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

11/24/2016, 03:17 PM	#12
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Caves/arches are always nice. And for fish I wish I could have jumpers like those. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

11/24/2016, 06:01 PM	#14
reef thief Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Republic of Chicago Posts: 225	This is a great 40B. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Sent from my Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System Current Tank Info: 120 G glass

11/26/2016, 08:19 AM	#16
neiltus Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 415	It has been less than a month...be patient. I like the cave as well...did you epoxy the rock down? I also like the macro... __________________ Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2592260

10/26/2016, 11:29 PM	#2
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I thought maybe I should describe what I did. I started with a Petco sale 40b, and I tried to drill the bottom, but it was tempered. So I had to buy another, same brand, and it wasn't tempered. I built an overflow and the drain goes straight down to the corner of the 29gallon sump fuge. A few baffles just to give me options, but for now I have no skimmer. Old Mag 7 return pump with a valve turning it down a little. I put the tank on a cheap metal stand. One of my goals is to keep all costs down. Another is to keep it simple. 20 pounds of live sand 40 pounds of dry sand 15 pounds of oolite sand 40 pounds of fiji rock 20 pounds tukani rock 3 small powerheads in dt 1 tiny pump in fuge to add flow Float valve for top off RO/DI Black box LED with wifi Home made LED for fuge Two ocellaris Bicolor blenny Cleaner shrimp RBTA Hermits and snails Two types birds nest Pocillopora Two types of montipora (currently a snack for blenny) War coral Chalice Duncan 4 type zoa/paly Caulerpa and chaeto (chaeto grew at first but at one point didn't look good and has been mostly removed) The picture in the post above shows some of the algae issues. I haven't done a water change in about a month or more, so I'm mixing some water. Nitrates went up to almost 20 but are dropping now and about 10. RBTA stayed right where I put it and seems happy. All corals that are not being eaten seem happy, except the zoas don't all open all the time. Fish and shrimp look happy. One of the clowns jumped out of the tank a few weeks back. I don't know how long it was on the carpet, but I got lucky and managed to revive it. That's it so far.

10/30/2016, 02:31 PM	#3
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I forgot to mention I have a plate coral ( one of my favorites). After a water change o the 27th, I tested zero Nitrates today, and maybe zero phosphate.My caulerpa is growing well. Maybe I can feed more? Cal 420 Mag 1230 KH 8

10/30/2016, 02:33 PM	#4
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I have been thinking about adding another fish (or three chromis), but part of me wants to keep it as is.

11/11/2016, 07:01 PM	#5
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I like how things are going. Except the blenny eating corals.

11/13/2016, 06:28 PM	#6
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I cleaned the glass. It freaked out the fish. But the cool thing about that is that one of the clowns ended up in the anemone. It left the anemone a minute later, but it's a start. Maybe I'll try putting a picture up on the glass to teach them.

11/14/2016, 01:42 PM	#7
Clarkii3 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Heights Posts: 555	Looking good man. I almost picked up a 40B for my new build but just got a 29 instead. Definitely do not want to rush anything in this hobby that's for sure. Interesting rockwork. Keep an eye on that Caulerpa especially since its in your display, if that stuff goes asexual you'll have a huge mess on your hands. If i were you, id stick that crap back in the sump.

11/14/2016, 07:19 PM	#8
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	Thanks! I bought too much rock but made it work, I think. My plan is to remove the caulerpa before it grows onto the rocks, and it is just a temporary solution until the tank ages a bit more. I haven't had a problem it in the display.

11/19/2016, 11:18 PM	#9
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I removed a lot of caulerpa today. The second time I've removed a large amount. This time it had grown to the point it had no more room to grow in the center fuge. I'm seeing I tiny bit of nitrate and phosphate still close to zero, but some tiny color difference in today's tests. It's probably a good thing considering many of my corals will like a little and the new tank algae has disappeared. Nitrate 0-5 Phosphate 0-.25 KH 7 Calcium 400 Magnesium 1290 I added some calcium and alk from BRS after testing. I made sure to do it hours apart and the alk shortly after lights out. I should probably measure how much I put in and start a regular schedule of dosing.

11/24/2016, 01:37 PM	#11
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	What do you think?

11/24/2016, 03:28 PM	#13
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	I have a glass top, and all still seems okay.

11/25/2016, 10:50 PM	#15
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	Thanks. But I'm not seeing it as too great at this point. Although, I like its simplicity and overall cost so far.

11/26/2016, 08:48 AM	#17
mpierce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: EC, WI Posts: 133	My bicolor likes to taste monti as well. Leaves little white mouth size patches on certain ones. __________________ 40B / 20L sump, custom stand - Kessil A160WE, RO 110 classic, Kalk dosing, Apex, MP10QD http://www.tcmas.org/v4/forums/showthread.php?49391-Pierce-s-40-breeder 120 - RETIRED

11/26/2016, 12:35 PM	#18
Ritten Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,164	That will fill in nice.

11/26/2016, 02:01 PM	#19
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	Thanks. I hope it fills in. I might add a clam, but I think I'm mostly done adding stuff. Now I just want stuff to grow for a while. I did not epoxy the rock down. I might change my mind and move everything around. I think it is stable enough. The arch would hopefully settle downward before rolling off towards the glass.

01/20/2017, 12:52 AM	#20
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	Even with a glass top, my wrasse jumped out. lt was dried out on the glass top. But everything else is doing well. Coraline is starting to grow well on snails and powerheads. I've seen bristleworms, pineapple sponges, and flatworms too. I hope they are the harmless, early cycle type of flatworm. Things seem good. I don't do a lot and I think that helps.