Tswifty's 40g Rimless

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Figured I would share some pics of my new tank that has been up and running for 2 months or so. It's going to be SPS on the rocks, and Acans and Chalices on the sandbed. Potentially a few clams thrown in the mix as well. Pretty much everything was custom built by friends.

Dimensions

30" x 22" x 16" Tall - 3/4" Acrylic

Equipment

- Eheim 1262 Return Pump
- Marine Solutions MSX-160 Protein Skimmer
- 2 Blue Line Biotherm 250w Titanium Heating Elements
- Vortech MP40w Gen2
- 1 TLF Phosban Reactor (carbon)
- Korallin 1502 Calcium Reactor w/ Reef Fanatic CO2 Regulator & 5lb CO2 bottle
- DIY Kalk Reactor
- 1 x 250w PFO Mini Pendant w/ M-80 Ballst and Aqualine AB 20k DE Bulb
- Aquacontroller 3 w/ dc8, I/O breakout box, 2 pH probes, Temp probe & 2 Float Switches (ATO)

Tank

Sump

Stand

jtarmitage · Apr 2, 2009

Sweet setup. That is a beautiful tank.

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Tried to eliminate as many pumps as possible, so I am using a manifold to provide flow to most of my external equipment, as well as provide extra flow through the refugium:

More plumbing:

I'm using 2 Hofer Gurgle Busters inside the external overflow, and also have an emergency drain. Bulkheads are 1"

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Tank & Stand Shot

Initial Aquascaping

Calcium Reactor Setup

Controller Area

Skimmer

DIY Kalk Reactor

To hold the light I bent a 3/4" piece of EMT conduit and painted it black.

Fish n' Frags · Apr 2, 2009

Amazing tank! That is almost a twin to my tank that i'll be finally setting up next week. Very nice! Where do you get the gurgle busters? Did you make them?

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Refugium substrate consists of about 5lbs of Live Rock Rubble

A little holder I had fabricated for my float switches and AC3 probes. It is held on by magnets.

Sump Shot

Also, to discourage jumpers, I had a piece of plastic peg board like material cut for use at night (since that seems to be when they like to jump). Gel pads keep it raised off the rim of the tank.

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

I'm not completely satisfied with the look from just one MH pendant, so I decided to build a floating canopy which will have space to hold potentially another 250w pendant (if I want) as well as 2 or 4 VHO's or T5's.

This is not on the tank yet. I hope to bring it online next week sometime. It will hang 6" or 8" above the tank, so that the tank still maintains the rimless look. The canopy was also designed to mirror the stand.

Sikryd · Apr 2, 2009

Sweeet!!!!! nuff' said

Looking to do something like that for my chalice addiction - placing it next to my display and run off the same system

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

FTS from around 1 month ago.

the captive reef · Apr 2, 2009

Looking good T.J.

mike

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

My colors were/are really suffering, and I couldn't figure out why. It was driving me insane. I was chasing water quality like crazy assuming that high nutrient levels were the reason for my dark colors, and even some of the STN losses I had experienced.

I set the tank up initially with a used Pheonix 14k bulb, instead of my new Aqualine AB 20k bulb. Anyway, it wasn't until a few days ago that I was able to get my hands on a PAR meter.

PAR at the surface of the water was 100!!!!!!!

The bulb was spent, and I was totally shocked/blown away/embarrassed/ticked at myself. Needless to say I switched bulbs immediately, and threw in my Aqualine AB 20k bulb. PAR jumped 300 points immediately, and is now around 600 at the surface of the water.

Hopefully the colors will rebound though, and my nice pieces weren't damaged too much during that period.

Letsgotothezoo · Apr 2, 2009

Wow...great tank and great built.

1 question: Why you put the canopy ?

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Current livestock list:

- 3 Bartlett Anthias (all now male)... started with 5... 2 died due to shipping complications.
- 2 Yasha Hase White Ray Shrimp Gobies
- 1 Midas Blenny
- 2 ORA Grade A Picasso Clownfish (currently in QT)

Initial Bartlett Group

3 Remaining

Picasso's in QT

Midas Blenny (old cube tank photo)

Yasha in my old 90g

Shot of one of the Yasha's from a month or two ago.

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Some corals & livestock (pre lighting change)

Maxima Clam

Emerald Mummy Eye Chalice

LE Pumpkin Patch Chalice

Tubs Alien Eye Chalice

Acans

Misc Chalices

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

Tyree Sunset Monti

Unknown Pink & Purple Chalice

RHS Pink Panther Chalice

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

FTS from tonight

Tswifty · Apr 2, 2009

jtarmitage said:
Sweet setup. That is a beautiful tank.

Thank You.

Fish n' Frags said:
Amazing tank! That is almost a twin to my tank that i'll be finally setting up next week. Very nice! Where do you get the gurgle busters? Did you make them?

Thank you. I built them. Here is a link which explains them a little, and also includes a parts list and construction picture.

http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/

Sikryd said:
Sweeet!!!!! nuff' said

Looking to do something like that for my chalice addiction - placing it next to my display and run off the same system

Thank you. Yeah, there's never enough room in just one tank. LOL

the captive reef said:
Looking good T.J.

mike

Thanks Mike. Hopefully I can get these colors back on track soon though.

Letsgotothezoo said:
Wow...great tank and great built.

1 question: Why you put the canopy ?

Thank you. I am going to incorporate a canopy so I can add some actinic supplementation to the tank. With just one pendant I am restricted to only one bulb, and one spectrum.

I could purchase another all-in-one fixture which houses halide and VHO's in a nice sleek unit, but that would cost around $1,000 to do so. Building a canopy, and using retrofits will be a cheaper short term alternative... and will get me the same result I am looking for.

The canopy will be elevated off the tank though, this way the tank will not lose the rimless look.