40 breeder + 20 long Sump Build Recs

[ncsuben]

After much forum stalking and watching almost all available videos to date on Serious Reefs, I decided to start where many successful hobbyists have - a 40 breeder.

I just ordered the tank and a 20g long for a DIY sump that I will pick up today (~$115 for both was significantly cheaper than any much smaller AIO). I have stalked a few builds but am really looking for experienced opinions on what works best. I would love opinions and resources regarding:

• Overflow - what approach is most preferred? plumbing materials? etc.
• Sump design - I would like the option of a refugium, so any good plans for a 20 long out there?
• Stand ideas? - cabinet base from home improvement store? other?....this will need to look as good as I can make it as it will be central in the living room...but I've dealt with my fair share of rickety stands for freshwater tanks and want to avoid that.
• Anything else to consider/important things to avoid when heading down this road?

I am fairly handy (renovated bathrooms and kitchen in my house, built a very large chicken coop and run, etc.) so should be able to tackle most anything. I fully welcome tips and tricks learned by those who have recently built one out. However, I'd really love to hear from those with tanks that have been running for some time - what worked best and what you'd do different.

Thank you all in advance! We'll get this plane off the ground eventually, and I already know I'll have a lot of you to thank for it. (then in a few years I'll be asking about a ~250 )

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@BeanAnimal

 

[Ef4life]

Check out my build thread if your thinking of a cabinet based stand. It can work well.

Overflow, I like external boxes with slim internal overflows for the diy. Glass is easy to drill if it’s not tempered.

Plumbing I do all hard plumbing with a soft silicone hose to the return pump. I oversized my barb fittings 1 size up and stretch the silicone tube over them. So 3/4” silicone slips on 1” barbs adapted back down to 3/4” piping after. The larger barb fitting provides full 3/4” diameter flow vs a big restriction using the 3/4” barb that reduces down to about 1/2”. I definitely recommend a gate valve in the overflow plumbing vs a ball valve like in my photos. Gate valve is a lot easier to tune the flow. Ball valve can work though, I used a ball valve on this pictured setup for cost and physical size, and it’s not a tank in constant use

Sumps I don’t do baffles or anything in them, just an empty tank with a filter sock and equipment. Cheapness is the main reason, but I had no reason to spend money on what works.

My latest build simple plumbing and sump. The return pump goes to a scwd used as a wavemaker in the return line that tees off the return to each side of the tank

 

[Fish Fan]

I have a few thoughts that I hope will help

First, when you get your 40, do a simple test to see if the glass can be drilled for an overflow, which is much preferred to a hang on back overflow, which has a greater chance of failure:


If you can drill, then I think the best overflow you can buy right now are the ones from Modular Marine. Look for a three drain "Bean Animal" style overflow:
https://modularmarine.com/collectio...-low-profile-overflow-box-with-removable-weir
Sump design: If you want to do a compartmentalized sump with acrylic baffles, I think hands down the best acrylic sump baffle kits are the ones from Marine Biosystems on eBay, I believe they are a better value than JaxRacks, Fiji Cube and others. Here's one example, and if you contact him he can customize kits too:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2768467483...VV9HWM&hash=item40755a22b7:g:o5oAAOSwviJoJjs7
Stand ideas: If you're handy with some woodworking tools, then this is wide open. For a 40B, I'd build a cabinet with 3/4 plywood, it will be perfectly strong enough, I have a 75 sitting on a 3/4" ply stand right now. However, quite popular is the 2x4 stand design from Rocket Engineer at this link. This is an easy and bullet proof design made from 2x4's that can then be "skinned" with thin plywood or prefinished panel board. Add some paint and trim, and you have a very nice looking stand. Do a search for "Rocket Engineer's Stand" and you'll find many, many examples:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/basic-diy-stand-calculator.1138386/
Anything else: Consider getting an RODI water filter sooner than later to make purified fresh water, so that you can mix your own saltwater and to replace evaporated freshwater from your system. In the long run, having your own RODI gives you total control over your water, and is the least expensive option too.

Good luck!

 

[ncsuben]

@Fish Fan this was tremendously helpful!

From what I gleaned prior to purchase, if anything, only the bottom panel of the Marineland 40 breeder should be tempered...though proof is in the pudding as they say.

Really appreciate the resources and looking forward to digging in.

 

[ncsuben]

Currently my tank has a furry occupant…

 

[ncsuben]

By the way thank you @Fish Fan for the recommendations.

Marineland confirmed the tank is drillable.

I already have an RO/DI purchased just not yet set up.

And I have been talking with Modular Marine and may go with their 1200 gph to ensure enough room for a bean animal drain.

 

[underwood]

It's been 10 years, but I setup a very similar system using the Petco 40G breeder and a 20 Tall (instead of Long), doing everything - including the stand - DIY.

For the stand, the main frame is 2x4s (which is overkill), then I skinned it to look more like a cabinet. The nice thing about the 40G size is you really don't need a center vertical brace. Not adding one allows for full access to the sump/cabinet. I built a "false-separator" between the cabinet doors that sticks in place using embedded magnets so, when I need better access into the sump, I can just pull that piece of wood out while I am working on things underneath the tank.

For the tank, the place I ordered the overflow kit from is out of business now, and this was before external overflows were as commonly available, but the 800 GPH kit linked above is very similar to what I used. I second the suggestion to install a gate valve on the drain line. I also spray painted the back of the tank black and the bottom of the tank a beige/sand color (using one of the "Fusion" spray paints that were supposedly safer) since I went bare bottom.

Since the black plastic trim around the top of the tank is pretty ugly, I built a low profile (3-4") painted frame that goes around the top of the tank that follows the same look/style as the stand.

One thing that I would do differently in hindsight is I opted not to drill an additional hole or holes for the return outlet(s) into the tank. Instead, I went over the top of the back of the tank. If I were to do it again, I'd drill it so adding a cover, etc. was easier to do.

For the sump, originally, I planned to just use acrylic sheets connected to some (supposedly) reef-safe weatherstripping as baffles to basically hold themselves in place using tension. When I leak tested the sump, that method allowed more leakage than I preferred, so I just added silicone around the edges to make the baffles more waterproof. Not the sexiest solution, but it worked fine.

I don't have a refugium, so I can't speak on that.

 

[ncsuben]

@underwood Thank you so much for the recommendations. I really like the magnetic cabinet separator as I was thinking through that recently.

And yes, I was debating going over the top vs drilling the return and think I'm going to place my overflow rear-left and return drilled rear-right. In that way I can create a more pleasing top surround just as you mentioned.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

After much forum stalking and watching almost all available videos to date on Serious Reefs, I decided to start where many successful hobbyists have - a 40 breeder.

I just ordered the tank and a 20g long for a DIY sump that I will pick up today (~$115 for both was significantly cheaper than any much smaller AIO). I have stalked a few builds but am really looking for experienced opinions on what works best. I would love opinions and resources regarding:

• Overflow - what approach is most preferred? plumbing materials? etc.
• Sump design - I would like the option of a refugium, so any good plans for a 20 long out there?
• Stand ideas? - cabinet base from home improvement store? other?....this will need to look as good as I can make it as it will be central in the living room...but I've dealt with my fair share of rickety stands for freshwater tanks and want to avoid that.
• Anything else to consider/important things to avoid when heading down this road?

I am fairly handy (renovated bathrooms and kitchen in my house, built a very large chicken coop and run, etc.) so should be able to tackle most anything. I fully welcome tips and tricks learned by those who have recently built one out. However, I'd really love to hear from those with tanks that have been running for some time - what worked best and what you'd do different.

Thank you all in advance! We'll get this plane off the ground eventually, and I already know I'll have a lot of you to thank for it. (then in a few years I'll be asking about a ~250 )

your welcome to look at my build thread for sump and stand ideas, I built a 40B with 20L sump. i second drilling the tank for the overflow. plenty of videos on youtube about the drilling. I use a gravity fed ATO with a 5 gallon jug (last about a week)

 

[ncsuben]

@ShakeyGizzard @Fish Fan @underwood

I have a question about the overflow preference. I was going to go with the modular marine 800 gph but fitting a true bean animal overflow in there looks tough. Modular mentioned maybe going with the 1200 gph…obviously I don’t need anywhere close to a 30x turnover.

Would a gate valve allow me to tune down the 1200 gph enough to allow an easier bean animal install?

Thanks for the input.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Following along as I want to do a smaller system in similar fashion. I was thinking 60B with 40B sump.

I would buy an overflow kit. Something like an Eshopp eclipse. You will have to drill the tank.

A stand can be made very easily out of 2x3 or 2x4 and skinned or if good with wood working you can make a very nice out of furniture grade ply.

Layout of the sump will depend heavily on equipment. Filter sock vs roller? In sump skimmer vs external. Reactors length of heater etc. Need to have a plan for equipment and build from there.

I would go to a local glass shop to get baffles cut. Tank the 20l with you so they can get measurements for width, I try to have baffles cut 1/16 of an inch shy of width.

Determine if you want returns going over the top or thru the back/bottom. Will require different plumbing.

Will be a fun project

 

[Fish Fan]

@ShakeyGizzard @Fish Fan @underwood

I have a question about the overflow preference. I was going to go with the modular marine 800 gph but fitting a true bean animal overflow in there looks tough. Modular mentioned maybe going with the 1200 gph…obviously I don’t need anywhere close to a 30x turnover.

Would a gate valve allow me to tune down the 1200 gph enough to allow an easier bean animal install?

Thanks for the input.

The two drain 2-drain Herbie style is likely fine if you want to go with the 800 gph, though I think the 3-drain Bean Animal style would be preferred for additional redundancy. You could do the 1200 and turn it down with valves. You would want a good gate valve on either setup.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

@ShakeyGizzard @Fish Fan @underwood

I have a question about the overflow preference. I was going to go with the modular marine 800 gph but fitting a true bean animal overflow in there looks tough. Modular mentioned maybe going with the 1200 gph…obviously I don’t need anywhere close to a 30x turnover.

Would a gate valve allow me to tune down the 1200 gph enough to allow an easier bean animal install?

Thanks for the input.

I use the 600gph overflow, Its handles plenty of flow, but if i had to do it again i would go with a slightly larger overflow. I use the gate valve to quiet down the drain. This cuts air out of your drain, you will be able to use a larger overflow with a gate valve and a return pump with lower gph. You cannot regulate the return output flow with the gate valve on the drain, that is done with your return pump