40 gallons and counting

[Saltyreef24]

Hi all, this is where I will be posting my plans, build process, and updates on my second reef tank, starting with a standard 40 gallon breeder tank. This will house what I have previously had in my Evo 13.5 reef tank, plus an anemone to appease my rambunctious clownfish, and more.

Specs:
Display tank: 40 gal. breeder
Overflow: fijicube low profile 600gph box
Sump: 20 gal. long w/glass and acrylic baffles
Skimmer: Aquamaxx WS-1
Return pump: Sicce syncra silent 3.0 w dual 1/2” Random Flow Generators from VCA.
Inkbird temperature controller
Fluval M200 heater
Jebao 4-head auto doser
Custom built stand
Large particle filtration: 2x 4” filter socks
Lights: 2ct AI Prime 16HD
Flow: 1 AI Nero 3.0 powerhead
UV: sicce 13 watt UVC clarifier


Current stocking list (9/08):
-2 Ocellaris clownfish
-Firefish
-Yellow watchman goby
-Diamond Goby
-Fighting conch
-Hermit crabs
-Turbo, astrea, chestnut, cerith, and nassarius snails

Corals:
-Gold indo hammer
-Green Bicolor frogspawn
-Anacropora/Briar Coral
-Duncan
-Green mouthed trumpet/candy cane
-Kryptonite candy cane
-Purple stylophora
-Green Kenya tree
-Hidden cup coral(phyllangia americana)
-WWC Yellow tip acropora austera
-ORA Scripps green acropora
-Miyagi Tort (Acropora tortuosa)
-WWC Stellaria Chalice
-ORA Bird of Paradise Seriatopora
-TSA Green Seriatopora caliendrum birdsnest
-Yellow birdsnest

Other:
-Rainbow Bubble tip anemone
-Orange sponge

Updated pics(2/11):


2/16:

9/8/25:

 

[RockRash]

Nice, have fun on your build. It will be fun to watch it come together.

 

[Saltyreef24]

Nice, have fun on your build. It will be fun to watch it come together.

Thank you, it has been quite the process so far just learning and acquiring materials. This will be my first tank with a sump, so there is a lot for me to educate myself on

 

[RockRash]

Thank you, it has been quite the process so far just learning and acquiring materials. This will be my first tank with a sump, so there is a lot for me to educate myself on

Same for me and my build, well not my first tank but my first one with a sump. I've been out of the hobby for years my first tank just had a hob filter. I'm building a 75 gallon with a 40 breeder sump. I just started my plumbing tonight but have been collecting all my lights power heads filtration stuff for months. I'll definitely be following your build it seems we both took a very similar DIY approach to our tanks.

 

[Saltyreef24]

Same for me and my build, well not my first tank but my first one with a sump. I've been out of the hobby for years my first tank just had a hob filter. I'm building a 75 gallon with a 40 breeder sump. I just started my plumbing tonight but have been collecting all my lights power heads filtration stuff for months. I'll definitely be following your build it seems we both took a very similar DIY approach to our tanks.

Yes similar concept. I like how robust your stand looks. I think mine is going to be very strong too, but I’m expecting that the wood framing will be a bit bulkier to get that nice strength to it. Hoping to build it and start the major steps of assembling this setup in the next couple of weeks. I’d love to transfer over my critters by the new year

 

[RockRash]

Yes similar concept. I like how robust your stand looks. I think mine is going to be very strong too, but I’m expecting that the wood framing will be a bit bulkier to get that nice strength to it. Hoping to build it and start the major steps of assembling this setup in the next couple of weeks. I’d love to transfer over my critters by the new year

Thanks, I definitely think I over built it but going with the heavier steel make me feel better. For me, once I got the stand done my progress really took off. I was procrastinating on building the stand. I don't have a garage so I had to build it at my parents house so after I got home from work the last thing I wanted to do was drive 45 minutes away and back to work on a stand. Its done now so full steam ahead lol.

 

[Saltyreef24]

Thanks, I definitely think I over built it but going with the heavier steel make me feel better. For me, once I got the stand done my progress really took off. I was procrastinating on building the stand. I don't have a garage so I had to build it at my parents house so after I got home from work the last thing I wanted to do was drive 45 minutes away and back to work on a stand. It’s done now so full steam ahead lol.

Ditto, man. I’ve been busy/procrastinating, and have no garage yet so I’m building it at my parents too . Except I work evenings so I’m planning on building it over there Thursday morning after I load up at good ole Home Depot

 

[Saltyreef24]

Received delivery on my pvc unions, gate valve, filter socks, acrylic sheets, and fijicube overflow box last night. Time to start drilling this tank and building a stand

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! Best of luck with building the stand!

 

[Saltyreef24]

Following along! Best of luck with building the stand!

Thank you! Planning on working on it tomorrow

 

[Saltyreef24]

Just drilled and installed my fijicube 600gph overflow box. The water line will be a little lower than the black trim, but I may modify the weir later on to raise it. I placed it the way I did so the lid to the internal box sits just below the lip of the trim that holds the tank lid

Edit 2/7: waterline was actually above edge of black trim by 1/4-1/2”
I enlarged the weir slots to lower it a bit

 

[KochergenJ]

Can't wait to see how this build turns out

 

[jdpeters]

I’m following this and currently planning and piecing out a similar build. How do you like that overflow box? Any idea if it will drain silently? Any plumbing updates would be appreciated. Looking forward to the progress!

 

[Saltyreef24]

I’m following this and currently planning and piecing out a similar build. How do you like that overflow box? Any idea if it will drain silently? Any plumbing updates would be appreciated. Looking forward to the progress!

It seems like it is built well, but I have not tested it out yet. I had some delays in building my stand and it looks like I’m not getting water in this system until maybe a week after Christmas. I will be sure to update all when I make progress

 

[RockRash]

Just drilled and installed my fijicube 600gph overflow box. The water line will be a little lower than the black trim, but I may modify the weir later on to raise it. I placed it the way I did so the lid to the internal box sits just below the lip of the trim that holds the tank lid

Looking good. Cant wait to see it with water in it.

I’m following this and currently planning and piecing out a similar build. How do you like that overflow box? Any idea if it will drain silently? Any plumbing updates would be appreciated. Looking forward to the progress!

I used the modular marine overflow its essentially the same thing. I plumbed mine as a full syphon and 2 emergency standpipes. With a little adjustment of the gate valve its dead silent.

 

[jdpeters]

Looking good. Cant wait to see it with water in it.

I used the modular marine overflow its essentially the same thing. I plumbed mine as a full syphon and 2 emergency standpipes. With a little adjustment of the gate valve its dead silent.

Thank you for responding. My first real reef tank was a cadlights 42g and didn’t have a gate valve. I’m learning that they really help dial in a system and seem like a no brainer to plumb in

 

[MDAquatics]

Cool plans! Im a weirdo and I like to geek out on custom stands. Cant wait to see yours.

 

[jdpeters]

Hi all, this is where I will be posting my plans, build process, and updates on my second reef tank, starting with a simple 40 gallon breeder tank. This will house what I have previously had in my Evo 13.5 reef tank, plus an anemone to appease my rambunctious clownfish, and more.

Specs:
Display tank: 40 gal. breeder
Overflow: fijicube low profile 600gph box
Sump: 20 gal. long w/glass baffles
Skimmer: Aquamaxx WS-1
Return pump: Sicce syncra silent 3.0
Inkbird temperature controller
Jebao 4-head auto doser

Planned:
Stand: custom built, based off of rocket engineer plans
Large particle filtration: 2x 4” filter socks
Lights: 2-3ct. AI prime 16HD OR 1ct AI Hydra 32
Flow: 2ct AI Nero 3.0 powerheads



Current stocking list (11/30):
- miscellaneous plumbing parts
- 3 dust mites

I had a AI hydra 52 on my 42 gallon, a much older generation from 8 years ago and loved it. I’m leaning heavily towards the AI primes either goosenecked or possibly mounted in a custom hood. Have you purchased your lights yet? I’m not sure how good the coverage would be with 2 primes. In the wheel house is to try 2 and then supplement with an AI blade or possibly orphek or reefbrite

 

[Blennioidei]

Following along :)

 

[Saltyreef24]

Currently in Oahu trying to find out how to bring home some different coralline algae, bacteria, and maybe sponges etc. from the live rock out here. At the very least, I have a shooter bottle of crushed coralline algae and seawater to stick in my luggage. Fingers crossed I can find a way to bring back more goodies.

Also, my wife and I saw some wonderful creatures when snorkeling, including a sailfin tang that was well over a foot long. We also just encountered TWENTY Hawaiian green sea turtles, or Honu, resting on the beach last night. I attached a pic of some to show y’all, along with one from today.