aquatic26
Community Member
I know, I know. Yet another 40g breeder build... BUT I am upgrading from a Waterbox Cube 20 that I started in August and feel as though I learned so many lessons, some hard ones, from that tank. I wanted to share them in case they can spare anyone else having to learn the hard way. My main realizations were:
1. Do NOT over feed and don't add chemipure blue or any other GFO or phosbond additive before 6 months
2. If your return pump is the heart, FLOW is the blood (BRS credit for that analogy). Do not underestimate how crucial flow is. Cubes are hard for this. If you think you have enough flow, double it. You don't have enough flow.
3. Keep your sand beds only to a couple inches. Your sand burrowing creatures will do just fine In that depth. Any more and you create a waste dump.
4. Buy a cheap Jager heater to keep on hand. Yours WILL fail or error and waiting for it to happen without back up is a terrible idea.
5. Runner a skimmer that is bigger than what you need
6. When you aquascape, consider all the spots that will be blocked from flow. Those are dead spots and will make life miserable. Leave at least 3" between the glass and the rock for water movement.
7. Clown fish are jerks. They BITE.
What I personally learned from the hobby:
1. Corals are amazing, but they felt more stressful than enjoyable to me
2. Fish are my favorite part of the hobby
That brings us to the new build! I got a 40g breeder 50% off at Petsmart. I'm running it as a primarily FOWLR (going to transition over the few corals I do have), plus my RFA and BTA, a fire shrimp, skunk cleaner shrimp, a couple hermits, and some snails. I'm going a low tech, easy maintenance route:
1. SeaChem Tidal 75 HOB filter
2. SeaChem Tidal 55 HOB running with rubble, chaeto, and a small light (will become a refugium)
3. Hygger Pinpoint 200w heater
4. Instant Ocean Sea Clone HOB Skimmer (found it for 60% off, may replace with something nicer eventually)
5. CaribSea Fiji Pink 20lb bag
6. Had leftover CaribSea live rock and bought some white reef rock, will move over some of my established rock work, too
7. Moving over my Noopsyche K7 Mini since I don't need multiple lights for a FOWLR
8. Hygger cross flow wave maker, fluval power head, and Jaebow wave maker
Current fish that are making the move:
2 clowns
1 royal gramma
1 Randall's goby
Wishlist fish to add (just wish list, nothing definite):
Flame Hawk
Melanarus Wrasse
Diamond sand sifting goby
Mandarin
Lemon Peel Angel
PHOTOS TO COME!
1. Do NOT over feed and don't add chemipure blue or any other GFO or phosbond additive before 6 months
2. If your return pump is the heart, FLOW is the blood (BRS credit for that analogy). Do not underestimate how crucial flow is. Cubes are hard for this. If you think you have enough flow, double it. You don't have enough flow.
3. Keep your sand beds only to a couple inches. Your sand burrowing creatures will do just fine In that depth. Any more and you create a waste dump.
4. Buy a cheap Jager heater to keep on hand. Yours WILL fail or error and waiting for it to happen without back up is a terrible idea.
5. Runner a skimmer that is bigger than what you need
6. When you aquascape, consider all the spots that will be blocked from flow. Those are dead spots and will make life miserable. Leave at least 3" between the glass and the rock for water movement.
7. Clown fish are jerks. They BITE.
What I personally learned from the hobby:
1. Corals are amazing, but they felt more stressful than enjoyable to me
2. Fish are my favorite part of the hobby
That brings us to the new build! I got a 40g breeder 50% off at Petsmart. I'm running it as a primarily FOWLR (going to transition over the few corals I do have), plus my RFA and BTA, a fire shrimp, skunk cleaner shrimp, a couple hermits, and some snails. I'm going a low tech, easy maintenance route:
1. SeaChem Tidal 75 HOB filter
2. SeaChem Tidal 55 HOB running with rubble, chaeto, and a small light (will become a refugium)
3. Hygger Pinpoint 200w heater
4. Instant Ocean Sea Clone HOB Skimmer (found it for 60% off, may replace with something nicer eventually)
5. CaribSea Fiji Pink 20lb bag
6. Had leftover CaribSea live rock and bought some white reef rock, will move over some of my established rock work, too
7. Moving over my Noopsyche K7 Mini since I don't need multiple lights for a FOWLR
8. Hygger cross flow wave maker, fluval power head, and Jaebow wave maker
Current fish that are making the move:
2 clowns
1 royal gramma
1 Randall's goby
Wishlist fish to add (just wish list, nothing definite):
Flame Hawk
Melanarus Wrasse
Diamond sand sifting goby
Mandarin
Lemon Peel Angel
PHOTOS TO COME!
