A Noob's Progress

[roccomorra]

I am officially committed with my first adventure into reefing. I have purchased the Recife Eco 40 gallon cube AIO. It has a protein skimmer included in the purchase, along with a pre-loaded media caddy. I have purchased the Current Orbit Marine R 24 dual lights with loop controller. Have a reef builder's Prism ATO, and a AQQA 200W heater with external controller. Have a Red Sea marine test kit coming and will be ordering 2 wave makers off Amazon, each 1000GPH. Return pump of this setup is rated at 475 GPH. Will be buying Caribsea Direct Ocean live sand and 35 lbs of live rock. Will start up the tank with real ocean water from lfs. Have a 10 gallon QT tank also ready to use.

 

[i cant think]

I am officially committed with my first adventure into reefing. I have purchased the Recife Eco 40 gallon cube AIO. It has a protein skimmer included in the purchase, along with a pre-loaded media caddy. I have purchased the Current Orbit Marine R 24 dual lights with loop controller. Have a reef builder's Prism ATO, and a AQQA 200W heater with external controller. Have a Red Sea marine test kit coming and will be ordering 2 wave makers off Amazon, each 1000GPH. Return pump of this setup is rated at 475 GPH. Will be buying Caribsea Direct Ocean live sand and 35 lbs of live rock. Will start up the tank with real ocean water from lfs. Have a 10 gallon QT tank also ready to use.

This looks interesting, I’m excited to see how it goes

 

[aws2266]

I am officially committed with my first adventure into reefing. I have purchased the Recife Eco 40 gallon cube AIO. It has a protein skimmer included in the purchase, along with a pre-loaded media caddy. I have purchased the Current Orbit Marine R 24 dual lights with loop controller. Have a reef builder's Prism ATO, and a AQQA 200W heater with external controller. Have a Red Sea marine test kit coming and will be ordering 2 wave makers off Amazon, each 1000GPH. Return pump of this setup is rated at 475 GPH. Will be buying Caribsea Direct Ocean live sand and 35 lbs of live rock. Will start up the tank with real ocean water from lfs. Have a 10 gallon QT tank also ready to use.

It's an addiction, once you start you can't get enough. I have current-usa lights, not that exact type but it has the loop control. It's awesome when you add an eflux powerhead. Can control it all from your phone. Here's a tip for finding cheap live rock. Look for people on CL and FB marketplace who are selling their setups. You can usually get some really nice rock for dirt cheap even free. Look forward to seeing your setup

 

[i cant think]

It's an addiction, once you start you can't get enough.

I’ve not heard something more true, I went from just one small nano to now having a 4x2x2 and a Red Sea Max Nano over the span of 13, almost 14 years

 

[aws2266]

I’ve not heard something more true, I went from just one small nano to now having a 4x2x2 and a Red Sea Max Nano over the span of 13, almost 14 years

I just got back into the hobby after a 15yr break. My wife ok'd a 55g with some coral on July 14th. I'll be getting my 120g at the end of the month, then the 55g will be a FOWLR and I'll have a 30g quarantine. I jumped back in with both feet.

 

[i cant think]

I just got back into the hobby after a 15yr break. My wife ok'd a 55g with some coral on July 14th. I'll be getting my 120g at the end of the month, then the 55g will be a FOWLR and I'll have a 30g quarantine. I jumped back in with both feet.

Nice one!

 

[roccomorra]

Update: Will receive 2 current marine 1060 gph wave makers and a Kasa 6 outlet smart wi-fi power bar to plug equipment into on Tuesday. Question- The Recife 40 gal cube comes with a 475gph return pump, should I upgrade it a bit for better flow through the AIO chambers?

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Update: Will receive 2 current marine 1060 gph wave makers and a Kasa 6 outlet smart wi-fi power bar to plug equipment into on Tuesday. Question- The Recife 40 gal cube comes with a 475gph return pump, should I upgrade it a bit for better flow through the AIO chambers?

Yes, I have that exact cube and the "return pump" they provide is nothing more than a weak powerhead. I used an Innovative Marine Mightjet. This one fits perfectly: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/mightyjet-midsize-aio-dc-return-pump-538-gph-innovative-marine.html

I only run it on the second setting and it is more than enough. You could probably even get the model under that one and be just fine. I also have the current-usa 1060 powerheads as well. I went through everything from the Icecap 2k to the Ecotech Vortech MP40QD in that tank and nothing worked like I needed. I just tried the Current-USA and they worked great. I mounted both on the back wall on each side and pointed them toward the opposite side.

 

[roccomorra]

For anyone with experience using the Recife Eco 40 gallon cube AIO- Would it be feasible at some point to have a refugium by replacing the sponge in chamber 1 for this purpose? Will the refugium function as a mechanical filtration boost for the system?

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

For anyone with experience using the Recife Eco 40 gallon cube AIO- Would it be feasible at some point to have a refugium by replacing the sponge in chamber 1 for this purpose? Will the refugium function as a mechanical filtration boost for the system?

That's the main overflow. You couldn't do much as far as a refugium in that chamber. I took the sponge out and it now houses my UV and my heater. My second chamber is clear and houses the skimmer tubes of a HOB skimmer. Third chamber is full of MarinePure Ceramic Bioballs and on top of those is my filtration media to catch food, etc. I also lay carbon and GFO in this flow are on top of the Bioballs. Last chamber is return.

You cannplay around with most of the chambers, except the return of course. Just remember all of them are connected and there is a flow to them.

 

[roccomorra]

I am at the stage of planning my aquascape. This being a 40 gallon cube with dimensions of 21inches long by 18 inches wide and 21 inches tall how should I approach this? How high should I go with the rock work?

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

I am at the stage of planning my aquascape. This being a 40 gallon cube with dimensions of 21inches long by 18 inches wide and 21 inches tall how should I approach this? How high should I go with the rock work?

Well, I was in a hurry (impatient after being out of reefing for years) and bought Caribsea Moani Dry Live Rock. I put probably 60 pounds in there and don't have a lot of room haha. I would stack your rock outside of the aquarium and get it like you want it.

I don't remember if I posted a pic, but here is one today of my Aquatop 40 cube. I have a frag rack and most frags are still on, some on rocks.

 

[i cant think]

Well, I was in a hurry (impatient after being out of reefing for years) and bought Caribsea Moani Dry Live Rock. I put probably 60 pounds in there and don't have a lot of room haha. I would stack your rock outside of the aquarium and get it like you want it.

I don't remember if I posted a pic, but here is one today of my Aquatop 40 cube. I have a frag rack and most frags are still on, some on rocks.

This feels wrong to me but I know the tang isn’t having its forever home in there so it doesn’t feel wrong at the same time - Btw, that is a very nice looking scopas. Along with how the tang probably is only around 1”. Still it’s a very nice looking tank for sure!

I am at the stage of planning my aquascape. This being a 40 gallon cube with dimensions of 21inches long by 18 inches wide and 21 inches tall how should I approach this? How high should I go with the rock work?

I put my rockwork so it only went about half way up the tank so the rest of the top can be coral growth and swim room for my Naokoae and M. bipartitus that are being housed in the tank temporarily - If I could redo this rock scape, I would. It’s so bad because detritus gets swept into the big cave on the right and I can’t get in there to clean it, I would probably put all the complete rocks as the base and have the two that are made as caves ontop.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Get a normal Powerhead and point it toward the back wall to clean up detritus.

Yes, that's a rare Yellow Scopas Tang. He's a small one right now and has been doing well for 3 months in the cube.

He will be going into a Red Sea Peninsula around Christmas. 40 cube I'm going to use to breed my diamond gobies. They lay eggs constantly.

 

[i cant think]

Get a normal Powerhead and point it toward the back wall to clean up detritus.

Yes, that's a rare Yellow Scopas Tang. He's a small one right now and has been doing well for 3 months in the cube.

He will be going into a Red Sea Peninsula around Christmas. 40 cube I'm going to use to breed my diamond gobies. They lay eggs constantly.

I might try that, just have to fish out a working power head. A Red Sea peninsula would be a very nice Christmas “present” for sure

 

[roccomorra]

Have ordered a mighty jet return pump to replace the pump that came stock with the Recife Eco 40gal cube and my first Hannah checkers Alk&PH

 

[roccomorra]

Getting close to going wet! Bought 40lbs of DirectOcean live sand- downloading the app for my Kasa power strip. Hope to get lights up in next 48 hrs and place wave pumps, skimmer, and mighty jet return pump.

 

[roccomorra]

update; Have my 40 gal cube up and running! Lights will be installed on Monday. Dosed tank with 4oz fritz turbo and have 20 lbs live rock plus a 4piece coralife stack. About 30 lbs of live sand.

 

[Kayanarka]

update; Have my 40 gal cube up and running! Lights will be installed on Monday. Dosed tank with 4oz fritz turbo and have 20 lbs live rock plus a 4piece coralife stack. About 30 lbs of live sand.

Grats, look forward to pictures.