JT's 40G Breeder - Starting at Day1

[UncleJT]

Wow. After working in the industry for so long and taking a much need break from both the industry and hobby, I am finally ready to return to the hobby as a pure hobbyist once again.

With the new system, I wanted to setup a small and simple, using an "off the rack" tank, yet I still wanted some decent elbow room for a few corals to grow out. This meant only one tank.. the famous 40G Breeder! The standard 50G, 36x18x18, is still my favorite 3' standard footprint tank. However, I can never manage to get past that bloody center brace enough to actually use the bugger but I digress.

My stocking plan is going to be mostly SPS with a few choice pieces of LPS mixed in. Not sure on fish just yet but it will not be many fish at all.

Specifications

• 40G Breeder, 36x18x16
• Black Pine Stand

Filtration:

• 20G Long Sump
• Octopus NW-200 Skimmer with Mesh & Gate Valve Mods
• OceanRunner 2500 Return Pump

Lighting:

• 2x175W Iwasaki 15,000K on an M57 Ballast
• 2x39W Geisemann Actinic+ on a Workhorse6 Ballast

Circulation:

• Tunze 6025 nanostream with Standard/Basic Mod
• VorTech MP40 - to be added later

I'm an original old school Berlin method reefer. However, in my almost 3 year absence, I see a lot has changed so I am keeping an open mind to try new things. With that said, I've been a big fan of SunnyX's famous 100G rimless tank so I am going to try and run my system the same way with bacteria (Microbacter7) and carbon source (Vodka) dosing and basic 2-part calcium/alk dosing with mag supplementation.

I just finished filling the system with RO/DI and a bag of salt a few minutes ago so we can begin this thread right at Day 1.

Day 1 Photos

* Note that in the tank shots below, only ONE metal halide lamp is fired (in addition to the T5s). I still need to buy the second lamp but there is no big rush until I start adding corals. I am also going to be replacing that skimpy filter sock with a bigger one so I can run both the tank drain and the skimmer output into the one bag. I want to keep the sump as free of detritus as possible so I'd much rather replace filter socks weekly than deal with baffles and siphoning the sump.

Full System Shot

Full Tank Shot

Da Sump!

Nice Head Baby!

Obligatory Plumbing Shot

 

[UncleJT]

I plan on adding rock and sand next weekend, August 1st/2nd.

 

[revhtree]

Very nice! Don't you just love a fresh start? Nice and clean!

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

Great looking start. Is the background a sheet of something or paint? I really like the color.

 

[UncleJT]

Great looking start. Is the background a sheet of something or paint? I really like the color.

Flat black spray paint.

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

It looks like a dark blue, maybe my monitor color is off? Or is that the way the Iwasaki's make it look?

 

[UncleJT]

It looks like a dark blue, maybe my monitor color is off? Or is that the way the Iwasaki's make it look?

No, it's definitely black. What you are seeing is the actinic T5 lamps dominating because I only have one Iwasaki fired in the pics. I still need to buy a second lamp. The Iwasaki's are very white when lit alone.

 

[JR's Reef]

Very nice and clean. Looks like your off to a good start

 

[ahayes13]

lookin' good !

 

[UncleJT]

Day 3 and all is well. Nothing much to report but I am bored so I took a full tank shot of the boring tank. System is running well with no issues and is currently evaporating water at the rate of 1G per day. Still on track to add rock and sand this coming weekend, can't wait.

Pic Info: No flash, 1x175W Iwasaki lit with two used T5 39W blues of an unknown spectrum as the writing is worn off. One is blue in color to the eye and the other is pink/purple to the eye. Can't wait to get a second Iwasaki lamp to help whiten things up. Will be buying new T5 actinics as well in the near future.

 

[UncleJT]

To justify posting another pic, or something, I just added a 15lb. bag of CaribSea Special Grade Reef Sand to the tank.

 

[UncleJT]

Day 8 Pictures
I finally have some rock in the tank. I am pleased with the left side of the tank but I will likely add a couple more smaller pieces on the right side of the tank.

 

[KingRicky]

Looks nice, I have been thinking of changing to a 40B.

 

[aerius007]

Do you plan on running an ATO for your sump? I would just be concerned about the evaporation hurting the skimmer performance. Another option would be to install a baffle to keep the water in the "skimmer chamber" at a constant height.

 

[UncleJT]

Do you plan on running an ATO for your sump? I would just be concerned about the evaporation hurting the skimmer performance.

Shouldn't be much of an issue. I top-off manually because I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment but the water level in the sump never really drops fellow low as I am almost always around to top-off. Rarely am I away or too busy to pour in a little RO. I am currently evaporating between one and two gallons so it's quite manageable.

 

[UncleJT]

Day 10 Picture

Added three small pieces of rock to the right side of the tank and also replaced the Tunze nanostream with 2 x MP40w VorTechs. I am presently running the pumps in anti-sync'd Lagoon mode at 50% power.

Pulled off a nice tank shot so I figured I'd post it. Tank is still lit by only one of the metal halides and the two T5's while cycling.

 

[aquarius77]

Looks great. i love the rock as it is in the last pic, plenty of room for coral and for them to grow. Nice.

 

[UncleJT]

Day 12 Photographs

First signs of life spotted! On this small rock I've spotted some very small colonial polyps that look almost like miniature clove polyps. Additionally on the same rock but on the back side, I've spotted a single yellow and single green zoanthid polyps. My camera really stinks in macro mode so I apologize for the lack of quality but I think you can see what I am talking about in these two photos.