My 40 gallon breeder & now 125 gallon dual overflow

Huff747 · Jul 27, 2017

Well, there's not much to share yet but here's what I've accumulated so far.

I had a 40 breeder from my tortoises when they were smaller but I picked up a 20L for my sump with the $1/gal sale. I've ordered the Synergy overflow and picked up some plumbing supplies. Spent tonight cutting and chamfering the 1.5 inch pvc for the overflow. After the unions I'm taking it down to 1 inch. Also got some Plasti dip for the back and the frame to give it a screen top.

Should get the overflow tomorrow and will try my hand at drilling the tank this weekend. Picked up a skimmer from a member here that's en route as well.

No real firm plans on a stand yet. I'm pretty proficient at the basics of the stand building but making it look like furniture like some of the stands I've seen on here isn't something I've done before.

Since I don't have many build pictures yet here's the former residents of the tank that have moved up to a larger enclosure and will eventually get their own room in the basement.

Huff747 · Jul 28, 2017

More goodies showed up today.

So I went ahead and drilled the tank. No cracks so that's a plus. Made my own template for the return after I drilled for the synergy overflow.

All 3 holes done.

And some test fitting.

May try to paint the back tomorrow.

Huff747 · Jul 30, 2017

Today's progress was thorough cleaning and prep for paint. Got a few coats in before bed and will do some more tomorrow.

Huff747 · Aug 8, 2017

Slow progress but at least it's progress. First coat of paint

Post paint and trim added. Not perfect but first I've done this. Need to learn how to make doors or find some online.

In place in the garage for plumbing and such.

And the plumbing. Return is pretty well done and overflows are a good part of the way there. Still waiting for my baffles to get made.

Hopefully finish plumbing tomorrow after work and maybe be able to test it Wednesday.

Huff747 · Sep 14, 2017

Been a while so time for an update, in part because I got the tank filled this morning so it's actually running.

Moved into the office, mostly full.

The aquascape (Reef Saver that's been curing since early/mid July):

Lights on:

Stand still needs some doors...In laws are remodeling their kitchen so hoping they have something that fits coming off that I can take and paint.

Side shot with Apex (needs some wire cleanup still):

Full sideshot:

Full front shot with trim on the top:

And one final picture of the rocks with this mornings lighting:

The Apex is still a learning curve but so far so good.

Thanks for looking.

Chris

Mike N · Sep 14, 2017

Nice, thorough build thread. Looks good!

Ryan@ShelteredReef · Sep 14, 2017

Nice progress! Looks like your build is progressing nicely.

Huff747 · Sep 14, 2017

Thanks. It's been fun at times. Long at others.

Well good news and bad news. My ATO switch/pump works which is good. My "air tight" ATO reservoir not so much.

Leaks exactly in the middle of the bottom. Guess I handle top off myself for a few days...

Huff747 · Sep 23, 2017

Not a lot to update. It's cycling and takes care of the ammonia asap so waiting on the nitrite part. But here's a shot:

And then the QT tank since I don't have anything else fun to share (needs a little cleaning but that's what Saturdays are for)

And just set up and started cycling an invert QT tank:

ReefJCB · Oct 7, 2017

Looking great! Excited to watch the progress on this.

Huff747 · Nov 6, 2017

Thanks to a remodel in my in-laws kitchen I was able to get some doors that work:

And my chaeto is out of QT so running the sump light at night:

Huff747 · Nov 12, 2017

Finally, there are fish in the display!

The first three fish graduated from QT to the display so it's finally got something other than chaeto.

And that freed up the QT tank for a new resident:

count krunk · Dec 8, 2017

dont get any fish that will fit in that guy's mouth! he will eat them right up. Is there a snug fitting top? Snowflake eels (and in general) are quite the escape artists.

Build looks good so far!

Huff747 · Dec 11, 2017

yungreefer2410 said:
dont get any fish that will fit in that guy's mouth! he will eat them right up. Is there a snug fitting top? Snowflake eels (and in general) are quite the escape artists.

Build looks good so far!

Well I thought I did...It's been a really crappy stretch for me over the last few weeks. The QT tank was the normal 10 gallon kit with hood. I taped the hood down, I taped the holes in the back where the cords/air line came out. I taped up all the area around the HOB filter and after a couple weeks I found him behind the tank in the morning. I still can't tell you where he came out of. I couldn't see any tape pulled up, I couldn't see any place I thought it looked like had dried water where he wriggled out. Here's how the QT tape job looked:

My daughter is probably the most bummed on the eel but I don't know if we'll try another as I don't know what else I could have done on that lid to keep him in

So then I tried a flameback angel and that ended like this - https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flameback-angel-vertical.339370/

And then yesterday I came down to the display tank and couldn't find my fuzzy dwarf lion. He was on the carpet behind the tank and all dried out as well. I was unaware they were jumpers. I have a lid I had built in anticipation of the eel eventually making it to the display but I didn't have it on as I didn't think I had jumpers yet. So 3 loses in just a couple weeks. Needless to say the lid is now always on.

On a positive note some of the early corals were ready to move from QT so I do now have a tiny bit of reef in my tank. I moved over my duncan, hammer, blasto, a couple of zoas, a favia (don't really know where I want to place it), a purple stylo, and a free frag acro I don't know much about but I have managed to keep alive in QT. And since the lion is gone I moved the cleaner shrimp in since he'd molted a few times.

I think our next attempt at adding a fish may be a midas blenny or a couple cardinals but I'm a bit discouraged at the moment.

Huff747 · Jan 2, 2018

Been keeping my eye on craigslist for something bigger already and yesterday I went and picked up this guy:

Cleaning has begun but it’ll probably be a bit before it’s up and running. I have everything other than a return pump and controller for it and may look into a different sump. I have a sump that works but no room for a refugium.

Mostly just wanted the ability to keep some fish that are too big for the 40.

Thanks for looking.

Huff747 · Jan 3, 2018

after some vinegar and scrubbing and taping off the back for paint:

Huff747 · Jan 28, 2018

Not a lot of updates. The 40gallon is chugging along waiting for more corals and fish to get out of QT.

Got the back of the 125 as well as the stand painted and started laying out some of the plumbing:

Decided it's going to the basement but haven't had any sturdy friends over to help me move it yet so for now it sits in the living room in pieces until my wife gets fed up with it.

And when I got the 125 the seller included a 40 gallon breeder they were going to use as a sump so since I already had a sump I turned it into my new larger QT tank. I looked for a stand but didn't find one at the right price that I liked and didn't really feel like making one for a tank that hopefully only runs occasionally for shorter periods of time so just tucked it away in a corner of the basement for now.

Huff747 · Mar 25, 2018

Not a lot of tank updates. Still waiting for buddies to help me get the 125 into the basement, but the plumbing is done.

Going to go ahead and apologize in advance for the in tank photography. It's not good...sorry.

Did go to the SLASH fragswap over the weekend. Entered a few raffles and won two. First from CJ Corals, this guy with somewhere around 6 or so heads: