40 breeder mostly FOWLR

othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
#1
The purpose of this build is to combine my 40g cube and mantis tank. Into one simple system focusing mainly on the mantis. We are removing the sump and just using a canister filter and a hob skimmer. I would like to have microalgea in the display, if it doesn't require to much light. (any suggestion on microalgea would be helpful)

I started with a stand that had some water damage on the bottom only made of 1/2" plywood. I stripped the bottom wood, added a 3/4" plywood and added 2x2s along the edges.


Since the stand is 48" and the tank is 36" I added 1x2 rails across the top and a 2x2 cross member to support the tank. I also have extra plywood to make a table top in the stand.


Here is the final resting place, but I still need to cover the end section with plywood to finish out the look.


David
 
othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
#3
tlo25;104263 said:
What's the white container on the side for?
Click to expand...
That is the canister filter I will be running with chemipure elite and crushed coral. Thinking about picking up one of the new marineland single bright LEDs for 24-36" aquarium. Not sure if the macro will grow under that light or not.
 
the_fish_man

the_fish_man

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#4
#4
Following
 
othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
#5
After I got home yesterday I pulled the 40G Breeder, did a partial water test, and cleaned it (cat was laying in the aquarium). I also took a look at the canister filter and decided I want it inside the cabinet instead of on the shelf next to the tank. Doing this leaves me room for a HOB skimmer. Once I put everything back together I measured the opening at the end of the aquarium and found a way to get the current wood I have left from rebuilding the bottom of the stand to close the gap in the opening.

Hopefully this weekend I will get everything moved from the old display tank to the new along with 5 gallons new salt water. I won't move the mantis until everything else settles into the tank first.
 
othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
#8
tlo25;104862 said:
Nicely done, I like it. Looks like a good tight fit.
Click to expand...
It is a nice fit and enough space on the end to build an overflow if I wanted. I just don't know if I will be able to build an overflow later once I have it setup. The space on the side is perfect for all the cables, pipes, and HOB skimmer. I'm going to run it like a peninsula with all the powerheads mounted on the one side. I have two koralia 425s and one koralia evo 750. Those along with the ~250gph from the canister and whatever else I get from the Remora, I should be set for flow.

BTW. My wife said I should fill the new tank with just new saltwater instead of using the saltwater from the old tank because the water would be "cleaner" and it would be easier to move the rock and fish between the tanks. All the live rock from the old tank (which is nice and encrusted), sand, and the fish, crab, and shrimps will be moved over. Is there any reason why I shouldn't use the water from the old tank, or any reason why I shouldn't use all new saltwater? I figure could use 10G new saltwater and the rest from the old tank. Might be hard to scrape the old sand from the bottom of the old tank if I had 24" of water that I had to contend with.
 
dvenson

dvenson

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
#9
remove the water first then take out the rock and scoop the sand out.


i would recommend using the old saltwater first and in a few days once everything has cleared up do a large water change. you will have a nutrient spike by moving the sand over so you may want to just use new sand.
 
othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
#10
Everything from the display has been moved however the rocks and sand are not in their final resting places. I couldn't see anything to be able to place everything properly. I will move the mantis next week after I set everything the way I want it.



Process:
1) purchased 10g of new salt water and placed it into the new tank.
2) moved 10g of old salt water into new tank.
3) moved the large rocks that sit on the bottom. (one fish made the ride on a rock)
4) moved 5g of old salt and filled a 5g bucket with rock, salt water, heater, powerhead, and all my fish.
5) moved sand, starfish, cleaner shrimps, and rest of rock.
6) started canister filter just with filter floss to clear water.
7) placed rock from fish bucket, powerhead, and heater in new tank.
8) dumped water and fish from bucket into new tank.

I guess I could have waited one day to move the fish from the bucket, but there was at least 10" of fish in that bucket.
 
othercents

othercents

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
#12
Question about flow.

I have the 40 Breeder setup with two koralia nano 420s, one koralia 750, and the canister filter ~200gph all on one side of the tank. Here is a picture of the configuration.



I want to keep the flow coming from the one side sorta like a peninsula setup would run where the powerheads push the water down both sides and then the return flows through the rocks and back to the powerheads. However when watching the flow it looks like the 420s are not able to push the flow all the way to the end of the tank like the 750. This might also be causing the 750 to wrap the flow around to the other side of the tank causing dead spots where everything just settles. I also notice that there is a significant return flow to the 750 vs the two 420s even though the canister return is next to the 420s.

Obviously my desire would be to replace all powerheads with two MP10es and be done with it, but that isn't an option. Is there a better way to place the powerheads and canister filter, so that the flow across both sides are similar? Is 750gph enough flow to span the 36" tank?
 
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