40B Newbie

[asmodyus]

Hello
so I am just starting out and I want to do a reef tank. I have a 40 gallon breeder with an Aqua Clear 55/75 HOB, Getting a used Current 4xT5 light. a HOB Skimmer off EBay one of those instant ocean SeaClone clones, and a SunSun JVP-201B 1585 GPH Dual Aquarium Circulation Pump Wavemaker Powerhead w/ Magnet Clamp Base. Is this good enough for a reef tank.

Now what I really need to know is how to get it going I was told to buy live sand and 50/50 live and dry rock up to 35 pounds to get it started and some kind of fish to cycle it. Do I need this much rock has anybody ever purchased live rock over the internet I really on a tight budget to start.

Thanks,

 

[FishDaAx]

Hello
so I am just starting out and I want to do a reef tank. I have a 40 gallon breeder with an Aqua Clear 55/75 HOB, Getting a used Current 4xT5 light. a HOB Skimmer off EBay one of those instant ocean SeaClone clones, and a SunSun JVP-201B 1585 GPH Dual Aquarium Circulation Pump Wavemaker Powerhead w/ Magnet Clamp Base. Is this good enough for a reef tank.

Now what I really need to know is how to get it going I was told to buy live sand and 50/50 live and dry rock up to 35 pounds to get it started and some kind of fish to cycle it. Do I need this much rock has anybody ever purchased live rock over the internet I really on a tight budget to start.

Thanks,

That power head is too much for a 3' tank. eBay has a pair of made in china wave makers 800gph each for like $25. That would be better, that way u will have intersecting currents.

As far as the rock and sand. It's really up to how patient you are and how much u want to spend. I did all dead sand and 50lbs of dry rock and 20lbs of live rock when I started my 115g and it was cycled in only 2 weeks. The more live rock the faster ur cycle but if u don't mind waiting a week or two more doe whatever u can afford.

 

[asmodyus]

Okay I was thinking 40lb black live sand 10lbs of dry base rock and 25 pounds of Caribbean purple pink like rock from ebay the local shops just want to much for what I can afford at the moment my stand and lighting took all the money. So I want 800GPH for the 40 gallon?

 

[FishDaAx]

Okay I was thinking 40lb black live sand 10lbs of dry base rock and 25 pounds of Caribbean purple pink like rock from ebay the local shops just want to much for what I can afford at the moment my stand and lighting took all the money. So I want 800GPH for the 40 gallon?

I was saying x2 800gph wave makers. Having one on each end of your tank pointed at each other would give you a turbulent flow in the tank. (I.e. flow from different directions) this is much more like the ocean than just having one overpowered wave maker blowing in the same direction all the time you know? But personally I would go with 2x 530gph wave makers (also found on eBay for $13.75 free shipping) the rule of thumb is 10-20times ur tanks volume in flow

 

[Mebbid]

With live rock I would just skip it and go with total dry rock. Most people are doing it that way nowadays and it works just as well as live rock without any unwelcome hitch hikers. I would go with 40lbs + on a 40 breeder.

Just for the record this is what 30 lbs of dry rock + 10 lbs of refugium rubble gets you

The flow you need depends on what types of coral you want. It's suggested to have 10x-40x the tank volume in flow per hour. I would probably stray more towards the 40x flow. In my upcoming 40 breeder reef I will be running at least two Hydor koralia powerheads, either the 600s or the 850s

 

[asmodyus]

With live rock I would just skip it and go with total dry rock. Most people are doing it that way nowadays and it works just as well as live rock without any unwelcome hitch hikers. I would go with 40lbs + on a 40 breeder.

Just for the record this is what 30 lbs of dry rock + 10 lbs of refugium rubble gets you

The flow you need depends on what types of coral you want. It's suggested to have 10x-40x the tank volume in flow per hour. I would probably stray more towards the 40x flow. In my upcoming 40 breeder reef I will be running at least two Hydor koralia powerheads, either the 600s or the 850s

I am actually more for going with the color on the wet rock the purples and pink and red more than anything. now I just need to find a very big pirate ship wreck I know lame but my daughter wants so I am going to put all the rock on the wall and make like a sand bar with a wrecked pirate ship and start adding coral to the ship and rocks. But I want something like this Astounding 220G Pirate Shipwreck Discus Aquarium - YouTube but maybe not that big but close

 

[FishDaAx]

Mebbid, do you suggest x40 for a lps and sps tank?

 

[Mebbid]

Mebbid, do you suggest x40 for a lps and sps tank?

SPS yes although the LPS don't really need the higher flow. But for example I am running about 500gph in my 20g reef and it's just not enough flow for a lot of my softies.

 

[FishDaAx]

Yea placement and where your rocks are play a big role in how much flow. I am thinking I should add another power head to my 115g

 

[asmodyus]

So here is some pics of my tank got 25 Lbs of live rock with Hawaiian agro live sand. Still waiting on 20lbs dry from reef clearners, Hob Tank Micro Bubble skimmer from ebay. 10k Light and my 2 800PGH powerhead . Here some pics of it already.

 

[Mebbid]

I am actually more for going with the color on the wet rock the purples and pink and red more than anything. now I just need to find a very big pirate ship wreck I know lame but my daughter wants so I am going to put all the rock on the wall and make like a sand bar with a wrecked pirate ship and start adding coral to the ship and rocks. But I want something like this Astounding 220G Pirate Shipwreck Discus Aquarium - YouTube but maybe not that big but close

The colors on the live rock all come from coralline algae. Even if you do buy it wet the coralline algae that's already on it usually dies off and then slowly grows back in your tank.

 

[asmodyus]

Question I still have not bought my power heads and I am torn between two 800GPS heads or one dual 1600GPS that I can change direction on each head on the dual.

either this
Dual Wave Maker 1600GPH Circulation Aquarium Reef Powerhead Magnetic Drive Pump | eBay

or this one

2X Wave Maker Aquarium Reef Powerhead Water Pump 800GPH Fish Tank Magnetic Drive | eBay

those are the 2 style any input?

 

[asmodyus]

Also another question not sure since this is my first tank but I understand there is limit on how many fish vs how many coral? what is good balance I would like to be more fish sided than coral at the moment. So far I have a yellow damsel in there for cycling and will have about 42lbs to 47lbs dry to live rock.

 

[Mebbid]

Question I still have not bought my power heads and I am torn between two 800GPS heads or one dual 1600GPS that I can change direction on each head on the dual.

either this
Dual Wave Maker 1600GPH Circulation Aquarium Reef Powerhead Magnetic Drive Pump | eBay

or this one

2X Wave Maker Aquarium Reef Powerhead Water Pump 800GPH Fish Tank Magnetic Drive | eBay

those are the 2 style any input?

I saw those last night and they honestly scare me. I would be 100% skeptical of any product online that doesn't have a product name posted along with the obvious sub par translation to english. I would look at getting either 2 hydor koralia powerheads or 1 Jebao wp25

Also another question not sure since this is my first tank but I understand there is limit on how many fish vs how many coral? what is good balance I would like to be more fish sided than coral at the moment. So far I have a yellow damsel in there for cycling and will have about 42lbs to 47lbs dry to live rock.

That damsel is an aggressive fish that doesn't really have a place in a peaceful reef environment and it is going to be hell to catch when you want to remove it, especially when you get all your rock back in there. You will have to pull everything out to even have a chance of catching it. I would honestly pull it out now and use either a cocktail shrimp in a nylon stocking or pure ammonia to do the cycle.

As for a balance of fish to coral, there isn't one. You can have as much coral as you want in the tank so enjoy You will probably be able to fit about 5 fish max in there though.

 

[asmodyus]

Thanks for the info I went with one of these Koralia Nano 425

And now I have all my rocks in place total of 45 Lbs of Live and Dry Base rock and the little yellow damsel.

 

[Mebbid]

Good choice on the koralia. If you are going with a reef setup however you will definitely want to look at getting more than just one of them. I have 2 of the 240s on my 20H reef tank and they don't provide anywhere near enough flow.

 

[asmodyus]

thanks yeah I am going to probably pick another one up in next month or so running out of funds.

 

[Mebbid]

Yeah... that tends to happen a lot with salt water

 

[asmodyus]

So I just installed my Nano 425 Power Head on the right top side of the tank just over the rocks going downward and than I have the waterfall current from the Auqa Clear 55/75 going in the middle. is this a good placement for the Power head?
Here or some pics.

 

[Mebbid]

That's really hard to tell just by looking at it. You will need to check how the water flows around the rocks by following larger particulates and seeing how they move