First saltwater exp - 40g Breeder

[Samped]

After doing freshwater for a couple years I finally have got bored with it. It has become almost maintenance free for me so I decided to setup a saltwater tank.

I was going to start with just a 10 gallon, but quickly decided to upgrade to a 40 (only $40!)

I started a cycle already in the 10 gallon with about 15lbs of rock and some live sand, and it has been running for a week or two.

Just setup the 40 today, combined the sand from 10 gallon with 40lbs of new dry stuff, added about 7 gallons of the current water and mixed it altogether with some new freshwater and salt.

So now it is all mixing and settling.

I plan on adding more rock in tomorrow when I can see, and then letting it run for awhile (3 powerheads, 2 heaters, 1 hob carbon filter)

Found a perfect stand I had sitting in my garage that I used for a really old big tv (my tv is 22 lbs now )

So, I have a few 10 gallon tanks sitting around. I would really like to create a sump out of two 10 gallons, because it would be free and the space inside the cabinet is very odd (24x24x20)

Any advice on how to start this? I would like a HOB overflow, going to the first tank with a skimmer, and going into the second 10 gallon for a refuge/return.

Any advice or criticism is welcomed :biggthumpup:

Also, here is the equipment I'm running..

Lights: 2x250 MH 14k, 2 65 pc actinics, 8 led's

Heaters: 2x 150 aqueon pro

Movement: 2x Hydor Koralia Evo 750, and one random brand one

 

[huma-huma]

Running 2 heaters is never a bad thing but 2x150's may be unneeded. You should be able to get by with 1...keep the other as backup. The koralia 750's are AMAZING..
Everything looks great so far, oh and be ready to want a bigger tank... it happens to about 95% of us.

 

[AquaRick]

Are you comfortable with drilling into glass? I was going to suggest a diy overflow with pvc pipes, but from the look of the picture, there's not much room on top of the 10g sumps/tanks in the cabinet?

It might be a good idea to drill the 2 10g tanks and connect them with bulkheads so that they flow into eachother at tank level, rather than at the top with little to no room.

 

[Samped]

Running 2 heaters is never a bad thing but 2x150's may be unneeded. You should be able to get by with 1...keep the other as backup. The koralia 750's are AMAZING..
Everything looks great so far, oh and be ready to want a bigger tank... it happens to about 95% of us.

Yea, mainly I did it just because the room is it in can get kind of cold, and in case one fails the other will still work. I have backups, too.

Yea the koralias seem to be pushing some good amount of flow.

And yes.. I have been struck by the tank addiction plenty.. Keep in mind this 40 gal started as a 10 gal hehe

I also have a 55 freshwater.

Are you comfortable with drilling into glass? I was going to suggest a diy overflow with pvc pipes, but from the look of the picture, there's not much room on top of the 10g sumps/tanks in the cabinet?

It might be a good idea to drill the 2 10g tanks and connect them with bulkheads so that they flow into eachother at tank level, rather than at the top with little to no room.

I am comfortable drilling glass, but I do not want to drill my main tank. I just don't want to at all. Drilling the 2 10 gallons will be no problem though, and I think thats exactly what I am going to do.

Thinking about this overflow:

AQUARIUM WET DRY FILTER OVER FLOW BOX 600GPH | eBay

 

[coffeetwitch]

CPR CS90 SIPHON AQUARIUM OVERFLOW BOX by CPR Aquatic - AquaCave

if its just money to you go with this one. get the deluxe so that it comes with the lift pump and acrylic lid.

 

[coffeetwitch]

there are several hob skimmers that i think would work well with your set up.

if you want to do a refugium you could split it between the two 10's. just to maximize the effectiveness of a refugium.

 

[coffeetwitch]

you can grow some serious stuff with that light are you just doing fowlr or mixed reef?

 

[coffeetwitch]

Running 2 heaters is never a bad thing but 2x150's may be unneeded. You should be able to get by with 1...keep the other as backup. The koralia 750's are AMAZING..
Everything looks great so far, oh and be ready to want a bigger tank... it happens to about 95% of us.

im dont want to contradict huma about the heaters, but if you have em use em my two cents but i dig overkill for the sake of stability.

+1 on the koralia's love mine.

 

[Samped]

if its just money to you go with this one. get the deluxe so that it comes with the lift pump and acrylic lid.

What exactly is the difference? Not sure what a lift pump/lid would do. The $47 looked like it does the same exact thing?

you can grow some serious stuff with that light are you just doing fowlr or mixed reef?

I plan on having inverts and corals eventually. Got the light for cheap.

Here's the tank..night, dusk, and day..

 

[coffeetwitch]

the lift pump helps keep air out of your siphon. the link i gave has a nipple for it. the lid is because they say it helps keep it quiet.

people have also reported fewer floods with the use of a lift pump on their overflows than just the siphon tube.

hahaha ill say it cause it was said to me. diy an overflow for less than $14. but then i would still put a lift pump on it.

 

[coffeetwitch]

people have also reported fewer floods with the use of a lift pump on their overflows than just the siphon tube.
.

i have also read that people never have a problem with loosing a siphon with the clear tubes either. so if it works for you, then dont worry about it.

not much help, sorry.

 

[Samped]

i have also read that people never have a problem with loosing a siphon with the clear tubes either. so if it works for you, then dont worry about it.

not much help, sorry.

How exactly do you lose a siphon? If the water gets too low or something?

 

[huma-huma]

A siphon is lost when air is introduced into the line. It relies on gravity and the vacuum created by that water to pull in more water...obviously air is lighter than water so it breaks the "seal" on a siphon , therefore interrupting it

 

[Samped]

So a drilled tank can never lose suction then, obviously unless the tank is empty?

 

[huma-huma]

A drilled tank doesn't rely on siphon. Its tech considered a drain I believe. But yes a drilled tank wont stop emptying unless you lose water somehow...