Mr Pillow Returns - 40B Build Thread

[MrPillow]

Hello my fellow denziens of the deep. After a long number of months sans tank, I am finally embarking on getting back into the aquarium life. Figured I might as well post up the mandatory build thread to appease the masses, so here we go -

I am putting together a pretty simple 40B build that is going to house a dwarf lion, a dwarf angel, and a small group of Banggai cardinals. Going to do some simple corals, primarily GSP, but maybe some others as well just to break up the landscape and add some color here and there.

Here is the component list as it stands -

- 40 breeder
- glass top
- Eshopps RS100 sump
- CPR CS50 Overflow w/Aqualifter
- Mag 5 return pump
- 2x Tunze Nanostream 6025
- Reef Octopus NWB-110 skimmer
- ViaAqua Polyreactor
- Finnex 200W analog heater
- ~45lbs dry rock


The PolyReactor is just on emergency standby, my tap is testing 0ppm phosphates reliably so I hope not to run it anywhere near often. The tank currently has a 24" Marineland DB LED fixture on it, but I have ordered a cheap 4xT5HO fixture off Ebay that should be here in the next couple of days. Good ol Brute bin for mixup water with a MJet 1200 to pump it wherever it needs to go.

Tank is currently a couple of days into the cycle using fresh shrimp, last I checked water parameters were at -

- 75*F
- 35ppt Salinity
- ~8.1 pH
- 0ppm phosphates
- 0.75ppm NH3
- 0ppm NO2
- 0ppm NO3

Not bothering with calc/alk at this point, don't see much reason to.


Here are a few pictures of how things are coming along -

Sand and rock in, tank empty -

Tank full with powerheads running, pre-cycle. The LED beams look pretty funky. The sand and background turned out well and blend seamlessly - the powerheads are nearly invisible -

Power center setup with switches for all outlets run back to a GFCI panel on the wall outlet. Need to get a timer for the T5 fixture, but that will probably mount on the back of the stand or the wall -

Everything crammed in/around sump for a group shot. Plumbing should be up and running tomorrow, forgot a couple pieces at Home Depot so need to make a return trip -

Lonely little overflow waiting to get plumbed into his home -

Just planning to do hose lines for the overflow and return, should have everything ready to go by tomorrow evening once I get by Home Depot after work. Will post some pictures of that and hopefully the new light fixture as well.

I have a couple of test bottles of Dr. Tims One-and-Only coming on Friday, will see how they do. I have used it in FW systems before with decent results (start to nitrites in one day, etc.), and being the impatient little tyke that I am I figure I might as well spend $20 on some false hope instead of beer.


Will keep this updated as time goes, Happy Fishing to you all.

 

[skywhitney]

following! looking good man.

 

[cashmoney6980]

Lookin real good! I'll def be following as well!

You going with a fuzzy dwarf lion? Or one of the dwarf zebra lions?

 

[MrPillow]

Got the new eBay fixture in. Looks pretty good and I am satisfied with it for the money I spent. Not too keen on how blue it is with the two actinics, I might switch to 3 10000k or 2 10000k, 1 actinic, and 1 50/50.

Water is awfully cloudy, but what can one expect with a rotting shrimp in the tank. Ammo is up to 2ppm, NO2 and NO3 still sitting at the zero mark.

Got a few pictures here, taken using custom WB so the colors are about as accurate as I can get them, pending the quality of your monitor.

Will update tomorrow as the plumbing will be done and the overflow running it all goes as planned.

Cheers for now.

 

[Mrc8858]

What about 2 10ks 1 blue 1 Fiji purple. I've found the purple to really balance the blue nicely.

 

[skywhitney]

Has a good look to it. I think that Mrc is right about the purple, that would probably help a lot.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Ehh...

 

[coffeetwitch]

Ehh...

ehh???


tank looks nice. what rock is that?

also... following.

 

[MrPillow]

I am going to pick up a few lights from the LFS and try out some different combos either today or tomorrow so I should have that sorted out pretty quick.

The rock is the South Seas dry rock that was/is on clearance at Premium Aquatics - Aquarium Supplies for $1.50/lb. It's not extremely light, but it is a great deal for the money.

Dr Tims should be here on Monday, should be interesting to see what happens. In past uses on Freshwater it has never given me an "instant cycle" per say, but it does very well at moving the cycling along quickly or generally bumping it on to the next stage. I have had such results as going form start to nitrites in 1 day, going form first sign of nitrites to done in 2-3 days, etc. Never used the saltwater version so we shall see.

 

[MrPillow]

Another picture update.

Here is the setup I decided upon for lighting (for now....). 2x10000k, 1x12000k, 1x actinic. A good balance between blue and white I think.

Forgive the cloudy water, the cycle isn't making me very happy either

The sump is all hooked up and running well, still working on fine tuning the balance on the return T, but it is getting close.

Overflow with the Aqualifter running, I need to get a lid for the box. I thought I had ordered one but I was mistaken!

More awesome cloudy water, with a Tunze and magfloat hiding in there somewhere...

Another pick of the rockscape, I am rather happy with how it turned out.

Haven't tested the water in a couple of days, but will run some tomorrow before I dose the Dr. Tims. Will keep results updated.

Cheers!

 

[absolutangel04]

Looking good. I like the black sand, and the rocks look great.

 

[MrPillow]

Checking in once again.

Had a minor blip involving the outlet of the AquaLifter while I was at work but everything is cleaned up, secured, and running again.

The skimmer is starting to gurgle out some nice foam and a small amount of gunk is collecting at the top of the neck. Progress....

Dr. Tims arrived so I took one final set of readings before dumping the 4oz bottle in.

Salinity - 34ppt
Temp - 76*F
pH - 8.1
NH3 - 3.0ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
NO3 - 0ppm


I will post up the results as time comes, we shall see what happens.

Back to watching the paint dry

 

[DanS180]

Heyy Mr P!! That rock looks amazing!! I may be picking some up myself from a neighbor of mine that has boxes of it following your thread

 

[MrPillow]

Thanks

The cycle is moving along, NH3, NO2 and NO3 are all reading decently high levels. Water is clearing up, skimmer is starting to kick in, everything is fine just fine.

Closer to fish by the day!

 

[Gboy66]

Sounds good. So i saw that you primarily want GSP, but anything else? Maybe some of the rarer forms of Zoa?

 

[MrPillow]

Not entirely sure, haven't looked too in depth for fear of wasting away many hours I will probably just go to some of the LFS in the area and choose what jumps out at me in person. Going to let the lady pick some as well to satisfy her colorful desires.

Had to replace the shrimp this afternoon the first one had dissolved completely.

 

[Bearchumjs]

I found online a blue hornet zoa and it was amazing!

Your tank looks beautiful under the lights you have. And I love the black substrate too.

 

[MrPillow]

Still just waiting on the cycle. Ahhhh what fun this is! Ammo has peaked and nitrites are up up up. Hopefully the ammo will start dropping here soon.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[MrPillow]

Think I have finally settled on lights, and my water has cleared up well over the last day or two. Cycle is still grudging along.

1x10000k, 1x12000k, 1xCoralWave, 1xActinic

 

[Bearchumjs]

The lights look awesome. Isn't cycling so much fun?!