evrydayzawrkday
Active Member
I will start off with some background to how the hell I got here:
I started doing the hobby back in 2011, when yellow tangs were able to be acquired at Petco for 20 bucks and live rock was still a thing. Originally this was a 40 breeder, with some Fluval canister filter and a HOB refugium. Unfortunately the tank only lasted about two years, mainly due to my horrible work schedule (I was traveling almost five days a week), my wife was tired of taking care of the tank, so it was broken down.
Fast forward to 2021. My two little ones (3&7) wanted a reef tank for the longest, ever since they went to the Coney Island aquarium. I finally went ahead and did this, buying a Fluval Evo 13.5. Tank looked great, but I wanted a bigger one. I did a successful tank move (Lifegard 24.5g) around late June this year (pics below), but now the tank is starting to bow slightly in the front. The same lady who didn't want to take care of the tank, complains endlessly about how I ask for help now, surprised me with a 40 gallon breeder, stating "you better get more of those flower things, and grow the grass out too" (she is talking about Zoa and GSP). So here we are today, building out a tank and doing another transfer
The goal of this thread isn't to tell you a poorly worded story, but to document my journey in hopes that it helps others either 1) build out their own 40 breeder AIO or 2) plan for their tank move, as I have done this before successfully and with minimal hiccups (outside of accidently flooding the living room, god why does she put up with me). This forum has been instrumental in my massive success (my zoa, SPS, and others are growing rapidly) so I thought I would return the favor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equipment, Filtration, Dosing, Livestock.
Equipment:
Petco 40 gallon breeder
These are currently on sale (50 bucks is what she paid), but be careful. Apparently she went to four different stores in the Raleigh NC area to find this, as the tanks either were 1) cracked or 2) seams looked like a child did the work.
Tenecor Aquariums AIO insert
Initially I was going to use the Fiji AIO insert for the 40 breeder, but unfortunately that wasn't a good fit (massive gaps on the side, and a lot of room in the back). BRS was kind enough to take it back, and then I went with Tenecor. This wasn't 100% smooth either, but nothing I can't get around. As you can see in the pictures below the insert fits very snugly, but the design doesn't account for the lip of the rim. I had to take a Dremel and cut some of that out, but once that was done it went in without an issue.
Nero 3 (x2)
IM Mighty Jet Midsized AIO DC Return Pump
Looks cool. Going to give it a shot.
Radion X15 G6 Blue
Initially on both the Fluval and Lifegard I had an AI Prime 16HD. We now have a second tank in the house (my oldest, new build thread coming for that soon) and I gave her that. Taking this opportunity to blow $$$, I bought the X15 G6. I will say I really like the coloration with AB+ (except I cut back some of the whites), and I get very good spread / even par distribution.
Neptune Apex + Trident
I am lazy, and I can automate a bunch of stuff with this.
Tunze 9001 Protein Skimmer
This is carry over from my existing build, and honestly I love this protein skimmer. Super easy to dial in, and overall is quite quiet. I will say the magnet/mounting is a PITA, but that is my only complaint. I have a light bio load (see below) so I would imagine this would still suffice. If not I will upgrade to the 9004.
Jabao six head dosing pump
Because I spent all my money on the Apex/Radion I didn't have enough budget for another. I need to upgrade this ASAP though as I do not like the software, it sucks.
Filtration:
I keep filtration super simple:
Live rock
I have only ran AIO, and in the middle compartment of all of mine I have ran those bio gem things + lots of extra live rock within there. At least an extra 3-5lb worth.
Filter pad / floss / whatever you want to call it
Brightwell Purit
Personally speaking I have always used some sort of chemical filtration. I find that Purit does the best job, but to each there own.
Dosing:
Currently I am only dosing "All for Reef", ~7.5ml / day spanned over 24 hours in 12 doses. I am going to move to mag/alk/calcium separately since I am noticing some spikes with All for Reef.
Livestock:
I consider coral live stock, but I am not going to deep dive into what I have. Look below, I have over a dozen different types of zoas spread throughout the tank. For coral I do have a slim ball on top that is taking well, birds nest, and other random SPS I have acquired over time.
For actual "live stock" I have a pair of clown fish that I have had since they were little tiny babies, a coral banded shrimp and a bunch of snails / crabs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The move.
One of the main things I want to help people understand is the process of moving tanks. I have seen some good stories, some kinda bad and really ugly ones. I have done this successfully, and hoping this one goes as smoothly as the other.
Here is the process I took:
Build your tank out
In the case of an AIO, this means silicone down your filtration section. For those running sumps, there is a whole laundry list of things you need to do.
Once you are done I would HIGHLY recommend a 24 hour leak test. I have water-cooled so many PC in my time, and although they look sound they may not be. Do yourself a favor and do this now, and saving yourself the pain later.
Plan, then acquire.
I would recommend taking a tape measurer and measure out your existing tank length / height, draw out your existing aquascape, and then determine the following:
1) What you want the new aquascape to look like
2) How much additional rock (live or dry) you will need
3) How much sand you want
From there acquire your items. For myself, I am getting additional live rock (~5-10lb of live Florida / Fiji / ocean rock, LFS has it for 9 USD/lb), net new sand (I do not transfer sand), Fritz 9000 (for additional help cycling), Reef Smart pods (or whatever pods you can grab locally).
Assemble the tank
At this point you are adding in your sand, new rock (if acquired above), and if possible some live rock from your existing tank. This is where good seeding rock comes in (e.g: that 3-5lb of extra stuff above). From there, I would also recommend adding in the Fritz, pods, and then allow 24 hours to fully cycle through. This allows the cloudiness to go away, and for you to really see what you are doing during the transfer itself.
Before you move anything, be 110% sure your parameters are in line. I am talking about Alk, Ca, Mag and Salinity.
Perform the transfer
I would recommend before starting your transfer, kill all the pumps and move over your hardware first (e.g: light, probes, etc). I would also recommend draining into a clean bucket around 75% of the water, just in case you come into a situation where the rock displaces more water than you expected. Anyways, at this point just move your stuff over and proceed on.
Monitor
For the first week I would recommend testing Nitrate/Ammonia daily. Yes, you may have a slight ammonia spike, but mine dropped almost immediately once I introduced the Brightwell Purit. Last recommendation, I would wait 1-2 weeks before adding any new livestock.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Task List.
- Build new tank stand with adjustable casters (X)
- Obtain new filtration insert, and then fit to size (X)
- Clean, silicone and then leak test (X)
- Leak test (X)
- Assemble / move into position ( )
- Fill, and then move ( )
If anyone is interested in the specs around the cabinet I built I can provide it. I honestly winged it, and as per my neighbor (who is a general contractor), I apparently went a little overboard The cabinet is squared, but the doors are not (I had Lowes cut that piece since my circular saw broke, it was off by a few cm).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pictures, current and new tank (WIP).
For reference, most of these zoa started with 2-3 heads. They are now exploding in growth.
I started doing the hobby back in 2011, when yellow tangs were able to be acquired at Petco for 20 bucks and live rock was still a thing. Originally this was a 40 breeder, with some Fluval canister filter and a HOB refugium. Unfortunately the tank only lasted about two years, mainly due to my horrible work schedule (I was traveling almost five days a week), my wife was tired of taking care of the tank, so it was broken down.
Fast forward to 2021. My two little ones (3&7) wanted a reef tank for the longest, ever since they went to the Coney Island aquarium. I finally went ahead and did this, buying a Fluval Evo 13.5. Tank looked great, but I wanted a bigger one. I did a successful tank move (Lifegard 24.5g) around late June this year (pics below), but now the tank is starting to bow slightly in the front. The same lady who didn't want to take care of the tank, complains endlessly about how I ask for help now, surprised me with a 40 gallon breeder, stating "you better get more of those flower things, and grow the grass out too" (she is talking about Zoa and GSP). So here we are today, building out a tank and doing another transfer
The goal of this thread isn't to tell you a poorly worded story, but to document my journey in hopes that it helps others either 1) build out their own 40 breeder AIO or 2) plan for their tank move, as I have done this before successfully and with minimal hiccups (outside of accidently flooding the living room, god why does she put up with me). This forum has been instrumental in my massive success (my zoa, SPS, and others are growing rapidly) so I thought I would return the favor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equipment, Filtration, Dosing, Livestock.
Equipment:
Petco 40 gallon breeder
These are currently on sale (50 bucks is what she paid), but be careful. Apparently she went to four different stores in the Raleigh NC area to find this, as the tanks either were 1) cracked or 2) seams looked like a child did the work.
Tenecor Aquariums AIO insert
Initially I was going to use the Fiji AIO insert for the 40 breeder, but unfortunately that wasn't a good fit (massive gaps on the side, and a lot of room in the back). BRS was kind enough to take it back, and then I went with Tenecor. This wasn't 100% smooth either, but nothing I can't get around. As you can see in the pictures below the insert fits very snugly, but the design doesn't account for the lip of the rim. I had to take a Dremel and cut some of that out, but once that was done it went in without an issue.
Nero 3 (x2)
IM Mighty Jet Midsized AIO DC Return Pump
Looks cool. Going to give it a shot.
Radion X15 G6 Blue
Initially on both the Fluval and Lifegard I had an AI Prime 16HD. We now have a second tank in the house (my oldest, new build thread coming for that soon) and I gave her that. Taking this opportunity to blow $$$, I bought the X15 G6. I will say I really like the coloration with AB+ (except I cut back some of the whites), and I get very good spread / even par distribution.
Neptune Apex + Trident
I am lazy, and I can automate a bunch of stuff with this.
Tunze 9001 Protein Skimmer
This is carry over from my existing build, and honestly I love this protein skimmer. Super easy to dial in, and overall is quite quiet. I will say the magnet/mounting is a PITA, but that is my only complaint. I have a light bio load (see below) so I would imagine this would still suffice. If not I will upgrade to the 9004.
Jabao six head dosing pump
Because I spent all my money on the Apex/Radion I didn't have enough budget for another. I need to upgrade this ASAP though as I do not like the software, it sucks.
Filtration:
I keep filtration super simple:
Live rock
I have only ran AIO, and in the middle compartment of all of mine I have ran those bio gem things + lots of extra live rock within there. At least an extra 3-5lb worth.
Filter pad / floss / whatever you want to call it
Brightwell Purit
Personally speaking I have always used some sort of chemical filtration. I find that Purit does the best job, but to each there own.
Dosing:
Currently I am only dosing "All for Reef", ~7.5ml / day spanned over 24 hours in 12 doses. I am going to move to mag/alk/calcium separately since I am noticing some spikes with All for Reef.
Livestock:
I consider coral live stock, but I am not going to deep dive into what I have. Look below, I have over a dozen different types of zoas spread throughout the tank. For coral I do have a slim ball on top that is taking well, birds nest, and other random SPS I have acquired over time.
For actual "live stock" I have a pair of clown fish that I have had since they were little tiny babies, a coral banded shrimp and a bunch of snails / crabs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The move.
One of the main things I want to help people understand is the process of moving tanks. I have seen some good stories, some kinda bad and really ugly ones. I have done this successfully, and hoping this one goes as smoothly as the other.
Here is the process I took:
Build your tank out
In the case of an AIO, this means silicone down your filtration section. For those running sumps, there is a whole laundry list of things you need to do.
Once you are done I would HIGHLY recommend a 24 hour leak test. I have water-cooled so many PC in my time, and although they look sound they may not be. Do yourself a favor and do this now, and saving yourself the pain later.
Plan, then acquire.
I would recommend taking a tape measurer and measure out your existing tank length / height, draw out your existing aquascape, and then determine the following:
1) What you want the new aquascape to look like
2) How much additional rock (live or dry) you will need
3) How much sand you want
From there acquire your items. For myself, I am getting additional live rock (~5-10lb of live Florida / Fiji / ocean rock, LFS has it for 9 USD/lb), net new sand (I do not transfer sand), Fritz 9000 (for additional help cycling), Reef Smart pods (or whatever pods you can grab locally).
Assemble the tank
At this point you are adding in your sand, new rock (if acquired above), and if possible some live rock from your existing tank. This is where good seeding rock comes in (e.g: that 3-5lb of extra stuff above). From there, I would also recommend adding in the Fritz, pods, and then allow 24 hours to fully cycle through. This allows the cloudiness to go away, and for you to really see what you are doing during the transfer itself.
Before you move anything, be 110% sure your parameters are in line. I am talking about Alk, Ca, Mag and Salinity.
Perform the transfer
I would recommend before starting your transfer, kill all the pumps and move over your hardware first (e.g: light, probes, etc). I would also recommend draining into a clean bucket around 75% of the water, just in case you come into a situation where the rock displaces more water than you expected. Anyways, at this point just move your stuff over and proceed on.
Monitor
For the first week I would recommend testing Nitrate/Ammonia daily. Yes, you may have a slight ammonia spike, but mine dropped almost immediately once I introduced the Brightwell Purit. Last recommendation, I would wait 1-2 weeks before adding any new livestock.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Task List.
- Build new tank stand with adjustable casters (X)
- Obtain new filtration insert, and then fit to size (X)
- Clean, silicone and then leak test (X)
- Leak test (X)
- Assemble / move into position ( )
- Fill, and then move ( )
If anyone is interested in the specs around the cabinet I built I can provide it. I honestly winged it, and as per my neighbor (who is a general contractor), I apparently went a little overboard
The cabinet is squared, but the doors are not (I had Lowes cut that piece since my circular saw broke, it was off by a few cm).-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pictures, current and new tank (WIP).
For reference, most of these zoa started with 2-3 heads. They are now exploding in growth.
Last edited:
