Hello Everyone!
I am starting a 40g Innovative Marine external sump tank. The tank will be a complete 100% LPS tank. I will share the equipment and then my plan to get the tank up and running. Already part of the way through the set up. I only have a couple of years of reefing experience....so any advice or recommendations are welcome.
Equipment
Tank: 40 gallon Innovative Marine EXT
Sump: Ice Cap Reef 15 (Holds 5 Gallons Roughly)
Lights: Hyda 32 HD (14inch above water level set @ BRS recommended LPS/Softie Settings)
Wave maker: 2 Ecohtech Mp10s (Set on reef crest mode with 40% power)
Rock: 25lbs Reefsaver Dry Rock (Shelving Rock at the top with regular dry rocks at the top in a 2 column set up)
Sand: 1in Crushed Coral Live Sand
Auto Top Off System: Innovative Marine ATO System
Mechanical Filtration
Filter Socks(Changed every 3 days)
Skimmer: Skimz Monzter Mini Protein Skimmer (Recommended for a 40 gallon tank with heavy bioload)
Biological Filtration
2 Mini Bio Blocks
MicroBacter 7 and Dr. Tims Bacteria Start
Plan/Timeline (Some of it has already begun)
That is the equipment and plan. Is there any recommendations people have or any red flags about the plan? Any advice is welcome.
Thanks and happy reefing!!!
I am starting a 40g Innovative Marine external sump tank. The tank will be a complete 100% LPS tank. I will share the equipment and then my plan to get the tank up and running. Already part of the way through the set up. I only have a couple of years of reefing experience....so any advice or recommendations are welcome.
Equipment
Tank: 40 gallon Innovative Marine EXT
Sump: Ice Cap Reef 15 (Holds 5 Gallons Roughly)
Lights: Hyda 32 HD (14inch above water level set @ BRS recommended LPS/Softie Settings)
Wave maker: 2 Ecohtech Mp10s (Set on reef crest mode with 40% power)
Rock: 25lbs Reefsaver Dry Rock (Shelving Rock at the top with regular dry rocks at the top in a 2 column set up)
Sand: 1in Crushed Coral Live Sand
Auto Top Off System: Innovative Marine ATO System
Mechanical Filtration
Filter Socks(Changed every 3 days)
Skimmer: Skimz Monzter Mini Protein Skimmer (Recommended for a 40 gallon tank with heavy bioload)
Biological Filtration
2 Mini Bio Blocks
MicroBacter 7 and Dr. Tims Bacteria Start
Plan/Timeline (Some of it has already begun)
- 4 Week Cure with 20 gallons in a rubber bucket with heater and water pump.
- No smell or ammonia/nitrate spike throughout the 4 weeks. Came to the conclusion there was nothing on the dry rock to die off
- Microbacter7 added to start the cycling process. Let rocks and water sit in bucket for 3 weeks.
- Added water and rocks to the tank with (RO/DI filtered) water sand. Added 20 gallons of water to fill the tank. Then added Dr. Tims bacteria.
- Let the tank sit covered and in the dark for 2 weeks and continue the cycling process.
- Uncovered the tank and added 3000 Copepods from Algae Barn. (This is where I am currently in this process.) Going to let the tank sit for 3 weeks with ambient lighting.
- Then going to add the lights to the tank. Turn on the skimmer. Add 2 fish (clownfish and bengaii cardinal sitting in my old nano system). Let the tank establish around the new bioload for 3 weeks.
- Then going to add coralline algea and seed the tank. Then going to let the tank establish for the next 2 months before adding coral.
- I may add a small kole tang at some point to control unwanted algae.
- First coral will be candy cane coral because they are a good corals to test water quality.
- Weekly alkalinity/calcium tests will be done to prepare for 2 part BRS dosing when needed.
That is the equipment and plan. Is there any recommendations people have or any red flags about the plan? Any advice is welcome.
Thanks and happy reefing!!!
