40 breeder build

H

hydro

Hi all
Well here we go again, I have decided to down size, seems like a lot of people are doing that now. Well I was a petco the other day and they were having the buck a gallon sale again but this year it did not include the 40 cube. so I had to go with my second choice a 40 breeder.
First I drilled it for overflows on 2 corners. I am not going to bore you with pictures on how to do it there are thousands of how-to's on that.
But what it will show you is what I plan to do for aquascaping. I ordered smoked 1/4 plate to make the 45 degree over flows, their not here yet, and at 50bucks they cost more than the tank did. I did not want to see in the over flow so I figure it will be worth it. Here is a top down look of the lay out.
[attachment=2]DSC01982.JPG[/attachment]
And from the front
[attachment=1]DSC01983.JPG[/attachment]
I plan to cover the egg-crate with Marco rocks "cut rocks"
[attachment=0]DSC01980.JPG[/attachment]

Basically I wanted a tank were nothing would get lost in the rock work, But I am afraid the Marco may have steered me wrong on how much I need to by, the site says 5 to 6 pounds to cover 1 square foot so I ordered 20 pounds for about 3 square feet and I think I am 5 lbs short and since there is a 10 pound minimum I guess I will get ten more. I also order the special cement to glue it to the egg-crate but it is in a separate box and it's not here yet. So I am still waiting. I will probably start on the stand next. If anyone has experience with a good, compact, not extremely expensive skimmer (I know pick 2) I'm all ears. I think this tank will have a reef keeper lite and I am still on the fence about lighting it. I am not sure if 2 36" t-5's will be enough for a clam or some sps. I have a 175mh I could use but I don't know if there will be enough coverage. Maybe I will talk myself into an led setup be then.
Any way I hope this gives you so ideas.
Later Joe
 
Have you considered adding the marco rock up high, where your live rock won't be and leaving the sections below where you'll have live rock empty? This might save you an order and some cash but end up looking the exact same. I don't know your aquascape plan, but if you stack any of those walls you won't see behind them. Looks very cool. I'm really interested in seeing how your 45 degree back corners look!
 
Hi Matt
The idea is, I don't want much rock work in front mabey two small pillars or an arch I haven't decided but your right put in rocks below the sand level is kind of a waste. I can make some fake rock or some foam to fill in the bottom. I guess i'll have to start laying it out to see how much space is left.
Joe
 
I have the same deal. A single arch. I am stacking a wall up one side now though. I didn't have enough places to put corals in the other rockwork. lol
 
A day goofing of in the shop. I have been playing mad scientist wist concrete. Marco ships a special hydraulic cement with the cut rocks that doesn't require the long cure times so I thought I would try to make some rocks with it.[attachment=2]DSC01984.JPG[/attachment]
the texture I really like but I don't think I could live with the color till the algee covered it. Next up, I tried mixing it 50/50 with white portland and got this. [attachment=1]DSC01986.JPG[/attachment] It's better but I am still not crazy about the gray color and it may still take a couple of months to cure. So I tried this 3 parts white portland 5 parts oyster shells and 2 parts water softener salt.[attachment=0]DSC01987.JPG[/attachment] left is what it looks like mixed the right one is what it looks like with it brushed when it is still wet. I like it a lot better. It looks like I have a wait in my future. I am considering putting a layer in the so when the inhabitants dig a hole in the sand you can't See the glass or or skip the sand all together an go bare bottom. I have some time to figure that one out. I put my overflows in Friday so I am going to do the leak check today wish me luck.
Joe
 
any updates on this? i have been experimenting with all kinds of cement and making my own rock. im actually building a 40 breeder a lot like this that i installed an in tank compartment for my skimmer. it looks like you used a little extra water seeing how dense and wet the rocks in the last pics are. great looking set up it looks like!! thanks for sharing
 
HI
I guess I will have to up date this, this weekend I have the back done and I poured a large pice for the bottom. I am working on the stand between about a million other things. Thanks for the intrest.
Joe
 
I looked into making rock at one time and one of the tricks someone was using was to mix rock salt in with the portland cement/arag mix. When the rock is curing, the salt dissolves and leaves many little nooks and crannies.
 
yes, rock salt makes for great texture, but you want to be sure to not add so much that the amount of voids the salt creates, makes the rock work too weak to use.
 
just as a idea i am found ice cream rock salt at wal mart for $1 it is nice size and you dont have to worrie about additives as in pool salt,road salt and water sofiners it is straight sodioum IMHO it works sweet
thanks
 
Hi All
Well I guess it has been for ever since I updated this. So here goes All my LED stuff came in from china. I got 2 30 Watt 7k LED and 1 30 Watt blue. 3 30 water proof ballasts and 3 reflectors. Got a 14 " heat sink off ebay, started to put It all together.[attachment=2]DSC02071.JPG[/attachment] them I supper glued the reflectors to the LEDs [attachment=1]DSC02073.JPG[/attachment] Just for comparison 30 watts of 450-480 blue next to a 100 gallon with 2 54 watt T-5.
 
Hi I forgot abou the 3 pic limit.

And finally the 90 Watts of LEDS compairs to 220 watts of T-5 [attachment=0]DSC02067.JPG[/attachment] I know there are more efficient set ups out there but the 30 watt leds are $20 each and the ballast are $13 each non dimming the refflectors a $2 each and the heat sink was under $20. so for $120 bucks I have 90 watts of light. So even if I don't save a dime on electricity I will probibly save 3 or 4 bulb set changes at $80 a piece. and I forgot to metion there was no soldering done!!
 
Hi yea the shimmer is really nice. Actually I read about the company on RC but the guys that were doing them were really getting pummeled by the LED snobs. I really like this set up no soldering, You can get the LED arrays up to 200 watts, although anything over 10 watts they recommend active cooling. I figured I would have to have at least 80 watts of t-5 so I put 90 watts of LED's for about the same price and I don't have to replace the bulbs every 12 months, so I figure I am money ahead. I know they are not dimmable and the are not as efficient as they could be but for under $150 they are pretty hard to beat.
Joe
 
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