Well, after much consideration, it's time to change up our 40 breeder frag tank.
A lil' history about this tank. It was set up in Feb. of 09 and meant to be a frag tank. Originally, it was a 150MH Aqualight Pro, over it. I grew unhappy with the results from that fixture and upgraded to a 36" 6 bulb Tek5 T5HO fixture.
To start with, it WAS a frag tank, and fulfilling that purpose quite well. However, when my 200 crashed, in November of 09, http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49384 , it became a "rescue tank." Once the 200 was completely recovered, livestock was moved back into it, from the 40 and the 40 was set up as a frag tank, once again. However, that changed, when a couple friends needed a tank to house livestock in, for various reasons. It's kind of still being used for that purpose, but that's about to change.
The 40 will be moved into our basement. Well, it's not actually "basement," but more of a partial basement, catch all....lol. The junk will be cleared out and room will be made. In the process, I'll be adding a second 40 breeder to the system.
I already have some extra equipment laying around, that I intend to use to tie both tanks together.
My plan:
Move the 40 downstairs, use a CPR CS202 Overflow box, rated at 1500GPH, to add a second 40 breeder to the system. I'd originally planned to use the second 40 as a sump/fuge, but have had a change of heart. The second 40 will also be a grow out tank, with a CPR Aquafuge on the back of it.
My existing 40 will sit on the existing stand. The stand cannot hold a tank, inside it, so I won't be putting the second tank underneath. Instead, the second 40 will sit next to the existing 40, on a lower stand, made of cinder blocks and plywood...lol. Yeah I know, ghetto, but it's in our basement, out of sight. It's purely for utility purposes and not meant to be a "display" tank at all.
I'll use the HOB overflow to drain water from the upper 40 to the lower 40. I'll use a Mag 9.5 as my return. The Mag 9.5 will be in the lower 40, along with some type of guard, to protect any fish that I put in there. The CPR Aquafuge will hang on the back of the lower 40. Each tank will also have 1 or 2 power heads, for added flow.
The upper 40 will be lit with the 6 bulb Tek5 fixture. I have a ghetto 250MH Spider reflector/socket and a Hamilton ballast, that I'll use to light the lower 40, until I come up with something different.
I also have a 29, that I converted into a sump/fuge, a long time ago, that I'm considering using, but I'm not sure if it's feasible, with the 2 40 breeder system. To use it, I'd have to drill the lower 40, and add an internal overflow of some type. If I were to do this, the upper 40 would drain into the lower 40, which would drain into the 29, that would sit on the floor, where the water would return to the upper 40, via the Mag 9.5. Hmmm.... Any thoughts on this? This would enable me to not have to put the Mag 9.5 in the lower 40 and would also give me the option of adding an in-sump skimmer. It would also eliminate the need for the CPR Aquafuge, thought I could still use it.
My original plan called for the addition of a HOB skimmer, on the side of the lower 40, since the CPR Aquafuge will hang on the back.
So, this is something I plan to start, this week, time permitting. I'd like to at least get the existing 40 moved downstairs. The addition of the second 40 can take place, as I have time. This way, if I do decide to use the 29, I can drill the second 40, before setting it up.
Pics will be posted, as progress is made...
Any thoughts, suggestions, advice is always welcome!! Does anyone spot any potential problems?
A lil' history about this tank. It was set up in Feb. of 09 and meant to be a frag tank. Originally, it was a 150MH Aqualight Pro, over it. I grew unhappy with the results from that fixture and upgraded to a 36" 6 bulb Tek5 T5HO fixture.
To start with, it WAS a frag tank, and fulfilling that purpose quite well. However, when my 200 crashed, in November of 09, http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49384 , it became a "rescue tank." Once the 200 was completely recovered, livestock was moved back into it, from the 40 and the 40 was set up as a frag tank, once again. However, that changed, when a couple friends needed a tank to house livestock in, for various reasons. It's kind of still being used for that purpose, but that's about to change.
The 40 will be moved into our basement. Well, it's not actually "basement," but more of a partial basement, catch all....lol. The junk will be cleared out and room will be made. In the process, I'll be adding a second 40 breeder to the system.
I already have some extra equipment laying around, that I intend to use to tie both tanks together.
My plan:
Move the 40 downstairs, use a CPR CS202 Overflow box, rated at 1500GPH, to add a second 40 breeder to the system. I'd originally planned to use the second 40 as a sump/fuge, but have had a change of heart. The second 40 will also be a grow out tank, with a CPR Aquafuge on the back of it.
My existing 40 will sit on the existing stand. The stand cannot hold a tank, inside it, so I won't be putting the second tank underneath. Instead, the second 40 will sit next to the existing 40, on a lower stand, made of cinder blocks and plywood...lol. Yeah I know, ghetto, but it's in our basement, out of sight. It's purely for utility purposes and not meant to be a "display" tank at all.
I'll use the HOB overflow to drain water from the upper 40 to the lower 40. I'll use a Mag 9.5 as my return. The Mag 9.5 will be in the lower 40, along with some type of guard, to protect any fish that I put in there. The CPR Aquafuge will hang on the back of the lower 40. Each tank will also have 1 or 2 power heads, for added flow.
The upper 40 will be lit with the 6 bulb Tek5 fixture. I have a ghetto 250MH Spider reflector/socket and a Hamilton ballast, that I'll use to light the lower 40, until I come up with something different.
I also have a 29, that I converted into a sump/fuge, a long time ago, that I'm considering using, but I'm not sure if it's feasible, with the 2 40 breeder system. To use it, I'd have to drill the lower 40, and add an internal overflow of some type. If I were to do this, the upper 40 would drain into the lower 40, which would drain into the 29, that would sit on the floor, where the water would return to the upper 40, via the Mag 9.5. Hmmm.... Any thoughts on this? This would enable me to not have to put the Mag 9.5 in the lower 40 and would also give me the option of adding an in-sump skimmer. It would also eliminate the need for the CPR Aquafuge, thought I could still use it.
My original plan called for the addition of a HOB skimmer, on the side of the lower 40, since the CPR Aquafuge will hang on the back.
So, this is something I plan to start, this week, time permitting. I'd like to at least get the existing 40 moved downstairs. The addition of the second 40 can take place, as I have time. This way, if I do decide to use the 29, I can drill the second 40, before setting it up.
Pics will be posted, as progress is made...
Any thoughts, suggestions, advice is always welcome!! Does anyone spot any potential problems?
