30 Gallon Build

booth2010 · Jan 13, 2014

I wasnt getting much response in the Nano tanks so im coming here as well.... Hey yall! I am new to reef tanks, I have had a 10 up for about 4 months now but am in the process of building a 30 gal with a 10 gal sump. I will have more up as I go. Right now the 10 has a torch, 2 mushrooms, a damsel, a clown, a starfish and a small assortment of cleaners. The 30 will have these plus as many zoas as I can fit! I hoping once it is all built here in the next month that it cycles fairly quick but we will see, I know with saltwater the key is patience. Any and all suggestions and advice will be great. Happy reefing!

booth2010 · Jan 13, 2014

Here is a quick sketch of the build... Sorry it got so sloppy I was being rushed...
I am using the ALEAS Submersible Pump HM-5063 rated for 500GPH for the return pump. For the return I am using a locline y fitting, one will be skimming the surface for disturbance and the other will be angled down for flow. I am looking to get a Marineland Maxi-Jet Powerhead 400 which has a circulaton flow rate of 500GPH giving me a total of 1000GPH. I only plan on having zoas, my torch, and possibly a few other soft corals, and my others listed in the first post. More to come later. Thanks for any advise!

booth2010 · Jan 26, 2014

I keep forgetting to take pictures as I go and its making me angry lol. Sooo I reinforced the stand because it felt a little flimsy to me. Did steel cross brace on the back and split a 2x4 in half and used it to support the front legs that seemed a little week to me. Then I sanded it down and painted it black to help prevent rusting. I made the plumbing set it all up and did a test run. I need to buy a gate valve to control the pump slightly but other than that it worked well. Just bought a Jebao WP 10 from Ebay for flow and it should be here in a week. Im going to buy the live rock tomorrow from my LFS or buy from BRS not sure which yet. Will take pics from now on. Happy reefing!

booth2010 · Jan 27, 2014

Just purchased 50lbs of rock from reefrocks.net and 40lbs of sand. It was a great deal I got it all for 107$ after tax, the sand was free all I had to do was pay shipping, so all in all it was 107$ for 90lbs of goods. I would say great deal and will most definitely be buying from them in the future!

booth2010 · Jan 27, 2014

booth2010 · Jan 27, 2014

I dont know why they flipped, the folder theyre in show them correctly

booth2010 · Jan 29, 2014

The rock from reefrocks.net came in and they look great! I have had a tub with a heater, powerheads, and water at 1.026 going since yesterday so I put the rock in to cook for a couple weeks. Ill post a pic later. The last part I need to make the sump work perfectly will come in either today or tomorrow and when it does I will fix the plumbing, test it one last time, and post a final pic (hopefully right side up). 2-4 weeks till i set it up in the final location, cant wait!

booth2010 · Feb 1, 2014

NEW SUMP DESIGN! The new one has a spot for a refugium and protein skimmer. Here is a quick drawing on paint,

booth2010 · Feb 2, 2014

The typing says 20g sump, First baffle is 8" wide for protein skimmer and LR, middle is for refugium and will have a 1" sand bed some LR rubble and chaeto (maybe power head, any opinions on that?), in between baffles will be sponge to stop any chaeto trying to escape might also house heaters and maybe something else (forgot what the bag of stuff I saw was called), the last chamber will have return pump and maybe the heaters idk yet.