Aquatop Recife Eco 40 Build

[shorton]

Hey everyone, I bought and set up the Aquatop Recife Eco 40 about a week ago. This is my first saltwater/reef build so I am still learning. Any advice would be appreciated!

Build list so far:
- Aquatop Recife Eco 40 AIO (Stock filtration/return pump)
- Jebao SOW-4 wave maker
- AI Prime 16 with tank mount
- Aqueon 150w heater
- 40lbs Caribisea reef sand
- roughly 20lbs of live rock
- 2 Black Cap Damsels
- 1 Coralline Margarita Turbo Snail

 

[shorton]

 

[shorton]

Only issue is

that I noticed that the live sand is turning brown. Will this go away on its own? Skimmer is not currently running

 

[TViquez]

Hey everyone, I bought and set up the Aquatop Recife Eco 40 about a week ago. This is my first saltwater/reef build so I am still learning. Any advice would be appreciated!

Build list so far:
- Aquatop Recife Eco 40 AIO (Stock filtration/return pump)
- Jebao SOW-4 wave maker
- AI Prime 16 with tank mount
- Aqueon 150w heater
- 40lbs Caribisea reef sand
- roughly 20lbs of live rock
- 2 Black Cap Damsels
- 1 Coralline Margarita Turbo Snail

I have the same tank and was wondering how you have your light mounted. I initially had it in the middle back but realized it was going to be in the way of changing the filter media. I know this is an old post so I'm hoping you'll have lots of tweaks to share with me. Lol

 

[miltonkl]

I have the same tank and was wondering how you have your light mounted. I initially had it in the middle back but realized it was going to be in the way of changing the filter media. I know this is an old post so I'm hoping you'll have lots of tweaks to share with me. Lol

Not OP but I have this same tank and a prime 16hd. I have mine mounted with an 18 inch flex arm on the media chamber spot. It is annoying that I have to take the light off, but I rarely try to access those. I have one box filled with some marine pure and one I just put a bag of carbon in and the other two are still empty. I thought about just filling one more with some dry rock rubble.

Ive considered mounting the light on the skimmer chamber since I don't currently run a skimmer or even the side of the tank by the return pump. I like the 18 inch arm because It's long enough to give me those options.

 

[TViquez]

Not OP but I have this same tank and a prime 16hd. I have mine mounted with an 18 inch flex arm on the media chamber spot. It is annoying that I have to take the light off, but I rarely try to access those. I have one box filled with some marine pure and one I just put a bag of carbon in and the other two are still empty. I thought about just filling one more with some dry rock rubble.

Ive considered mounting the light on the skimmer chamber since I don't currently run a skimmer or even the side of the tank by the return pump. I like the 18 inch arm because It's long enough to give me those options.

Thank you so much for your reply! The arm I have is extremely short and I wish it was longer. What kind of coral are doing well with your prime? So far, my pipe organ, firework clove polyp, Zoas and bird's-nest are liking my Kessil A80 but I keep seeing where I probably need to add an additional one. It's been over a month running now and they all have growth. I guess time will tell once I add more coral and see how they like it. Lol

 

[miltonkl]

Thank you so much for your reply! The arm I have is extremely short and I wish it was longer. What kind of coral are doing well with your prime? So far, my pipe organ, firework clove polyp, Zoas and bird's-nest are liking my Kessil A80 but I keep seeing where I probably need to add an additional one. It's been over a month running now and they all have growth. I guess time will tell once I add more coral and see how they like it. Lol

Personally, I've only just started keeping corals so only have a few frags. Light wise, they all seem to be doing well, but I only have Xenia, GSP, and a single small chalice frag on the rock and then a few things on a frag rack. The acan, zoa, and duncan on my rack are doing great. The SPS... I have no idea how to tell yet.