My son's 40b tank build

[re-fin-away]

This is my son Dakotah’s tank. He is 16 years old and a junior in high school. He got a summer job and saved up his money and bought the equipment slowly over the summer. Yea Dad did help with some of the cash. He still needs to get a skimmer but other than that he is good. His upkeep costs should be minimized due to the fact that I have salt, food, test kits and chemicals he does not have to purchase. Hopefully he should just have to worry about filling his tank with fish and coral. He already has his eyes on many of the SPS I have in my tank. 1 chore = 1 frag, hahaha. We set it up about a month ago. It is still cycling but looking pretty good. His goal is to breed fish down the road. He even bought the book “Beginner to Breederâ€.

Dakotah’s Aquarium​

System
Display tank- 40g breeder drilled with homemade corner overflow
Sump- 20L
Light- Tec 6 bulb
AC jr. with temp
Return pump- Quiet One 2000
Power heads- 1 K4 1 K3 evolutions
150 watt heater
40lbs of live sand
Approx 40 lbs of live rock

His plan as of today is to get about 20 more lbs of live rock and a skimmer. until he gets a skimmer he has been doing 10 gal water change every saturday.

 

[_Alex_]

looking very good!! hope my kids get more into it soon......

 

[Zoanthkid]

That is awesome! I share the hobby with my dad as well. It's awesome that you guys have a common interest in this hobby. My dad was diagnosed with cancer 7 years ago and although I am a walking clone of him practically and we have always been extremely close, and we have other common interests, this hobby has really brought us even closer. I had to learn a hard lesson at 18, not too much older than your son, that every second together is absolutely precious. I love going to the swaps, drooling over the latest eye candy on the forums, working on the tanks, planning discussing and picking eachother's brains for ideas for upgrades and new routines,going to the lfs's, learning and sharing information... all together. Obviously the hobby itself is awesome and fun in itself but it's really all about the time I get to spend with him. I love it. I really hope it is the same for you guys... oh and the 1chore=1 frag deal makes me jealous... wish I was still young lol. Those Frags could be worth some good money, he's getting a great deal. I'm glad you have shared this with us and will be tagging along with this one.

 

[re-fin-away]

That is great to hear that this hobby has a special place in your relationship with your dad Zoanthkid. No matter what is going on in our worlds we can always talk reef. He is learning a lot about reefing and I try to build in some life lessons as well once in a while. When I tell him I am going to the LFS he blows off his friends to hang with dad. I love that. It is about 45 min to the store so this gives up time to talk about other things and just catch up as well. I don't think he knows how special I think that time is yet but someday I hope like you he does.

 

[Wesley42079]

Great build and great story. I am in my 30's and I am trying to groom my 5 year old into the reef hobby. Every time I go to the lfs to get new corals, water or just to look around, I bring him along.

So I will be tagging along, to see the natural progression of your son's tank.

 

[Sugo]

Awesome build!

I'm approaching my dirty 30's and I'm trying to spark my two year old's interest in reefing. He loves "Nemo" and my Torch but I'm trying my HARDEST to get him juiced about chalices lol but I noticed if it doesn't move then he doesn't care.

I wonder if I can get away with buying him some LE Chalices for Christmas?