Reef nutrition

DrWonga's Eco-Reef 40B

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Drwonga

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Hello Folks,

So, I'm starting a little tank build here. This will probably be a long term project, as I'm getting back into the hobby after a few years out. Luckily, I still have some equipment, so I'm not starting from scratch. (ie: I have a skimmer, a heater, a stand, etc)

The idea behind the tank, is to create a reef that is both environmentally friendly and economical to run. I have an old 40 gallon breeder that I've had for well over 15 years, that will be the main tank. I'll be installing a 20 gallon long sump as well. Today I got around to cleaning out the old tank, and I'm now wondering if I should paint the back black, or wait till I'm done drilling it for the overflow. Thoughts?

Old.JPG
Cleaned.JPG
 
Id say go with what you like. I personally like the black background myself. I would wait til you drill to paint it.
 
Giving this project a bit more thought - I'm wondering if I should keep the metal stand it is currently sitting on, or build a custom wood stand? I can always re-purpose the stand in the garage for storage. Building a custom wood stand would allow me to fit the sump, an ATO reservoir, and a separate section for any other controllers, keeping everything neat and tidy. It would also make maintenance a bit easier, with more room. Thoughts?
 
I think I may build it. I built a 20 gallon long stand before, so I think I could do this and have it come out looking somewhat decent. I know I want to make the stand longer than the tank, so I can fit in a false wall on the left side for wire management and all the electronics for the tank. The right side will have a door as well, so I can have easy access to the ATO reservoir. And I may make it a little bit taller between the sump and the bottom of the 40, so I have some access space inside. I'm debating between using 2x4's or 1x4's for the frame, not sure which would be better, though I'm leaning towards 2x4's.
 
Been working on the garage, finishing it up before I setup the RODI station, so no reef related items per say.

I'm thinking about livestock for the tank, and would like to go with LPS and giant clams, in a lagoon style layout. To that end, I'm strugging with lighting decisions. I've read that, based on the 40 breeder width, x6 39W T5 bulbs would provide sufficient lighting for giant clams. Additionally, because I would like to have a very open layout in the tank (essentially a sand bed, with a boomie for corals near the center), I was thinking a pendant-style option might work; something along the lines of the Kessil A360WE or the Ecotech Radion XR30W Pro. If I went with the T5 option, I would go with either the 24" or 36" ATI fixture - depending on how large of a boomie would be installed.

Are all three lighting options listed above, capable of growing giant clams, such as the Derasa, Squamosa, Maxima, and Crocea?

Thanks!
 
The non-reef stuff is finally complete, and I've started working on a saltwater mixing station. Hopefully in a week or so, I can show the basic setup. I'm looking to pull in our town's water, filter it through the RODI, and store both the waste water (for the garden), and the RO water in different containers. From there, it will gravity feed into two different mixing containers, one for my Tanganyikan cichlids, and one for the reef tank. Each container will have a pump to help mix the water, as well as pump it to the tanks when doing water changes. The pumps will be on Wi-Fi controlled power plugs, so I can remotely turn them on and off while refilling the tanks. There will also be an outlet on each, if I only need to pull a small volume of mixed water too. The waste water will have a hose fitting, so I can just plug in a hose and use gravity to help water the garden.
 
Here are some photos of the progress I'm making on the RODI station. Build the stand, stained, and coated. Mounted the RODI unit, and just added some tubing management. I have to still get the remaining two Brute containers for freshwater and saltwater mix, some PVC valves, and some uniseals. Hopefully I can get started on the tank stand soon!
 

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When I got it, I needed one that came with a pump, since our water pressure is low. I also wanted one that had a lower water rejection rate. This is the Aquatic Life 100GPD RODI unit, with an integrated pump. They don't make it anymore, but it uses standard parts inside. It works pretty well!
 
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