Beachie's 40 Breeder progress w/pics

[beachorama]

So I've been getting on with starting up this 40 breeder I've have laying around for about 1 year for my Green Spotted Puffer (now he is 4 inches).

Special thanks to POORMANSDREAM (for the lovely Live rock) and NYCBOY for the Tunze 9002.

Pics below... comments welcome! :Lurking:

nice LR via poormansdream


1st aquascape attempt (well 2nd really...ha!)


nice hitchhiker


Final aquascape (after many, many adjustments)





right side "cove?"

 

[pauliwalnuts]

Nice rock work...
Where's the pics of the rest of the system ?

 

[jerl77]

love the cove damm i am redoing my tank this winter

 

[beachorama]

Nice rock work...
Where's the pics of the rest of the system ?

That's it... no sump: everything in the display.

Trying to keep things simple. :smokin:

 

[Jzhou]

nice cove, a sump would make things easier in the future though

 

[beachorama]

Thanks for the comments all!!!

Working on the top now... what a nightmare (since I've got zero tools to work with)

Probably moving in the near future so I'm trying to go with as little as possible.

There's a sump and a 180 gal tank in my future (2-3 yr) plan.

Yeh, i'm hooked. :fish:

 

[pauliwalnuts]

Yeh, i'm hooked. :fish:

We might have to call AA (aquarium anonymous) on you. Lmao...

 

[beachorama]

We might have to call AA (aquarium anonymous) on you. Lmao...

:fishhit:

 

[beachorama]

Canopy (sort of)

Well, here's my 1st attempt at a canopy.

I kinda butchered it BUT: it fits... and it works.

Made MANY mistakes (used 5/8th plywood = BAD move; poor jigsaw skills) but I have learned from them.:headache:

Hopefully painting will cover some of the eye-sores.

I know a glass canopy is frowned upon in reefing but... i have some serious evaporation issues so I has to design the canopy around the glass.

Problems with glass: order wrong size (needs center braces) and PLUS one set was broken on delivery. ugghh!:supermad:

Anyway, i made due...

 

[Awibrandy]

Couple of suggestions: Add fans to draw the heat out. Don't worry so much about evaporation - get rid of the glass - install an ATO (automatic top off, that will take care of the evaporation problem ). Try sanding the canopy down before painting,

Not sure how well those little pieces on the inside of the canopy are going to hold up to the moisture. I get the feeling that they will be soaked in no time. I would use 1 X 1 (something like what you would use as spindles for stair rails).

Use several coats of a good paint to protect the canopy from all the moisture. My canopy was built with 1/4" plywood, and I still used several coats of rustoleum paint.

BTW, I love your rock work.....

 

[beachorama]

Couple of suggestions: Add fans to draw the heat out. Don't worry so much about evaporation - get rid of the glass - install an ATO (automatic top off, that will take care of the evaporation problem ). Try sanding the canopy down before painting,

Not sure how well those little pieces on the inside of the canopy are going to hold up to the moisture. I get the feeling that they will be soaked in no time. I would use 1 X 1 (something like what you would use as spindles for stair rails).

Use several coats of a good paint to protect the canopy from all the moisture. My canopy was built with 1/4" plywood, and I still used several coats of rustoleum paint.

BTW, I love your rock work.....

Oh, thank you for the comments!!!

I plan to paint it well and hopefully it will hold up...

but I agree that it may not last long so I will keep an eye on it.

It's sort of temporary until next summer when I relocate, then, I will do things in more of a "professional" manner: sump, open top with ATO...etc.

I NEED a tight fitting lid due to: jumper (4" puffer: I hear him at night smashing into the hood in his current tank :headache, noise from Tunze 9002 skimmer (gurgling-like), current lights don't have splash screen, and the evap problem as mentioned.

I gorilla-glued the H3ll outta it and it seems pretty sturdy (although may not look it in the pictures.

Well, keep fingers crossed@! :shhh:

 

[rkaragozler]

Well, here's my 1st attempt at a canopy.

I kinda butchered it BUT: it fits... and it works.

Made MANY mistakes (used 5/8th plywood = BAD move; poor jigsaw skills) but I have learned from them.:headache:

Hopefully painting will cover some of the eye-sores.

I know a glass canopy is frowned upon in reefing but... i have some serious evaporation issues so I has to design the canopy around the glass.

Problems with glass: order wrong size (needs center braces) and PLUS one set was broken on delivery. ugghh!:supermad:

Anyway, i made due...

Looking good on the canopy. May i make a couple of suggestions.
where the longest parts of the canopy are, both cover and base, try cleating it with a 1x4, glue and screw, this wills top any warping in the future.

 

[longdoggy]

Nice to see a GSP! I have one myself with green star polyps. So far working out. It's my GSP tank! Lol!
How's your project going?

 

[beachorama]

Update

Things are going well:

Canopy on and holding together so far (would do different - as recommended - next time).

2 Chalk bass, 7 hermits, and 1 pep shrimp added.

I know the above ^^^ is a big risk with a puffer but I gave them 3 weeks to get settled: haven't seen the pep shrimp since; the 2 chalk bass are doing well, eating like pigs, and are lightening fast!

1 FAT green spotted puffer added: Moping since he realized he isn't the only fish in the sea...lol! He is also driving himself crazy trying to catch his reflection when the lights go off outside the room. oh well, puffers!

Pics:

 

[longdoggy]

How's the GSP doing?