upgrading to 40B:)

hello everyone on sunday I am going to pick up my new tank, a 40B. It is not plumbed.

I was wondering if it needs to go through the same process as a regular new tank? Everything from my 20H is going in there, and I am not planning on adding new fish right away. I am adding dry rock and sand to supplement what I already have. My "old" sand is 4 m/o and I stir it weekly.

I am also upgrading my HOB fuge to a cpr backpack. I got it used, so I'm not positive of the size, but I think its the 4.7 gal.

Skimmer lovers rejoice! I am finally caving in and getting one I was trying to look some up, but they don't always say how many gallons its good for.

Seeing as I already have controller, the lighting is going to be an AI led- but I don't know if the sol or the vega would be better. The sol is said the be able to light 36" square, but if there is such info available for the vega I have been unable to find it. I've heard that I might actually need 2, but to start off only 1 is in the budget.

For the power heads I'm thinking 2 Koralia evo 750s. My birthday is next month and I'm hoping to get the smart wave to go with those

Rambling done... so here are my questions:

1. Does the tank need to be cycled?
2. What type of HOB skimmer would you recommend? It must be quiet
3. Sol or Vega?
4. 750s good?
5. anything I've forgotten?

as always, thanks for the help

 

I have the BH1000 Reef Octopus skimmer and it is quiet enough that I keep my tank in my bedroom

 

You nver know whats on/in new base rock, but you may be ok without cycling. I would start 'curing' the dry rock in a rubbermaid tub naw and then I would feel certain there wont be a cycle. I always say use new sand, but 4 month old san probably doesnt have too much crud in it. Reef Octo Skimmers are my favorite, used them for the last 6-7 years. I really like the Bh-100-f model it worked very well for me without a huge in tank footprint. As for lights, I like more spectrum so I would lean towards the Vegas.

One thing I would do, is drill it. you can always put in a bulkhead with a plug and not have a sump, but sumps make EVERYTHING easier. Drill it now, and in the future if you upgrade, its worth alot more, or you can drain it a few inches and plumb yourself a sump system.

 

Your tank will probably go through a mini cycle on it's own.
I have these as my power heads in my 40g breeder. I love them and they create good movement without blowing everything around.


JBJ OceanStream Kit - 2 x 1,600 gph + Duo Wave Maker - AquaCave.com

 

The vega is a better light than the sol. I've had and loved both, but the vega is just better. I have two over my 57 which I believe has the same footprint. One may work for non-SPS corals, but mount it high off the tank.

 

Id say at least rinse the sand good. When I switched over from a 29 to a 65 I got new sand but mine was a bit older than yours. If its dry rock and never been used before you can rinse it good and add it, didn't have any negative effects when I did it. I would agree that if you have time start curing it before adding it though.

 

What dry rock and what sand are you adding?

 

If you are adding dry base rock, you will certainly have a decent diatom bloom, at minimum until all of the silicates leach out.

 

zebra and ingtar-I was looking at the reef octos, but couldn't figure out which one would be good. The bh100f is the winner. That extra chamber will come in handy. Little nervous about the setup since I'm a skimmer virgin, but ill figure it out

ingtar and sev- I was leaning toward the vega, but there doesn't seem to be much info on them. Its good to know you guys like them. Good enough for you, good enough for me

link- those things are monsters! how do you have them set up? I'd be nervous that they would blow my fish away lol

night- so far as sand goes I just figured dry sand was safer than live, and mine is fairly new and hitchhiker free. would you rinse it in salt or r/o?

and finally- cosmo I have NO idea! If you could recommend anything or place to look that would be great. Ive heard all the experienced reefers saying to use dry sand and rock, so I'm going with that recommendation. My lfs rock is pretty ugly and they don't have dry sand. I have time to cure it.

Thanks everyone! Keep it comin!

 

oh yeah- ingtar! how the heck would I go about doing that? We were thinking in the future we might use this as a sump or something when we upgrade