# Duckhams 40G Reef Build - Rimless/Synergy Overflow



## duckhams

*BUILD SPECIFICATIONS: *
*Tank Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
*Tank Dimensions:* 36" x 18" x 16.5" (typical 40 gallon breeder size) 
*Tank Details:* Rimless - 3-Sides Low Iron (Starphire) - Bottom Braced

*Sump Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
*Sump Dimensions:* 23" x 14" x 16" 
*Sump Details:* 2-Sections = Drain/Skimmer - Return.

*Stand Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
*Stand Dimensions:* 36" x 18" x 38" (LxWxH) 
*Stand Details:* 'Espresso Style' Maple Stand - Black Finish

*Overflow:* Reef Synergy 16" Overflow Box for BeanAnimal System with 1" Drain Lines
*Return Pump: *EcoTech Marine M1 Vectra with 3/4" Return Lines
*Powerheads:* 2 x MP40 Quiet Drive's
*Skimmer:* Vertex Omega 130 
*Lighting:* 3 x Radion XR15PRO's
*Filtration:* 2 x 4" Filter Socks 200 microns & 1 x In-line DIY GFO/Carbon Reactor

*GOALS: *
The goal with this system is to have an easy to manage system that requires little maintenance and maximizes automation to minimize the need for a tank sitter when I have to travel for work. This will affect the coral/fish that I keep in the system as well as the equipment setup. I've also chosen equipment that will make the system as quiet as possible, Vectra M1 return, MP40QD powerheads etc, as the tank will be right next to my desk (home office). 
Hopefully I'll have the tank, sump and stand this week and can begin getting the plumbing ready, water test it and get the system in place. I got some parts from BRS this week to get the plumbing ready (pics below).


















*SUMP LAYOUT: *DRAIN LINES/SKIMMER SECTION - RETURN PUMP SECTION.


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## duckhams

*Reef Synergy 16" Overflow Box*

The overflow arrived already! They are very well packaged. This is what I pulled out of the box I got from BRS along with a few other things.

**ADDITIONAL NOTE ABOUT REEF SYNERGY WARRANTY* -* For the warranty to apply the overflow must be used with a tank stand built by Reef Synergy, or a stand that they approve in writing before use. Contact them ahead of time and make sure to get approval BEFORE you install the overflow.










The rear box is connected with internal bulkheads to in-tank overflow box upside down to save space in packaging. The rear box actually sits lower than the inside box when mounted to the tank.









Magnetic weir has surprisingly strong magnets. 









This looks really sharp! 









Bulkheads are included, which is nice. And the side/bottom panels of the rear box are see through so you can check on your water level and plumbing for blockages etc. 









Rabbet joints are used on all corners.









One of the corners has some bubbles. I contacted Rick at Reef Synergy and he assured me that this would not affect the structural integrity of the outer box and that if there are bubbles, they are sealed with a secondary sealant, which you can see in these photo's. Im not concerned about them as they won't be visible and the construction of the box is very solid. 









I haven't water tested the box yet, but I doubt I will have any issues. 









A few plumbing parts for the BeanAnimal overflow, return lines and a DIY in-line GFO/Carbon reactor. The silicone tubing is for the connection to the return pump to mitigate any noise from vibration, and bacteria/algae will not grow on silicone tubing as it would on PVC/vinyl tubing.


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## duckhams

*Substrate : Fiji Pink*

I've always used Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand with good success, it's a nice bright white, but always found the smaller grain size sands more aesthetically pleasing. So im going to use Fiji Pink Aragonite on this setup and see how that works. I think the smaller grain size will help trap detritus on the surface for easier cleaning, the Special Grade stuff is a larger grain and detritus tends to sink through it.


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## duckhams

*Custom Tank Stand by Miracles*

The plumbing is starting to come together. The Synergy Reef Overflow is fitted and looks awesome. I've kept the return lines really short as I have 2 of them at 3/4" and probably only needed one on such a small system. But I like the symmetry so it's all good. 
I've also started to paint the inside of the stand with KILZ. I've had great luck with this paint on my current system with spills and drips, so im using it again. I also like the inside of the stand to be white as it makes things easier to see when I have the stand lights on (LED strips). Once painted I'll seal the bottom of the stand with silicone. I love this point in a build, so much fun!

Im really pleased with the tank from Miracles, it's solid and looks great with the overflow and plumbing installed. The clean black silicone lines look really sharp!


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## silent1mezzo

Excited to see how this turns out! Along for the ride.


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## duckhams

The plumbing is coming along, my least favourite part of a new tank build. I found a clear primer which helps keep things looking clean compared to the purple primer which I get everywhere! And I went with a proper gate valve this time on the BeanAnimal overflow, the ball valves are ok but I really want to dial this one in for absolute silence. (the Vectra M1 will help with that too). I've tried to keep the plumbing openings in the stand as small as possible so that the stand contains as much noise as possible. We'll see how much of a difference that really makes.


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## Flexin5

Looks great, I like the black pvc. do you need the primer and the pvc cement when doing the plumbing?


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## duckhams

I have always used the primer/cleaner but I know some do not. It prepares the joints/fittings for bonding. Basically, the cement is welding the two pieces together and creating 1 solid piece rather than two separate pieces that are stuck together with an adhesive between them, the primer removes any debris, dirt or residues that could impede that process, though it's likely not critical to for our application.


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## kamal

duckhams said:


> I have always used the primer/cleaner but I know some do not. It prepares the joints/fittings for bonding. Basically, the cement is welding the two pieces together and creating 1 solid piece rather than two separate pieces that are stuck together with an adhesive between them, the primer removes any debris, dirt or residues that could impede that process, though it's likely not critical to for our application.


But better safe than sorry I guess  nothing wrong with doing things in a robust manner


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## duckhams

kamal said:


> But better safe than sorry I guess  nothing wrong with doing things in a robust manner


My thought exactly!


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## fesso clown

following along. considering doing a downgrade and I'll be watching closely. Looks great so far!


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## duckhams

fesso clown said:


> following along. considering doing a downgrade and I'll be watching closely. Looks great so far!


Thanks! Im really pleased with it so far, but we'll see how it looks once I get my rock work in there.


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## fesso clown

What are your stocking plans?


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## duckhams

fesso clown said:


> What are your stocking plans?


I currently have 9 fish in my 75 gallon, but im planning to let a couple anthias and a leopard wrasse go. So i'll end up with the following: 
2 x Clownfish 
1 x Potters Wrasse
1 x Melanurus Wrase
1 x Pink Spot Goby
1 x Lyretail Anthias (maybe no anthias, I might sell all 3, 2 x females and 1 x male)
(i'd like to add a couple smaller fish, royal gramma's, fire fish, blennies or similar instead).


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## Yellowtang

*Duckhams 40g Reef Build*

Great looking system, I'm also impressed with the way you plumb your systems, very neat and clean. Are you planning to use LED's or T-5's on your new system?


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## duckhams

Yellowtang said:


> Great looking system, I'm also impressed with the way you plumb your systems, very neat and clean. Are you planning to use LED's or T-5's on your new system?


Thank you! I listed that in the full build specs in the first post. Im going to use 3 x XR15Pro's. 1 x XR15Pro for every 12" of tank, overkill I know but that's why their intensity is adjustable, I can just dial them down.


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## duckhams

I've updated the first post (setup specs) with the new sump, slightly smaller, leaving more room for ATO, doser and APEX mounting.


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## duckhams

*Sump - gfo reactor - plumbing*

I got the three drain lines hard plumbed today, and the GFO reactor fitted. Im now trying to work out where to put the mini-manifold for the GFO reactor, on the vertical line from the pump or tee'd down from the horizontal return line. Neither looks good, I need to find a better way to run the 1/2" RO tubing to the reactor without it hanging all over the place.

Im going to mount the tank controller, doser, vortech controllers etc, over on the right just in case something drops, I don't want it falling into the sump. 
It's going to be tight with all the equipment installed.


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## tom g

*build*

great build so far Elliott deff following along .....

did I read correctly fesso u downsizing


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## duckhams

Got it all plumbed up, water tested and flushed it for debris, and no leaks!  The plumbing isn't exactly as I had envisioned, but it does the job. I totally forgot to use red PVC inside the stand and have ended up with a black and white system, which I quite like actually. I'll post more pics of the finished plumbing etc once I get it in to the house tomorrow.


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## duckhams

tom g said:


> great build so far Elliott deff following along .....
> 
> did I read correctly fesso u downsizing


Thanks Tom!


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## duckhams

*Tank Setup*

I got the tank moved in over the weekend and started getting everything setup. Plumbing is almost complete, just need to install the return pump from my other system and start getting everything transferred over. Then I can get the APEX, Vortech's, lighting etc setup too.

Got the tank in place! 

















Plumbing installed (still need to connect the return pump from the other tank)









I need to find another 90° 1/2" fitting for the GFO reactor.









Got the tank levelled with composite shims from Lowes. Super easy to cut to size.









Also started installing the mag-holders for my Tunze Osmolator ATO system. 









I don't have an outlet close to the tank, so I picked up a GFCI power bar.


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## Flexin5

looks great, i'm really digging the white/black stand and plumbing. it's going to look sick when it's filled and grown in.


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## duckhams

Flexin5 said:


> looks great, i'm really digging the white/black stand and plumbing. it's going to look sick when it's filled and grown in.


Thanks! Im pretty pleased with how it turned out. Got it filled today with a heater and powerhead running, so I should be transferring everything over tomorrow/friday.


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## duckhams

*Apex*

I got the APEX hooked up, and even found a VDM module that was hooked up but not in use, which I'll post for sale shortly.

Once I unplugged the APEX from the old tank I had to move the return pump, heater etc over pretty fast before pulling the rockwork and corals over. Thankfully I only have 2 large rocks that make up my rockscape, so it was easy to lift them out with corals still attached and just place it in the new tank.


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## duckhams

*Rock & corals in!*

I kept the main rock from my old tank, and had to chop a small section of the second to be able to save them nems for the clowns, which have their own little island on the left now. I have a ton of frags that im not going to be able to fit and in setting up this tank i've found I have loads of equipment my from old system that I won't be able to use. (48" T5 setup, pumps, frag racks, apex modules etc etc, will post for sale soon).

Not the greatest pic, and things are strewn everywhere, but you can see where things have ended up. I'll get some better pictures to replace these later. Once all the corals are off the sand it's going to look great! I love having one central structure/island for the fish to swim around, they've all settled in really well.


















Things started to clear up quickly:


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## Yellowtang

*Duckham's 40G Reef Build*

Looks great, good job Elliott. I really like the rock work, good luck with the new system.


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## duckhams

Yellowtang said:


> Looks great, good job Elliott. I really like the rock work, good luck with the new system.


Thanks Terry! Im really happy with it, everything has opened up so much fuller in the new tank. Probably due to an 80% water change  . I must admit though, im sad to see the 48x20x20 sat there empty. It's such a great sized system, I wish I could have kept it running.


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## duckhams

The tank is really looking good. I still have a few more corals to get up off the sand, but it's close. Once everything grows in it's going to look awesome. I did a water change yesterday after using 3/4 of a tube of TLF epoxy and still can't turn my skimmer back on without it overflowing and creating a micro-bubble storm. Might have to get some carbon online tonight.

I thought the 3 XR15Pro's might be overkill, and they probably are, but the tank is so bright and the coverage is incredible, it just looks awesome. I couldn't be happier with it.

I want to add a couple monti-caps to add a feeling of 'depth' to the rock-scape. Maybe a reeftech or another chili-pepper cap, not sure yet. I've got a few more frags, a ceramic frag rack and one of the nems to move out of the tank before I get to that. Plus a ton of extras from my last setup, an APEX VDM module for Tunze's/LED's, RO membranes, frag bags and a DIY T5 setup among others.


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## duckhams

*Update pics*

A few update pics. Things have come together nicely. I got a ReefTech Starburst Montipora frag today which im excited to watch grow out and a I got a Tierra Del Fuego SPS frag, which should colour up nicely! (pics of those coming soon).


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## kamal

I have a serious case of tank envy, beautiful tank

Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

kamal said:


> I have a serious case of tank envy, beautiful tank
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk


Thank you!


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## duckhams

*Coral pics*

Im feeding the corals weekly with a combo of Fauna Marin Zoa/Ric food, Reef Roids, KZ Coral Vitalizer, TLF AcroPower and KZ LPS Amino Acids. I mix it up based on how the corals look and spot feed the corals with the pumps off for 30 minutes. The chalices really take their time to open up.


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## duckhams

*Aquatic Log*

Uploaded the build on Aquatic Log to keep track of the tanks progress, coral growth, set reminders for maintenance and coral feeding, and track trends in alkalinity and calcium uptake.


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## Yellowtang

*Duckhams 40g Reef Build*

I was at Elliott's house today and I had the opportunity to checkout his recent project, a 40 gal. reef tank. This tank is incredible and pictures do NOT capture the true colours of the corals in this setup. As usual Elliott has out done himself with a well planned out system that brings out all of the outstanding colours of his corals. From the plumbing to his rock work and the placement of the corals this systems works. Great Job Elliott !!!!


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## duckhams

Yellowtang said:


> I was at Elliott's house today and I had the opportunity to checkout his recent project, a 40 gal. reef tank. This tank is incredible and pictures do NOT capture the true colours of the corals in this setup. As usual Elliott has out done himself with a well planned out system that brings out all of the outstanding colours of his corals. From the plumbing to his rock work and the placement of the corals this systems works. Great Job Elliott !!!!


Thank you for the kind words Terry!


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## duckhams

*Vertex Omega 130 Airline Mod*

Im working on increasing the stability and efficiency of my Vertex Omega 130 skimmer. On my larger system it was fairly stable and performed well, but the water height was critical for its operation (6.5") or it would overflow. On this tank I have it in 7.25"-7.5" of water and get very wet and inconsistent skimmate and fear an overflow from small changes in water chemistry. So after some reading im going to restrict the air intake to produce smaller bubbles, hopefully more stability and drier skimmate. (basically, for skimmers, smaller bubbles are better).


MaxiJet MJ900 Air Valve, silicone tubing and ratchet clamp. 









Drilled it out to increase diameter of air inlet.







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Assembled.










Installed on Omega 130 Air Intake.









Skimmer Airline fully open, no restriction. LARGE bubbles at neck. Stand pipe 1/3 closed. I closed the stand pipe 1/3 to adjust the water inside the skimmer to a mid-point where I was not getting a lot of micro-bubbles ejected from the output, that is the only reason I closed it at all. I will likely adjust it again later to open it more. 










Skimmer Airline restricted, valve 1.5-2 360° turns open from closed. Much smaller bubbles at neck, a huge improvement. Stand Pipe still 1/3 closed. 









I'm getting a slight whistle from the airline restrictor, the skimmer pulls in an enormous amount of air. Im going to try and reduce the whistle with by adding a 'muffler' of sorts, but will get to that later. First I want to see if this mod adds more stability to the skimmer and see what effect it has on skimmate production. (hopefully darker, drier and dirtier).
Adjusting the airline restrictor controls the size of the bubbles in the skimmer neck, which has a direct effect on efficiency and means I can dial it in to wet/dry skim as needed without adjusting the water height too much, risking an overflow. Im sure it will take some time to dial it in to reach a sweet spot. I'll keep you updated. (feel free to correct me if I have misinterpreted my research on air-intake/skimmer operation).


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## duckhams

*Vertex Omega 130 airline mod update / 2 days*

48hrs after the air intake modification. The air bubbles are much finer than they were before without the mod and are bursting just at the bottom of the collection cup. The foam head has been very consistent throughout the day and a dark skimmate is beginning to collect. Before the mod I would get at least twice this in two days but it would be a much much lighter colour.

I have adjusted the stand pipe so that it is 3/4 of the way closed to adjust the water height in the skimmer body. The airline restrictor is open about 2 x 360° turns and very easy to adjust, the bubble size in the skimmer neck clearly changes when more/less air is let in. Im hoping this slight adjustment will increase skimmate production over the next 48hrs. I will post an update then.

The one problem I have with this mod, is that the air intake is quite loud as it sucks in air, making the skimmer/system louder than it was before. The new NYOS skimmers (looking at the 120) have an airline adjustment/restrictor like this and they run very quietly, under 34dB from what ive seen, likely because they have a pump that is better rated for the skimmer body/air intake. The Omega 130 could easily handle a heavy bioload on a 120-150 gallon system.

So far im very happy with the modification, other than the noise, and because of that alone, I may switch to a Nyos 120 later, but im going to see how things go for a while before making a change. Vertex skimmers are powerhouses once you get them dialled in and i'd hate to let it go.


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## duckhams

*Potters Wrasse*

I wasn't sure if he'd make it when I first got him a few months ago, he was really emaciated. But now he's a happy little fatty and he eats everything! His colouration has really improved too, definitely my favourite in the tank.


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## kamal

Beautiful fish 

Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

*Melanurus Wrasse*

This guy is really difficult to photograph, he just doesn't sit still. I can't imagine ever having a tank without one, as many before have stated, these wrasse are biological weapons against flatworms and destructive amphipods.


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## duckhams

*Pink Spot Goby*

One of my favourite gobies, and very hardy in my experience! He cleans up any food that ends up on the sand bed and moves all the sand around under the rock work, where I can't vacuum, keeping things clean (sort of).


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## duckhams

*Male Lyretail Anthias*

So far so good with the anthias in this tank. I think they established their pecking order in the larger system as they seem to be getting on ok in this tank. He rules the 2 females with an iron fist around feeding time, but mostly leaves them alone. He's an Indian Ocean male, the Maldives males are purple.


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## duckhams

*Vertex Omega 130 Airline Skimmer Mod Test*

So after 48 hours of running the skimmer without the airline mod, the foam head was very inconsistent but the skimmer still functioned effectively. From the two images below, I would say the skimmer probably removed the same amount of skimmate but defintely more condensed/drier with the airline mod. I don't mind wet skimming and the unit is slightly quieter without the airline mod installed, so im undecided. A longer term test is likely required to see a real difference.
I think if I can get the airline mod to operate a little quieter, it would be a no brainer and an almost unbeatable skimmer for my system at that point. The question is, how do I quiet the air intake. Or would a smaller skimmer like the BM Curve5 be better suited to the system?

*WITH AIRLINE MOD INSTALLED AFTER 48HRS: *








*
WITHOUT AIRLINE MOD INSTALLED AFTER 48HRS: *








*
AFTER SOME ADJUSTMENT OF THE VOLUTE & STAND PIPE WITHOUT AIRLINE MOD INSTALLED AFTER 4 DAYS: *


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## saltmeup

Hey Elliot. Long time!! 
Tank looks sweet my man!


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## duckhams

saltmeup said:


> Hey Elliot. Long time!!
> Tank looks sweet my man!


Thanks Louie! Hope things are going well with your system!?


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## saltmeup

duckhams said:


> Thanks Louie! Hope things are going well with your system!?


Thanks Elliott. Things are going great. Did some Maintenance yesterday so should post some pics.... It's been a while since I've posted. 
Ps what's the name of those two wrasses. In particular the one which eats flat worms


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## duckhams

saltmeup said:


> Thanks Elliott. Things are going great. Did some Maintenance yesterday so should post some pics.... It's been a while since I've posted.
> Ps what's the name of those two wrasses. In particular the one which eats flat worms


It's in the title of that post above, its a Melanurus Wrasse, though iv'e seen my Yellow 'coris wrasse do the same job on new frags/bugs/pods etc. Halichoeres wrasse are voracious hunters. (Halichoeres chrysus not Halichoeres leucoxanthus, which a white belly).


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## saltmeup

Thanks Elliott. That's going on the buy list!!


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## duckhams

*Skimmer update*

The new Omega 130 skimmer from Vertex now come with an air valve included in the box, it's designed to be installed under the air silencer (which should be quieter than my DIY restrictor), but I can't get one from Vertex for 4-5 weeks. So while I wait for the Vertex air restrictor to come in, im going to try the new Bubble Magus A5 (similar to the Curve5 but with a 'hybrid' non-controllable DC pump), which I suspect is better rated to the bioload/size of my system as it uses a smaller pump and has a narrower neck.

Noise is always an issue, so the new DC pump on the A5 should be an improvement over the much larger pump on the Vertex. ReefSupplies just got them in and i've heard great things about the Curve 5 and 7, so I have high hopes for the A5. I really couldn't find a good review of the skimmer running, only unboxing's, so i'll keep track of the setup and performance and update as I go. The DC pump (low noise and energy consumption) is really what sold me on this unit, along with the smashing reviews the Curve5 has, it seems to be a great unit.


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## duckhams

*Skimmer Update - Omega 130 Adjustment*

I removed the DIY airline mod because it made the unit louder than I could accept working 3 ft from the tank. However, after almost completely closing the stand pipe and adjusting the volute on the pump, I got it dialled to an acceptable range where it's pulling out some great gunk! I still think a smaller neck skimmer would be more efficient on my system and bioload so we'll see how the Bubble Magus A5 works out, but at this point the Omega is working well without the airline mod. It's taking up a little too much space in my sump though, which is making filter sock changes and maintenance difficult, so I may go with the BM-A5 just for the space saving benefit.

My opinion is that the Vertex Omega 130 is underrated and best suited for reef systems 75gallons+ with medium to heavy bioloads. At that point it's extremely compact and very powerful. For anything under that or for smaller bioloads, the pump is too powerful and a smaller skimmer would be better suited. 
*
AFTER SOME ADJUSTMENT OF THE VOLUTE & STAND PIPE WITHOUT AIRLINE MOD INSTALLED AFTER 4 DAYS: *


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## duckhams

*Bubble Magus Curve A5 Skimmer Review (with Non-Controllable DC Pump)*

The Bubble Magus A5 Skimmer with non-controllable DC pump (or hybrid DC pump) just arrived from ReefSupplies! On first impression, im impressed with it. I know many compare the thin body material on these units to the thicker cast acrylic bodies on more expensive skimmers, but at the end of the day, it's only holding bubbles. The acrylic water level adjustment gear wheel rod is sturdier than I thought it would be, as are the gears which seem pretty solid, although they look flimsy in every picture i've seen of the unit. The adjustment movement feels solid and is very controllable/smooth to operate. This was my one fear with this skimmer, but I think it will last well and it seems strong enough for a unit this size.

The neck on my Omega 130 is just over 3" in diameter, the A5 has a 2.25" diameter neck which will increase skimmate with a smaller bioload/tank, so I have high hopes for it. 
The DC pump is definitely very quiet, it ran for 10 minutes in a solution of ezeCLEAN to remove any residue left over from manufacturing. I clean all my pumps/powerheads in this stuff and it cuts through algae and calcium build up like butter! It's much quieter than my Omega 130, but the pump is also smaller. It will likely get quieter as it runs in, im going to give it a couple hours and then swap it over and see how things go.























































Installed on some silcone coasters to further quiet it's operation.


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## duckhams

*BM Curve A5 Skimmer Review Update*

*Skimmer update:* I had to raise the Curve A5 to 6" of water so it could pull out some nasty putty/epoxy residue I used a few weeks ago. Once it's pulled all that out, I will likely be able to lower it as it begins to run more effectively pulling out some nasty organic material. Im happy with it so far, but still waiting to see how it performs.


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## duckhams

*Coral update*

Almost all the corals are up in the rockwork now. I really hate using the TLF putty, it makes the skimmer go crazy for days, even after water changes and carbon. I've been using Tunze Coral Gum for a while now and it's awesome, much less, if any effect, on the skimmer. Still trying to find a place in Canada that sells it (I used to carry it at Big Reef Depot, but no one else seems to). Corals are growing well and things seem fairly stable. Slowly upping the radions to increase growth and colouration, and thus far, things are responding well.

This is one of the most interesting chalice's i've had, it's colour changes under different lighting are incredible. In high lighting it's almost gold with a blue rim, in lower lighting its going emerald green. I've seen it called an Emerald Mummy Eye and a Cornbred Trash Mummy Eye, either way it looks awesome! 


















Almost nuclear red chalice (no idea what its called) 









This Secale is just exploding, growing faster than any SPS i've ever had and really colouring up nicely.









Chili Pepper Monti is growing well too. Im hoping this really starts to plate out but I think it's encrusting.









A couple small ReefTech Starburst Monti frags.


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## duckhams

*Tunze Coral Gum 104.76 - the best stuff ever!*

I've used the Tunze Coral Gum 104.76 for over 18 months now in several tanks and love it! It's really easy to work the 2-part together with one hand, especially compared to the 2-part epoxy sticks which are really tough and take ages to mix (plus their fumes stink), which is great when trying to attach tricky or large corals that need to be held in place with my other hand. It also sets in about 30 seconds after it's mixed, which has probably saved me hours holding corals in place and has prevented lots of 'accidents' from corals coming unstuck, while the epoxy sets, and ending up face down in the sand bed.

The biggest thing is that *it has no noticeable effect on my skimmer,* regardless of how much I use. This is HUGE for me. My skimmer goes crazy and overflows for days when I use epoxy sticks, even in small amounts and after water changes and running more carbon. The fact that I can use this stuff and not have to do major water changes and spend days readjusting my skimmer is a huge time saver and super convenient when adding new corals. It costs quite a bit more than regular epoxy sticks, but you're also getting 400g of the stuff instead of 100g of a regular epoxy stick, so price wise, it's not that much more, especially when you take into account the time it saves. The only down side is that I have yet to find a Canadian retailer that carries it, hopefully one of our local stores will start stocking it. (nudge nudge).

I like to use a little super glue between the putty and the rock work, though it's probably not necessary. The coral gum is much more pliable than other epoxy's ive tried, which makes it much easier to push into crevices without shifting or putting pressure on your rockscape. I really over did this one (frag attached to rockwork pic below), I could have used a lot less, but the mushroom will soon cover it.


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## conix67

Beautiful tank, nice build thread! 

I've got one of those Bubble Magus A5 DC skimmer and it's funny to see the collection cup drain looks the same as mine - it doesn't ship like that.

I need to check out that Tunze coral gum product. Where did you purchase it from?


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## duckhams

conix67 said:


> Beautiful tank, nice build thread!
> 
> I've got one of those Bubble Magus A5 DC skimmer and it's funny to see the collection cup drain looks the same as mine - it doesn't ship like that.
> 
> I need to check out that Tunze coral gum product. Where did you purchase it from?


Thanks! Yeah, I cut the drain line shorter, otherwise it just gets in the way.

BRS is the only place i've found that has the Tunze Coral Gum, but im hoping we'll be able to get a Canadian retailer to stock it.


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## duckhams

The Bubble Magus A5 breaking is in nicely. For the price im pretty happy with it, though it's a bit delicate. I broke the air silencer trying to pull the hose off to shorten it, I have a replacement coming soon. But it's running well with little adjusting and is getting darker every week as it beaks in.


----------



## Flexin5

the bubble magnus skimmers are great. my curve 7 pulls out some black nasty gunk, it's probably why i can have so many fish and the water is still nice and clear. you're right tho sometimes they can be a little sensitive to tune.


----------



## duckhams

Flexin5 said:


> the bubble magnus skimmers are great. my curve 7 pulls out some black nasty gunk, it's probably why i can have so many fish and the water is still nice and clear. you're right tho sometimes they can be a little sensitive to tune.


Yeah, im pretty stocked as well but keep up with water changes and carbon, that seems to be working. Im still dialling it in but have high hopes for it.


----------



## Tenurepro

Just reading this tank thread! Great stuff, following! I share your love for wrasses. Where did you score the lover potters wrasse. Gorgeous!


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Just reading this tank thread! Great stuff, following! I share your love for wrasses. Where did you score the lover potters wrasse. Gorgeous!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you! Believe it or not, I found him at Big Als in one of their bottom floor tanks that was full or rubble and algae. He was rather emaciated, they must have forgotten about him. So I rescued him. It took lots of regular feedings, and added water changes to get him eating and fattened up, but it was well worth it. He's a right little piggy now.


----------



## Tenurepro

duckhams said:


> Thank you! Believe it or not, I found him at Big Als in one of their bottom floor tanks that was full or rubble and algae. He was rather emaciated, they must have forgotten about him. So I rescued him. It took lots of regular feedings, and added water changes to get him eating and fattened up, but it was well worth it. He's a right little piggy now.


Was that THE potter wrasse at the Woodbridge Big Als from a few month to a year ago!!! I think I saw one there and was really considering it but I had a 30 gallon and didn't think it was right to put a big fish on there. Now that I have my reefer I am actively looking for leopard wrasses but they have eluded me so far

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Was that THE potter wrasse at the Woodbridge Big Als from a few month to a year ago!!! I think I saw one there and was really considering it but I had a 30 gallon and didn't think it was right to put a big fish on there. Now that I have my reefer I am actively looking for leopard wrasses but they have eluded me so far
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No, different BA store. There have been a few posted on here in the sales forum this year, i'd keep a look out there. I'll PM you if I ever see one around.


----------



## Tenurepro

duckhams said:


> No, different BA store. There have been a few posted on here in the sales forum this year, i'd keep a look out there. I'll PM you if I ever see one around.


That would be great, thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

*Overflow troubles*

I was tuning the beananimal overflow after some height adjustments on the open channel to quiet it down (which worked perfectly), but noticed that the outside overflow box on the Synergy Reef overflow wasn't level. After draining nearly half the tank 3 times to adjust it, it turns out the weight of the plumbing is pulling it off level. It's about a 1/4" out. It's probably not the end of the world and has been running like this for a few months now, but for some reason, im super stressed about it. I contacted Rick at Synergy to get his opinion and am waiting to hear back.

Usually I'd just screw in a PVC support bracket and clip the plumbing into it, but I don't have anywhere in the back of the stand to put one and the 45 degree angle also makes it near impossible to add a level support. Im worried im going to have to pull the sump and everything out, cut a larger section out of the back stand panel and redo the plumbing so it hangs straight. Stress.


----------



## Tenurepro

Hey what program and max intensity are you running the radions at? Thanks!


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## conix67

What triggered you to check if the tank is perfectly level? For all these years, it never occurred to me to check mine. It looked pretty level so never bothered to check. I will not check mine as I don't want to lose sleep over it if it's not level.


----------



## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Hey what program and max intensity are you running the radions at? Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Im running a custom program of my own preference and max intensity is around 30% right now. Are you running radions?


----------



## duckhams

conix67 said:


> What triggered you to check if the tank is perfectly level? For all these years, it never occurred to me to check mine. It looked pretty level so never bothered to check. I will not check mine as I don't want to lose sleep over it if it's not level.


I changed a few connections on the drain lines and took the box off to measure it all up correctly. When I put it back it on I tested the system I watched to make sure it all worked properly. The water level looked a little wonky so I checked it with a level. :/

Rick at Synergy got back to me and said the weight of the plumbing will pull the overflow down if the plumbing is not supported. Apparently it's designed to be used with their sumps which have bulkheads to attached the plumbing to, so the sump supports the weight. Im going to have to re-do the plumbing so that it is 'supported' somehow. . .


----------



## conix67

duckhams said:


> I changed a few connections on the drain lines and took the box off to measure it all up correctly. When I put it back it on I tested the system I watched to make sure it all worked properly. The water level looked a little wonky so I checked it with a level. :/
> 
> Rick at Synergy got back to me and said the weight of the plumbing will pull the overflow down if the plumbing is not supported. Apparently it's designed to be used with their sumps which have bulkheads to attached the plumbing to, so the sump supports the weight. Im going to have to re-do the plumbing so that it is 'supported' somehow. . .


This is definitely good to know. I guess I shouldn't have similar issues as my tank is drilled at the bottom, there's not much I'd call plumbing under my tank.


----------



## duckhams

conix67 said:


> This is definitely good to know. I guess I shouldn't have similar issues as my tank is drilled at the bottom, there's not much I'd call plumbing under my tank.


Your'e probably safe then. This has definitely opened my eyes to plumbing support though. And i think i have a cheap fix for it too : https://www.lowes.ca/pipe-support-c...v30-galvanized-split-ring-hanger_8786996.html


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## Tenurepro

duckhams said:


> Im running a custom program of my own preference and max intensity is around 30% right now. Are you running radions?


Yep have 2 radion's XR15w pros on my 55 gallon. Finding it hard to get the best light for sps; I have the 120 degree wide angle lens on; they run on Ecotech sps a/b program; max intensity at 65% with 18.5k spectrum from 10 to 4.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Yep have 2 radion's XR15w pros on my 55 gallon. Finding it hard to get the best light for sps; I have the 120 degree wide angle lens on; they run on Ecotech sps a/b program; max intensity at 65% with 18.5k spectrum from 10 to 4.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ok, thats a great setup! PM what your seeing in your SPS, pale colours, brown out, growth rates etc. Also include your feeding/dosing/water change schedules and tank parameters if possible. Typically it's best to start on lower intensity and work your way up slowly. Stability in your tank parameters is more important than light intensity IMO and can have more of an effect on colouration than light intensity alone.

The SPS A/B program from Ecotech Marine's Coral Lab was setup and run by Reef Wholesale here in Toronto. I saw the changes it made to SPS over their previous T5 system across a year, it was pretty impressive. Their colouration was incredible, but their lights sat 3+ft above their tanks. We rarely have that height on our systems, so your intensity probably needs adjusting among other things. But PM and lets take a look together.


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## Tenurepro

Done!


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## Vinoy Thomas

Elliot, post some pictures dude!

Especially a FTS


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## duckhams

Vinoy Thomas said:


> Elliot, post some pictures dude!
> 
> Especially a FTS


Lol, ok im on it.


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## duckhams

*Update - FTS*

*ALK SWING & LOSSES:*
I got busy with work for a couple weeks last month and had an alk swing. I lost both of my jedi-mind-trick monti's, my lime ricky frag, my granulosa frag is not recovering well and my seasons greetings monti and LA Lakers scroll coral bleached out, as did my secale. Funny enough my red planet has never looked better is starting to colour up nicely. I've corrected the alk issue and dialled my lights back while everything recovers. It's getting there, but even some of my zoas are looking more pale than usual.

*BIOLOAD & RECOVERY:*
I have a pretty heavy bioload (3 x wrasse, 3 x anthias, 2 x clowns, 1 x pink spot goby, 1 x royal gramma = 10 in total) and feed 2-3 times a day, so with my nutrient levels and bioload I think the colours will recover fairly quickly. Phosphate hovers around 0.01-0.05 ppm with the Hanna ULR Phosphorous checker. I never check nitrates and alk is around 9 dKH with Red Sea Pro titration test kit.

I think my alk issue was because of the chalices in the tank, they're pretty large and when they start growing they use up the avialable alk/ca a little faster than usual. With a couple weeks of neglect, I didn't catch it until it was too late. But things are coming back and starting to look a bit better. I dialled my lights up a little bit this morning so hopefully I'll start to see some colour improvements soon.



















Purple Hammer & Hologram Chalice (the blue LED's really makes the hammer glow)









ReefRaft Zoas


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## Tenurepro

How big was the alk swing?


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> How big was the alk swing?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It went down to 7.3 dKH from 9.5 dKH and stayed there for about 2 weeks. In other tanks that might not have been an issue, but with my nutrient levels being quite high, I need to keep higher alk. Im usually ok if it stays in the 8.5-9.5 dKH range.

I've noticed high nutrients and low alk cause bleaching, tissue loss and tissue necrosis in my SPS. And low nutrients with high alk causes similar issues. That's why the zeo guys all run low low alk levels.


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## zoapaly

duckhams said:


> It went down to 7.3 dKH from 9.5 dKH and stayed there for about 2 weeks. In other tanks that might not have been an issue, but with my nutrient levels being quite high, I need to keep higher alk. Im usually ok if it stays in the 8.5-9.5 dKH range.
> 
> I've noticed high nutrients and low alk cause bleaching, tissue loss and tissue necrosis in my SPS. And low nutrients with high alk causes similar issues. That's why the zeo guys all run low low alk levels.


From 9.5dkH went down to 7.3 dkH i think not to much. 
my tank dropped 3 dkH per days , Morning tes at 10 and evening went down 6.5 to 7 ...all my corals still happy until now


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## duckhams

zoapaly said:


> From 9.5dkH went down to 7.3 dkH i think not to much.
> my tank dropped 3 dkH per days , Morning tes at 10 and evening went down 6.5 to 7 ...all my corals still happy until now


That's a pretty big swing. Im assuming you don't have any SPS in there?


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## zoapaly

duckhams said:


> That's a pretty big swing. Im assuming you don't have any SPS in there?


1 -huge piece 30"×18" montipora
1- 12x12 monti
1-10×6 monti 
1-10×10 acro 
1-6" acro and few more small pieces. 
That why my dosing pump working like crazy, they eat 150ml Alk per day )


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## duckhams

zoapaly said:


> 1 -huge piece 30"×18" montipora
> 1- 12x12 monti
> 1-10×6 monti
> 1-10×10 acro
> 1-6" acro and few more small pieces.
> That why my dosing pump working like crazy, they eat 150ml Alk per day )


If that's working for you, thats great! Just goes to show how every system is different. I'd still work on stabilizing that daily swing by breaking up your dosing throughout the day. Most dosing pumps will allow you to divide your daily dose into multiple scheduled doses.


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## duckhams

*Piccy time*

Just a few fun pics. Im getting some slime algae so i've started the DIY GFO/Carbon reactor up (working great). I've got a big 'manual slime removal' session planned on the next water change. That should kick it with regular GFO replacement.


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## do_0b

duckhams said:


> Just a few fun pics. Im getting some slime algae so i've started the DIY GFO/Carbon reactor up (working great). I've got a big 'manual slime removal' session planned on the next water change. That should kick it with regular GFO replacement.


sweet shots


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## duckhams

*Photo update*

I haven't done an update in a while as i've been working on REEFED.ca and getting that running, thanks for all your support! Most of my corals have been growing well except my chalices which took a hit and receded a lot last month. Likely because I added too much GFO to my reactor. I've since scaled back the GFO and while I had to frag them quite significantly, they seem to be recovering. I finally got my zoa frags placed in the rockwork and off of the frag rack! Im excited to watch them grow in! 
Im thinking about adding a few fast growing SPS frags to the top section of the tank, but still not sure.


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## explor3r

Great pictures Elliot as usual is good to see an update we have a few tanks or treads have not been update in a while Im wondering if we all got too busy with life. Anyhow thanks for sharing and good to see some classic zoas..


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## duckhams

explor3r said:


> Great pictures Elliot as usual is good to see an update we have a few tanks or treads have not been update in a while Im wondering if we all got too busy with life. Anyhow thanks for sharing and good to see some classic zoas..


Thanks Alex!


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## Rookie2013

Awesome wrasses..


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## homerjay

Beautiful reef. How do you keep your substrate so clean? Do you vacuum it?


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## duckhams

I have a couple strawberry conch and lots of nassarius that do a good job keeping it clean. I partially vacuum a small area each month as well. Honestly, it's the flow from my MP40's that keep it clean, I have turbulent (not necessarily strong) flow that moves the sand around a little and lifts up any detritus before it settles.


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## duckhams

*Macro Lens: Canon EF-S 60mm Macro*

After reviewing Canon's EF 100mm f2.8L IS and EF-S 60mm USM macro lenses on REEFED.ca (https://reefed.ca/photography-canon-ef-s-60mm-f2-8-macro-vs-ef-100m-f2-8l-is-macro/), I decided to get the 60mm macro and absolutely love it! Best buy have a couple of open box lenses for only $363! 
I've found there is some confusion around macro lenses. Even I used to think that a true macro lens had to be 100mm+ and that the 90mm or 60mm macro lenses wouldn't produce such detailed close up's as the 100mm lenses. But honestly, I found that most of the time I want a detailed closeup shot, not an actual 1:1 magnification (macro) shot. So I got an open box 60mm and it's doing a great job! The auto-focus is even fast enough to capture my wrasses!


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## Tenurepro

Nice pics! Does the potter chase the leopard ?


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## CoralPatron

"*ADDITIONAL NOTE ABOUT REEF SYNERGY WARRANTY* - For the warranty to apply the overflow must be used with a tank stand built by Reef Synergy, or a stand that they approve in writing before use. Contact them ahead of time and make sure to get approval BEFORE you install the overflow. "

Good to know, thank you! Awesome set up!


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Nice pics! Does the potter chase the leopard ?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No, the potters wrasse is a little smaller than the leopard wrasse and was added to the tank after the leopard was settled. They all get on very well, no chasing or aggression. Which I expected when I put them in the 40, but they've been fine.
I expected to have to pull one of the wrasses out because of aggression, but as they're still ok Im going to remove a couple of the lyretail anthias. I have a fish trap in the tank right now hoping to catch a couple soon.


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## duckhams

CoralPatron said:


> "*ADDITIONAL NOTE ABOUT REEF SYNERGY WARRANTY* - For the warranty to apply the overflow must be used with a tank stand built by Reef Synergy, or a stand that they approve in writing before use. Contact them ahead of time and make sure to get approval BEFORE you install the overflow. "
> 
> Good to know, thank you! Awesome set up!


Thanks! and no worries. Rick at Reef Synergy is a great guy, just shoot him an email for confirmation on your setup and you're good to go.


----------



## duckhams

*New Chalices*

I picked up a couple great looking chalices at Coral Reef Shop today. Some insane colours! They're about the size of a TLF feeding ring, except for the green striped one, it's almost 5" long. I haven't been this excited about new corals in ages!


----------



## Yellowtang

*Duckhams 40g Reef Build*

Great score Elliott those are great looking chalices.


----------



## koopie

*re chalice*

Did he have any more of the toxic pie, and the blue/pink chalice left.plmk Thanks


----------



## duckhams

Yellowtang said:


> Great score Elliott those are great looking chalices.


Thanks Terry! Im really pleased with them.



koopie said:


> Did he have any more of the toxic pie, and the blue/pink chalice left.plmk Thanks


I think so yes, but no blue/pink left. It was the only one. They have quite a few chalices in right now, some really nice pieces. Defintely worth checking out.


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## duckhams

*Working on colouration and growth - update.*

The downsize to the 40 gallon has been a good move for the most part, but I have faced a couple challenges in the process. I kept all of my fish from the 75 gallon (not a mistake in itself) but as I dont test for nitrates they were slowly rising, they read 12ppm when I check a few weeks ago. So I pulled the 3 fish out of the tank and gave them a better home in a 65 gallon. Unfortunately, I had an alk swing in january and bleached/burnt a couple of my acros. As they were recovering I started noticing the underside of a few of my acros looked like it was being eaten away. After some research I found that Ostreobium (green coral boring algae) loves high nitrates and was likely the cause. It's done some damage to the underside of my acros, but they continue to grow and colour up. Im hoping the reduction in nitrates and some super glue over the affected areas will stop it.

My chalices took the worst hit in the alk swing, but are coming back nicely. The mummy eye chalice below is on my frag rack now and is deeper and bright in colour than ever. Im slowly dialling the radions up, trying to improve growth, and seeing some great improvements in colouration on my acros too. Growth has improved but I think this is more because of my alk stability and low P04. I've noticed that slow increases in my white LED's has the best effect on colouration in both my LPS and SPS.

Just added this milli yesterday. 









A red plant from Albert, encrusting like a beast. 









I love the little flower polyps on this acro. 









Reeftech Starburst (also from Albert) has gone red in my system.









Meteor shower cyphastrea growing nicely.









Mummy eye chalice recovering from alk swing and heavy fragging. Thought id lost it. 









My fav purple hammer. Got it as a sad little frag, now it's grown into 2 beautiful colonies.









A few zoa pics:


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## Tenurepro

Beautiful! Let me know if you need a home for your leopard and potter, always happy to help 

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## Tenurepro

Ps. I am also battling some nitrate issues because I love my wrasses! Hit 10 ppm last month and sps browned Super quick. Trying a bigger skimmer, siporax and daily small water changes to help. Also sold 1 of 3 ornates leopards to slightly reduce bioload in the reefer 250


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Ps. I am also battling some nitrate issues because I love my wrasses! Hit 10 ppm last month and sps browned Super quick. Trying a bigger skimmer, siporax and daily small water changes to help. Also sold 1 of 3 ornates leopards to slightly reduce bioload in the reefer 250
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Im not sure the nitrates would be the cause for browning SPS, mine have been at 12ppm + for the past few months and my colouration has steadily improved despite the nitrates. You likely have high nutrient levels causing the brown out. What's your P04 like? and what sort of lighting/alkalinity are you running? High nutrient systems operate quite differently from low nutrient systems when it comes to lighting and alkalinity uptake for SPS. I have high nutrients, feed 3 times a day, higher alk and strong lighting, SPS look great. Skimming likely won't sort your nitrate issue. More water changes, less fish and smaller feedings of pellets (no flakes) would help though.


----------



## TBemba

What settings do you have for your ecotech radion and What version?

I have a ecotech radion XR15 Pro version 3 and I find it incredibly hard to find a good balance. 

Looking Great by the way!


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## duckhams

I have 3 x XR15 Pro's Gen3's on my 40 gallon. I run them under 30% intensity and custom set the channels based on preference. I deliberately ran them at a lower intensity when I put them on the 40 so as not to bleach my corals, and im gradually dialling them up until I get to colours/growth im happy with. Im getting close. 
Check this out and decide whats best for your tank :http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ecotech_CoralLab_WP1.pdf
ReefWholesale are here in Toronto, they've tested the Radion's for over a year. The growth and colouration of their SPS is amazing with the Radions. Just remember that it's likely going to be your white/red LED's that do the most bleaching/damage if set too high.


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## Tenurepro

Hi E! good job on Reefed - been following developments on the website. last time i cruised the site, i noticed a review of seaside aquatics' fish trap... i wanted to ask a question about that (was initially going to do so on the website, but alas, i don't have a facebook account... i know... i am stuck in the early 1990's) 

so, the question is, do you think it would double as an acclimation box? (to introduce new fish). I was thinking of ordering an acclimation box, but i also think it is good to have a fish trap on hand. then i thought that a fish trap can double as an acclimation box (with the trap door closed). my only concern is that there isn't enough holes to permit gas exchange...
thoughts ?
thanks!


----------



## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> Hi E! good job on Reefed - been following developments on the website. last time i cruised the site, i noticed a review of seaside aquatics' fish trap... i wanted to ask a question about that (was initially going to do so on the website, but alas, i don't have a facebook account... i know... i am stuck in the early 1990's)
> 
> so, the question is, do you think it would double as an acclimation box? (to introduce new fish). I was thinking of ordering an acclimation box, but i also think it is good to have a fish trap on hand. then i thought that a fish trap can double as an acclimation box (with the trap door closed). my only concern is that there isn't enough holes to permit gas exchange...
> thoughts ?
> thanks!


Thank you! I had exactly the same thought when I got it. It's not ideal as an acclimation box, but it would do the job in a pinch. You would either have to remove the brackets (which is easy) and place it face up on the sand bed so that you can add the fish from the top through the trap door. Or, if you had in the normal trap position with the brackets hanging on the tank, you would have to carefully put the fish inside the trap through the door with a net. I think both would work.
You could probably also build it without the top panel and have an open top, which would be much easier actually. That would work, but not for jumpers.


----------



## Tenurepro

duckhams said:


> Thank you! I had exactly the same thought when I got it. It's not ideal as an acclimation box, but it would do the job in a pinch. You would either have to remove the brackets (which is easy) and place it face up on the sand bed so that you can add the fish from the top through the trap door. Or, if you had in the normal trap position with the brackets hanging on the tank, you would have to carefully put the fish inside the trap through the door with a net. I think both would work.
> You could probably also build it without the top panel and have an open top, which would be much easier actually. That would work, but not for jumpers.


Hmm... yes adding a fish in would be tricky... i am mostly adding sand-sleeping wrasses, so adding a little dish of sand + fish with the side door would be tricky indeed...


----------



## boyohboy

duckhams said:


> *BUILD SPECIFICATIONS: *
> *Tank Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
> *Tank Dimensions:* 36" x 18" x 16.5" (typical 40 gallon breeder size)
> *Tank Details:* Rimless - 3-Sides Low Iron (Starphire) - Bottom Braced
> 
> *Sump Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
> *Sump Dimensions:* 23" x 14" x 16"
> *Sump Details:* 2-Sections = Drain/Skimmer - Return.
> 
> *Stand Manufacturer:* Miracles Aquariums
> *Stand Dimensions:* 36" x 18" x 38" (LxWxH)
> *Stand Details:* 'Espresso Style' Maple Stand - Black Finish


Great looking tank!

I'm also thinking of a tank in similar size... perhaps 20" tall instead. What's the process to (customer) order the tank & stand and getting it drilled from Miracles? Do they have idea of the overflow box holes needed? How long did you wait?

Do you find have the 3 Radions a bit overkill? Since you're not even close to running them at full power, right? I guess you get a more even spread...


----------



## duckhams

boyohboy said:


> Great looking tank!
> 
> I'm also thinking of a tank in similar size... perhaps 20" tall instead. What's the process to (customer) order the tank & stand and getting it drilled from Miracles? Do they have idea of the overflow box holes needed? How long did you wait?
> 
> Do you find have the 3 Radions a bit overkill? Since you're not even close to running them at full power, right? I guess you get a more even spread...


Hey! Sorry for the late reply. If you give Derek a call at Miracles, he's very helpful. You just need to supply them with a sketch of what you want, list the specifics like glass thickness (he can give you some guidance on this), hole locations etc. If you need a hand laying things out, let me know, i've built a few over the years.

The 3 x XR15Pro's is a bit over kill but the coverage is awesome and I get a much more even spread throughout the tank with the standard lens. It's more preference than practicality to be honest.


----------



## [KRAFTIG]

Great build, I'm awaiting my Miracles aquarium too! Question, where did you buy the "DIY in-line GFO/Carbon reactor" bits? TIA


----------



## duckhams

[KRAFTIG] said:


> Great build, I'm awaiting my Miracles aquarium too! Question, where did you buy the "DIY in-line GFO/Carbon reactor" bits? TIA


Thanks! I got most of the part from BRS as they have everything, but you could buy the parts local from Canada Water Warehouse and JJ downs. I'll PM you the links to the parts I used.


----------



## duckhams

As photobucket have locked all images on their site trying to get users to pay heavy membership fees, I've uploaded my images to imgur.com and relinked almost every image on this thread from the very beginning. Unfortunately I did lose a few images, but i've uploaded lots of new images and filled the thread in as I went, so it should look better than ever!


----------



## duckhams

*Choati Wrasse & Other Pics*

I picked up a beautiful choati wrasse from Coral Reef Shop a couple months ago! They are very difficult to feed and I wasn't sure she would take to frozen/prepared foods. So far she's only eating frozen blood worms, and pigs out on them! She'll occasionally chomp on a mysis shrimp, by accident I think, but so far i've had no luck getting her to eat pellets or flakes. So for now, it's frozen blood worms twice a day.



















A few other shots just for fun:


----------



## Tenurepro

that Choati is beautiful! I remember being very intrigued when Red posted that he had some... glad you managed to get one, and hopefully she starts eating shrimp and pellets for you. How is she getting along with the other two leopards ?


----------



## duckhams

Tenurepro said:


> that Choati is beautiful! I remember being very intrigued when Red posted that he had some... glad you managed to get one, and hopefully she starts eating shrimp and pellets for you. How is she getting along with the other two leopards ?


Really well! The only male wrasse I have is the Melanurus, the three leopards are all females and that seems to be the winning combo. He got a bit aggressive when I first added the Choati, but it was just intimidation, no out right attacks. They've been very peaceful and get on well. I feed twice a day with an auto feeder and regular supplemental feedings of frozen foods, which definitely limits aggression.


----------



## duckhams

*Choati wrasse feeding update*

It seems that worms are the key to fussy wrasses. My choati is readily eating freeze dried blood worms and frozen blood worms. Im wondering if a worm shaped pellet food might be accepted, if there was such a thing.

Although the freeze dried worms just float on the surface, my wrasse sort of lunge at them to get them. The choati does the same, maybe a learned behavior? Its a step in the right direction, next step, flakes!


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## duckhams

*Royal Gramma*

This little guy has been extremely hard to photograph. He mainly sticks close to the rock work, sometimes swimming even upside down, and adds an interesting dynamic to the tank. He's a good reminder that the price of a fish is not what makes it special.


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