Look what Santa brought me, need help/advice

G

Guest

Guest
I have been wanting a salt water reef aquarium for a loooong time now and finally getting my wish! Santa (wife) found me a 55 gallon custom tank/stand and aquarium on Craigslist. Im really excited to get started with this hobby.

I know I have ALOT to learn and read before I even consider adding live rock and starting my cycle. I plan to go very slow and do things right.

That being said, I know I need lights (planning on an LED setup of some kind) and I want a sump/refugium. But other than that, I dont really have alot of knowledge on equipment and what else I may need. To be honest, Im not really even certain what I have already.

I know the Fluval 305 is a filter, but will I need/use that with a refugium?
I know there is a powerhead, heater and return pump, but is that other tall thing a type of skimmer? Anyone know what kind it is and if its any good?

Just looking for tips and advice on what else I may need to have everything "put together"... My ultimate goal is to drll the tank and have a refugium underneath
 
Wow that is some nice cabinetry


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
thats a great looking tank and stand and welcome to the addiction

heres what I'd do
first:
sell the fluval

second:
buy a used 20-30g tank and set up as a sump. Dont worry about baffles at first you can always modify later. you will also need a decent overflow and a return pump, consider looking for a used Mag7 or 9. Do some reading on houw to set up you sump so when the power is off you dont drain the tank and over flow the sump
Set up your skimmer and heater in the sump and your ready to get the system wet.
get some base rock and seed it with some live rock and start your tank cycling. at this stage you dont need lights, but if hte unit came with some you can use

read the sticky "when is you tank mature enough" and understand noting happens overnight
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=23791

go to meetings and ask a lot of questions --- and most of all enjoy the progress

third and fourth:
upgrade lights and skimmer
 
If that's the skimmer I think it is, it blows tiny little bubbles into the tank constantly, unless you can somehow build some type of little box with baffles or something to get rid of the bubbles. I think it also looks very clustered when you have it set up correctly cause of all the equipment inside tank. I don't own one cause of the bubbles lol but idk what the name/model of that skimmer is. That being said, it would prob work ok if it was set up in a sump.
 
so just to make sure I understand your reccomendation correctly.

Even if I buy some live rock, I do not need any light during the cycling process?
And you are suggesting getting a hanging overflow for the back instead of drilling?
 
@00bolt wrote:
so just to make sure I understand your reccomendation correctly. Even if I buy some live rock said:
yes you can cyle without lights
and most likely (90% sure) that 55g is 1/4" tempered glass and can't be drilled, so you may be stuck with an overflow - 55g are on the borderline of being able to use 1/4" glass so they are almost always tempered. There is a chance only the bottom is tempered, if so you could still put in an overflow box. theres a way of checking for tempered glass so you may want to look online or maybe someone will chime in

heres a link to standard tank sizes by manufacture that also lists if glass is tempered, as you will see most 55s are
http://www.reefkeeping.ca/forum/showthread.php?3-Aquarium-Tank-Sizes-and-Dimensions
Click to expand...
 
Very nice tank and stand. Welcome to the hobby. You will find that many ppl here are always willing to help and full of knowledge. Sounds like you have the right idea on going slow.

I'm a fan of noy having to redo stuff but that's me. If there is anything I can help with feel free to let me know but again many here will be willing to do the same, good luck and happy reefing

Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk
 
I went up to my local pet store yesterday and talked to a lady up there who owns a salt water aquarium herself. I was looking at a a showroom aquarium's sump to try and really understand the plumbing and how it works and I think I have a pretty good idea. Here are my questions..

If I am able to drill the tank, Im assuming I would only be able to drill the back, so what location should I do that? Im guessing in the dead center? and how high?

If I cannot drill the tank and Im stuck with an overflow box, how good are these things? The lady at the store basically discouraged me and said the little U siphon thing has a tendency to come out and water from sump will get all over my floor.

which leads me to my last question, if it is drilled and there is a hole in my tank and gravity is allowing the water to flow down, if the return pump or electricity goes out, what happens? All the water from my tank (down to point where hole is drilled) gets everywhere?
 
Overflow boxes do pose a risk of overflowing. If I were you, I would drill the tank in the back at the center. Use a bulkhead to seal the hole and attach your plumbing. Put a street 90 elbow inside the tank attached to the bulkhead then either a) build an acrylic overflow spanning from the bottom of the tank to an inch or so from the top rim of the tank with teeth cut in the top or b) get someone to build you one. I say this because I haw a 72 gallon tank that is drilled in the center and the overflow is only a PVC elbow and if I could do it again I would make an acrylic overflow because the PVC elbow alone isn't enough surface area for good skimming.
 
if you can drill consider something like this kit
acrylic%20overflow%20kit.jpg
alt="">
link
http://www.thereefshoppe.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_88&products_id=738

if you can't drill there are several brands of nice overflow boxes that are designed to keep the over the top section flooded, yet not drain the tank when the return pump is turned off

just google overflow box and you will find several
 
so if i drill the back of the tank (not the bottom), how high up the back piece of glass should the hole be? and what size is normal?

and what is the difference in getting one of these small/short black overflow vs. a long one that goes all the way to the bottom of the tank? Or are those long ones only used when the bottom piece of glass is drilled?
 
The closer to the top you put the hole the better, but it can't be too close to the top of the tank or to the trim, or it won't be very safe. If you have it lower to the bottom of the tank, then when the water falls from the top of the overflow and reaches the hole it will be louder than if the hole was closer to the top fo the overflow. Understand?

As for the size, it really just depends on what size plumbing you are planning on using.
 
@00bolt wrote:
is there a standard or normal size hole/plumbing? said:
unfortunatly the answer is no, different bulkhead manufactures have different recomended hole sizes for their bulkheads. A 1" bulkhead from brand "a" may be different then brand "b" even though they are both for 1" pipe. Additionally they will differ in diameter based on the schedule or rating given to them.

your best bet is to decide what you will use (kit or self made) and lay everything out before drilling.
Click to expand...
 
Since you're considering drilling it, I used glass-holes in the past and was very happy with the product and service. Overflow box was pretty quiet and came with everything you needed.
 
@Heathd wrote:
Since you're considering drilling it said:
+1 on this. I've heard a lot of good things about the glass-holes kits if you're going to be drilling your own tank.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top