[Jeremy0322]

I am not really new to the world of Saltwater Aquariums but it has been a while and coming back after a few years it looks like things have changed quite a bit since i last remember. I was about 14 or 15 when i set up my first tank, it was a 30 gallon, and needless to say i did a pretty crappy job at it. I was really new and did not take my time or do the research, i knew someone older who had one and it looked cool so why couldn't i do it too. BIG MISTAKE!! I went online and ordered a few books because everyone on here says reading is soo vital to a successful tank but i had a few questions. I want to set up something like a 70 gallon tank and using a sump seems like a great idea from what i have seen on the internet(mainly this forum) and was wondering if there were any size needs for the sump compared to the main tank. I have a spare 20 gallon tank that i would like to use. Also, what are the benefits of a refugium and what exactly is it. Also, if anyone has done something like what i am talking about in the past and had success with it please share with me what you did. I am trying to plan this out perfectly before i even buy anything so there wont be a tank in the house for a few months. If anyone has suggestions about Skimmers for this tank of anything else you can think of it would be awesome. Thanks.

[Tonz of fun]

O man thats a loaded question...I suggest sumps because you can add to your water volume and hide all your crap. i.e. skimmer, pump, skimmer, uv, ect. In that case buy a reef ready tank. This will make having a sump very easy. I also suggest buying the biggest tank you can afford because you will always want to go bigger. Come up with a budget. I spent over 3k just on equiptment on a 54g. It all adds up. So you give us a budget and will give you products. It all depends on what kind of tank you want. Do you want corals or just fish? O and in case you havent heard never ever ever ever ever ever listen to your lfs=local fish store. So ill give you a example of a budget on a 120g tank. This is a modest budget based on a mixed tank.

tank 800
stand 200
lights 1000
skimmer 250
LIVE ROCK or LR 250 lbs at 2.6 a pound comes too 650
Pump 100
sand 200
heaters 60
powerheads 200

So what do you think so far? Do you have a budget for us?

[Jeremy0322]

I am going to get the tanks for free, i know some people type of thing. Being a college student and all Christmas is a godsend and 3 months after that the birthday comes around so i should have some alright cash from those. I would be willing to drop around a grand, the cheaper the better but if it has to be done then it is worth it to me. I also will have a steady form of income once the school schedule calms down but the 10 and 11 hour days kill that. I am going to be searching over the next few months for good deals locally and online and I already know the lfs people suck, that was one of the downfalls with the first try i had. I am interested in having an AWESOME tank so corals and all that fun stuff are a must. I do know though that the tank i am going to be getting will not be a reef ready tank so that will be a pain but i know there are ways around that. Anything else you guys need to know let me know.

[Tonz of fun]

Are you setting the tank up in a dorm?

[Jeremy0322]

No sir. I am a commuter student and parents said i have anywhere in the house to work with as long as i am paying for it so either my room or the living room.

[Tonz of fun]

Just checking because the last thing you want is some dumb roomy killing your creation. I would say you need to spend the most of your money on Lights, Live Rock LR, and a skimmer. Thats going to tank up your budget more then likely.

[Jeremy0322]

Alright...i have been reading a lot on here and i know that most people suggest 4w per gallon but i have seen 2w per gallon and 10w per gallon, what are your thought on that. Also, what are the best pumps out there now. The LFS around here only carries fish, not a lot of pumps and stuff, so I am going to have to do online for the majority of my stuff but the internet is overwhelming when it comes to stuff like this and the majority of the sites that i have been to are not set up in a logical order. Also, you posted a link in one of the threads about mmMarine or something like that from eBay and i saved that, you have any idea where a good place would be to look for sump building instructions or just running sump pictures so that i can get a good idea of how to build one on my own. One last thing...lol...what kinda lites are the best for the hours of the day and where can i get those. Thanks for all the Help by the way, i appreciate it.

[pogodzib]

Going by a watts/gal rule is very limited because it doesn't take into account tank depth or type of coral you want to keep. Go to this thread http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/s...-required.html and look at post #9 on the page by mcintosh for a very good breakdown on required lighting

As for sumps, check out Melev's reef site at Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

[jenkinsc]

I think that most would agree, that all other things being equal, more gallons is good. I agree with that as well.

However, one of the 'all other things being equal' that i did not consider when i bought my tank was the aesthetic aspect. I figured 55 gallons was a good med size starter tank, and that i really didnt care what the dimensions were.

When I started trying to aquascape I realized how important the front to back depth of the tank is. Mine is only about 12" front to back, so I am very limited in the way that I was able to place my live rock. Another 6" would have been great. Another 9" would have been perfect. Another 12" transcendant.

So my recommendation is to browse a variety of tanks, and think about how you want to arrange your live rock. If you want anything beyond just a relateively flat wall, consider getting one that has a minimum of 18" front to back dimension. Personally my next tank will be 24" front to back, 18"-24" tall, and width of about 30" -36". It will probably end up having to be a custom tank.

But since I got my 55 gallon stand included for $50 on craigslist....i figure its not a big deal, because i can always use the 55 for a big sump, or 1/2 sump 1/2 refugium in the future.

At the end of the day, if you think of your tank as a living sculpture you will do fine.

[Jeremy0322]

One other thing that i was curious about was if it was possible to build your own sump out of an old tank. I have a 20 gallon tank and would like to just use that but i have looked and not been able to find anything. Everything that i have seen about Sumps shows me three chambers and i was wondering if there was anything on the internet that would show how they do it so i can replicate it. I am not the most imaginative person when it comes to this stuff and it does not help that for the most part this is new to me again. I really sucked when i did this a few years back.

[Tonz of fun]

Originally Posted by Jeremy0322

One other thing that i was curious about was if it was possible to build your own sump out of an old tank. I have a 20 gallon tank and would like to just use that but i have looked and not been able to find anything. Everything that i have seen about Sumps shows me three chambers and i was wondering if there was anything on the internet that would show how they do it so i can replicate it. I am not the most imaginative person when it comes to this stuff and it does not help that for the most part this is new to me again. I really sucked when i did this a few years back.

Yes. I would use glass dividers or baffles because its a glass tank. Go to the LHS and get them to cut glass the size you need, Home Depot does this, and get a glue the will adhere to it. Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums