Complete Newbie w/ Questions

propeine · 05/19/2012, 08:48 AM

Hello all,
I have been reading these forums and others for ~2 years and really want to start a tank. Initially I was going to get a 29g Nanocube however I forgot that a long time ago I horse traded for a 44g corner tank. Well long story short, I'm mechanically inclined and could build a sump w/ overflows etc but...I considered turning it into an AIO tank with a rock wall to separate the back chambers.

Things that I know
- I want to go LED and am capable of soldering everything, already have a schematic and an arduino setup to control them.
- For the time being I am renting (2 years minimum til I move) so being able to move my setup eventually is important
- I have some spare income but not thousands to invest
- Converting to an AIO would be cheaper at the start but I may want to upgrade in the future
- Plumbing a sump would be more money initially but would give me more water volume instead of less
- I cannot drill this tank the way I want to due to tempered bottom
- I have two dogs and rarely travel anyways due to them.
- I want to keep LPS, Zoas, Black Clown, Pistol Shrimp YWG pair and GSP and I'm fond of Ricordea
- The wife would prefer I just do a freshwater tank but the appeal of saltwater is all the little things that are going on not the fish IMO

I guess I'm just looking for opinions. Do I do an overflow with a sump and take longer to put things together as money comes in? Do I sell my corner tank and buy a biocube HQI or make my own AIO that is more suitable? Do I buy or make something different? Do I make my tank an AIO with the refugium etc in the back and put up a rock wall?

The LFS has LR for $9 / lb so I've been watching craigslist because I'm cheap(although it has lots of coralline algae on it and looks very nice). Any and all advice appreciated even if it says "keep reading *******."

Oh ya I live in Erie, PA and am headed to ARC and SWS in Buffalo today just to check things out.

sponger0 · 05/19/2012, 08:52 AM

Honestly alot of your concerns are more personal preferences than anything.

propeine · 05/19/2012, 08:56 AM

I guess you're right. My inclination is to partition off the corner tank and make it an AIO. Unless anyone sees any problems with that idea that is probably what I'm going to do.

sponger0 · 05/19/2012, 08:58 AM

I dont see a problem....but my preference will always be to have a sump

skidoctor · 05/19/2012, 09:05 AM

I'd go sump/ fuge with macros and such. It will increase total water volume making it easier to keep your system in check. Plus it gives you a pace to dose and keep your equipment which can be a super eyesore in a small tank. I've always heard that the smaller the system, the harder it is.

05/19/2012, 08:48 AM	#1
propeine Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 129	Complete Newbie w/ Questions Hello all, I have been reading these forums and others for ~2 years and really want to start a tank. Initially I was going to get a 29g Nanocube however I forgot that a long time ago I horse traded for a 44g corner tank. Well long story short, I'm mechanically inclined and could build a sump w/ overflows etc but...I considered turning it into an AIO tank with a rock wall to separate the back chambers. Things that I know - I want to go LED and am capable of soldering everything, already have a schematic and an arduino setup to control them. - For the time being I am renting (2 years minimum til I move) so being able to move my setup eventually is important - I have some spare income but not thousands to invest - Converting to an AIO would be cheaper at the start but I may want to upgrade in the future - Plumbing a sump would be more money initially but would give me more water volume instead of less - I cannot drill this tank the way I want to due to tempered bottom - I have two dogs and rarely travel anyways due to them. - I want to keep LPS, Zoas, Black Clown, Pistol Shrimp YWG pair and GSP and I'm fond of Ricordea - The wife would prefer I just do a freshwater tank but the appeal of saltwater is all the little things that are going on not the fish IMO I guess I'm just looking for opinions. Do I do an overflow with a sump and take longer to put things together as money comes in? Do I sell my corner tank and buy a biocube HQI or make my own AIO that is more suitable? Do I buy or make something different? Do I make my tank an AIO with the refugium etc in the back and put up a rock wall? The LFS has LR for $9 / lb so I've been watching craigslist because I'm cheap(although it has lots of coralline algae on it and looks very nice). Any and all advice appreciated even if it says "keep reading *******." Oh ya I live in Erie, PA and am headed to ARC and SWS in Buffalo today just to check things out.

05/19/2012, 08:52 AM	#2
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Honestly alot of your concerns are more personal preferences than anything.

05/19/2012, 08:56 AM	#3
propeine Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 129	I guess you're right. My inclination is to partition off the corner tank and make it an AIO. Unless anyone sees any problems with that idea that is probably what I'm going to do.

05/19/2012, 08:58 AM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	I dont see a problem....but my preference will always be to have a sump

05/19/2012, 09:05 AM	#5
skidoctor Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Geneva, NY Posts: 542	I'd go sump/ fuge with macros and such. It will increase total water volume making it easier to keep your system in check. Plus it gives you a pace to dose and keep your equipment which can be a super eyesore in a small tank. I've always heard that the smaller the system, the harder it is.