I need lighting opinions for a 54 gallon corner! Please help!

stantheman · 04/08/2014, 02:42 PM

Hey guys I recently had a ich outbreak in my tank so I tore my whole tank down to nothing and put my 2 clowns royal gramma yellow tang and coral beauty in a 30 gallon qt currently running copper. Long story short now is the time to pimp out my dt while there are no fish in it. So I am looking to buy an affordable led reef capable light. The one I keep going back to is the Marineland bar for around 180 or so I think. That is about what I am looking to spend but I really want something that will get into the back corner of the tank especially since I will start growing corals and the back is black. Please give any diy ideas you can come up with.

myram · 04/08/2014, 05:57 PM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-165...item5658ce27ed

That is the unit I have on my 54 corner, took the optics off for 120 dispersion.........provides full coverage front to rear side to side.

In case you don't know, here is a link to the "corner club" thread -
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1698273

Steve

stantheman · 04/08/2014, 09:18 PM

Thanks so much and I did not know about that club. My aquarium is all glass brand any idea if the back Is tempered as I want to drill it?

myram · 04/09/2014, 05:11 AM

Normally just the bottom is tempered, I know on mine it it has a tag saying the bottom panel is tempered. You should be fine drilling one of the side panels.

stantheman · 04/09/2014, 06:45 AM

OK thanks again so when adding a sump what size overflow box and bulkhead should I get and how many gph on the pump?

myram · 04/09/2014, 10:58 AM

The return pump depends a lot on your head pressure, how many feet of pipe will be between it and the tank.

Most people use a 1" bulkhead, and they are good for about 600gph.

stantheman · 04/09/2014, 11:07 AM

OK thanks I have to go about 4 feet vertical to the top of the tank from the sump any pump suggestions or gph suggestions

myram · 04/09/2014, 04:19 PM

You need to decide if you want in the sump or external pump.

You want 3-5X the tank volume going thru the sump per hour.

What is the GPH of your skimmer pump?

stantheman · 04/09/2014, 04:35 PM

O well I currently have a 300gph canister filter works fine but I want to build a compact sump with the pump inside. I just want to do this because I want extra water volume so it's more stable and I I want to put all my crap underneath. So I'm looking to build an overflow in the back corner basically at a 45 then run a 1" bulkhead so I can be sure it will flow plenty and about a 10 gallon sump. I plan to hang my hob reef octopus skimmer on the side of the sump so the only thing in my tank should be power heads I would say I am looking to move around 400gph then. Does that clear it up as too what a reliable pump would be for the sump?

myram · 04/09/2014, 06:33 PM

A 10 gal or a 15gal tall is the only two tanks that will fit under a 54 corner tank. I used a 10 gal for a couple of months before recently swapping to the basement sump.
For internal pumps, you can use either a RIO 2500 or 3100, a Mag 7 or Mag 9, or one of the new DC pumps.

I put my skimmer and heaters in the sump, nothing in my display tank except for 2 power heads.

stantheman · 04/09/2014, 06:37 PM

Awesome that is what I am looking to do is just a regular 10 gallon under it only problem is my tank is gonna need a 6 inch stand so the skimmer doesn't sit on the floor. Have you ever put a hob skimmer on a sump? Does it work good? I figured I would do it and the fill the rest of the skimmer chamber like full of bioballs? Does that sound like a good idea or could there be a better location for bioballs or just none at all?

myram · 04/09/2014, 07:20 PM

No bioballs..........they do nothing but contain detrius and make nitrates.

Put some live rock rubble or chaeto in the sump, put a light on it opposite your display lights.

I have a 10gal sump, all baffled and ready to go, for sale..........but shipping is not an option.

stantheman · 04/09/2014, 08:21 PM

I have a 10 gallon just have to glue in baffles. What do you have in it for a pump?

Barny · 04/09/2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myram

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-165...item5658ce27ed

That is the unit I have on my 54 corner, took the optics off for 120 dispersion.........provides full coverage front to rear side to side.

In case you don't know, here is a link to the "corner club" thread -
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1698273

Steve

How long have you had the lights and how are they holding up?

myram · 04/10/2014, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stantheman

I have a 10 gallon just have to glue in baffles. What do you have in it for a pump?

I used a Rio 2500 when I used that sump.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barny

How long have you had the lights and how are they holding up?

3 months now, no problems at all. Swapped out the fans for with silent ones, and that's it.

04/08/2014, 02:42 PM	#1
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	I need lighting opinions for a 54 gallon corner! Please help! Hey guys I recently had a ich outbreak in my tank so I tore my whole tank down to nothing and put my 2 clowns royal gramma yellow tang and coral beauty in a 30 gallon qt currently running copper. Long story short now is the time to pimp out my dt while there are no fish in it. So I am looking to buy an affordable led reef capable light. The one I keep going back to is the Marineland bar for around 180 or so I think. That is about what I am looking to spend but I really want something that will get into the back corner of the tank especially since I will start growing corals and the back is black. Please give any diy ideas you can come up with.

04/08/2014, 05:57 PM	#2
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-165...item5658ce27ed That is the unit I have on my 54 corner, took the optics off for 120 dispersion.........provides full coverage front to rear side to side. In case you don't know, here is a link to the "corner club" thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1698273 Steve

04/08/2014, 09:18 PM	#3
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	Thanks so much and I did not know about that club. My aquarium is all glass brand any idea if the back Is tempered as I want to drill it?

04/09/2014, 05:11 AM	#4
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	Normally just the bottom is tempered, I know on mine it it has a tag saying the bottom panel is tempered. You should be fine drilling one of the side panels.

04/09/2014, 06:45 AM	#5
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	OK thanks again so when adding a sump what size overflow box and bulkhead should I get and how many gph on the pump?

04/09/2014, 10:58 AM	#6
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	The return pump depends a lot on your head pressure, how many feet of pipe will be between it and the tank. Most people use a 1" bulkhead, and they are good for about 600gph.

04/09/2014, 11:07 AM	#7
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	OK thanks I have to go about 4 feet vertical to the top of the tank from the sump any pump suggestions or gph suggestions

04/09/2014, 04:19 PM	#8
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	You need to decide if you want in the sump or external pump. You want 3-5X the tank volume going thru the sump per hour. What is the GPH of your skimmer pump?

04/09/2014, 04:35 PM	#9
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	O well I currently have a 300gph canister filter works fine but I want to build a compact sump with the pump inside. I just want to do this because I want extra water volume so it's more stable and I I want to put all my crap underneath. So I'm looking to build an overflow in the back corner basically at a 45 then run a 1" bulkhead so I can be sure it will flow plenty and about a 10 gallon sump. I plan to hang my hob reef octopus skimmer on the side of the sump so the only thing in my tank should be power heads I would say I am looking to move around 400gph then. Does that clear it up as too what a reliable pump would be for the sump?

04/09/2014, 06:33 PM	#10
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	A 10 gal or a 15gal tall is the only two tanks that will fit under a 54 corner tank. I used a 10 gal for a couple of months before recently swapping to the basement sump. For internal pumps, you can use either a RIO 2500 or 3100, a Mag 7 or Mag 9, or one of the new DC pumps. I put my skimmer and heaters in the sump, nothing in my display tank except for 2 power heads.

04/09/2014, 06:37 PM	#11
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	Awesome that is what I am looking to do is just a regular 10 gallon under it only problem is my tank is gonna need a 6 inch stand so the skimmer doesn't sit on the floor. Have you ever put a hob skimmer on a sump? Does it work good? I figured I would do it and the fill the rest of the skimmer chamber like full of bioballs? Does that sound like a good idea or could there be a better location for bioballs or just none at all?

04/09/2014, 07:20 PM	#12
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	No bioballs..........they do nothing but contain detrius and make nitrates. Put some live rock rubble or chaeto in the sump, put a light on it opposite your display lights. I have a 10gal sump, all baffled and ready to go, for sale..........but shipping is not an option.

04/09/2014, 08:21 PM	#13
stantheman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 82	I have a 10 gallon just have to glue in baffles. What do you have in it for a pump?