Tank Redesign (flow, lighting, sump)

[AktionJaxsun]

Fellow reefers,

I am modifying my current 20 gallon acrylic tank (figure 1) approximately 16x16x21 inches (LxWxH) and I need your valuable input. The hood that goes on it is 9 inches tall and roughly the same length and width dimensions of the tank.

These are the areas in which I would like to make my modifcations along with history and reasons I want to explore alternate routes. If you have any thoughts on how to change the setup based on the following info and pictures please let me know:

• Flow
---o Old Setup (see figures 2 and 3)
------ 700 gph with SCWD (Mag 700)
------ 4 outlets
------ 3/4 PVC and ½ nozzles
---o Why change old set up?
------ Crowds opening into tank
------ Hard to remove lid
------ Lot of equipment crowding back area
---o I am willing to drill into acrylic
---o More flow?
• Lighting
---o Old setup
------- 250 watt MH (see figure 4)
---o Why change?
------ Not trying to keep SPS anymore
------ Tendency to fry softer corals
---o Only have about 14 inches in the hood to work with?
------ What are my options? (see below)
• Add a sump
---o Old Setup (see figure 5)
------ Reef ready tank with area for filtration
---o Why add a sump?
------ More water ( need all the help I can get)
------ Built-in area hard to work with
------ Easier to connect and have operating float switch
---o What size would be best?
• Quasi self-sufficient
---o Cleaning the glass, doing a water change here and there, adding RO water to auto-top off, and other minor things that just can’t be automated should be the only things I do



Those are the things I would like to change. I would like to have a couple cool, but obviously small fish swimming around in the tank and have some softies and possibly some LPS corals. All recommendations are welcome. Consider what you would want to have in a 20 gallon and let me know. One thought was to have an anemone and a couple clownfish in there, but what I have read suggests keeping anemones are hard. I have ideas of my own that I will insert later depending on the responses. Thanks for your help in advance.

Patrick


FIGURE 1


FIGURE 2



FIGURE3



FIGURE 4


FIGURE 5

[AktionJaxsun]

Shameless bump

[AktionJaxsun]

Okay, my thoughts on changing the flow are to drill through the bottom of the tank and run the return lines through there. The return lines would come directly from the sump below the tank. Is this going to cause any issues? What about water draining back down into my sump?

[AktionJaxsun]

bump

[joedirt54]

ok, I'll bite. Why would you run that suction line up, over, and down???? Five minutes and five dollars later you could have a hole right in the back.

And why four outputs at the top with all the return water going over the top? Again, I'll drill that thing thru the back and thru the overflow to provide current under the surface. If you stick to your current plan your bound to have dead spots inside your rock work.

[EnFuego]

Originally posted by AktionJaxsun
Okay, my thoughts on changing the flow are to drill through the bottom of the tank and run the return lines through there. The return lines would come directly from the sump below the tank. Is this going to cause any issues? What about water draining back down into my sump?

yes this could cause problems if your power ever goes out your entire tank will empty. I suggest against putting return lines in the bottom of the tank.

[AktionJaxsun]

Originally posted by joedirt54
ok, I'll bite. Why would you run that suction line up, over, and down???? Five minutes and five dollars later you could have a hole right in the back.

And why four outputs at the top with all the return water going over the top? Again, I'll drill that thing thru the back and thru the overflow to provide current under the surface. If you stick to your current plan your bound to have dead spots inside your rock work.

At the time I didn't really know what I was doing. I just saw someone else do this so I did it. Then when I realized I should have drilled into the back of the tank it was too late. As for the for the return lines, thats just all I could think of at the time. It was my first tank. What should I do instead?