58 gallon plans..

[bteagle93]

Hello everyone, my names brett, and im am looking into purchasing a 55 gallon setup. Right now i have a 10g reef so i have some backroudn knowledge with nanos. We are refinishing our basement and thought itd be a great addition to add a 55 gallon reef. My plans are as folows:

-Oceanic 58g reefready tank(http://www.oceanicsystems.com/produc...imate88574.php)

-Megaflow modle 1 Sump(http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/217197/product.web)

-Coralife Lunar Aqualight Power Compact Light Fixture (260 watts-4 pc and 4 lunars)http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/209449/product.web

-Nautilus TE-in-Sump Protein Skimmer (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/197876/product.web)

-mag7 pump (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/206397/product.web)

-Fish (hippo tang, yellow tang, 2 ocellaris clowns, 55 Gallon Marine Algae Pack)

-Coral (LPS and softies)

Thats the base of it. I am new to the whole "sump" thing...any one have insight on that? Ie: what else I would need, whats the purpose etc. Please add your thoughts. I am on a 2000 dollar budget (due to parents, lol). Pleas add your thoughts and criticism! Thanks for reading.

[bteagle93]

bump

[bteagle93]

please help...

[Avi]

Brett...the items you've been considering will serve you but, I guess the question really is...Are there alternatives to those items that would serve you better? Okay...I'd say there probably are. They may be more costly, so you'd have to weight that against what you've been considering.

As for the lights, since you say that it's a reef that you're interested in setting up, IMO, you ought to consider a fixture that is a metal halide-based unit with T5 or PC actinic supplementation...or...a straight T5 fixture. Either, I believe, would support far better coral growth and variety than the power compacts that you've been considering. Power Compacts can be fine with certain coral, but that would limit the kind you can keep. Also, I've had a good deal of experience with PCs and, though I won't rag them, they do limit the space that coral can be placed regarding depth. So...go with MHs or T5s.

As for the protein skimmer, I don't know about the Nautilus. I do use Aqua-Cs that are a bit more expensive, but not a lot more and I'd suggest you give consideration to an Aqua-C EV-120. I think you'd be very satisfied with one.

As for the sump question, I urge you do have one. The tank you're considering is reef-ready so outside of the cost, there's no reason not to. It isn't daunting at all and I, too, didn't have any sense of security about one when I first set my reef up..but it really is a marked benefit. Aside from being able to place your skimmer in there, or plumb it to the sump...the heater and other gear can be down in the sump as well, so they don't clutter your display tank. Also, a great benefit is that you can use part of your sump as a refugium, in which you'd grow Chaeto or some other macro-algae under a suitable bulb, which would consume nitrates and phosphates making them less available to nuisance micro-algae that would otherwise capitalize on their availability. If you can...do a sump. Take a look around here for a lot of helpful info on sumps and refugiums....

www.melevsreef.com

One more thing....Give serious consideration to the issue of water-flow. I'd recommend something in the neighborhood of a total of 30 times in gph the total water movement from powerheads or some other source to the number of gallons in your display tank which in this case is 58-gallons.

The more preferable kind of water movement is a broad, gentle and random flow as opposed to the kind of flow that comes from ordinary powerheads which have a narrow tubular water movement. There are many ways to achieve the more preferable kind of movement and if you're interested just mention that here and there'll be a lot of alternatives mentioned

[bteagle93]

thanks Avi! As i said, i have a 2000 budget, so i woudl be lookign for a skimmer around 200....also, water movement....along with the return pump what other powerdeads/pumps woudl you recommend? thanks

[speccialj922]

you will get really mixed opinions on your fish choice. I'm one of the ones that think a 55g is way too small for a hippo tang, and questionable for a yellow. (you'll get a million people telling you its fine, and another million sending you death threats - just make sure to research fish before you buy em, thats all on that from me)

for a skimmer, aqua c makes 2 versions of a similar skimmer. the "remora" goes directly on your tank, while the "urchin" is simply placed in your sump. both are supposedly great and only around 200 more or less depending on which pump you choose (get at least the maxi jet 1200).

for powerheads if you are on a budget, maxijets work great. 900s or 1200s. for a return pump, figure out what flow you'll need. Mag makes some great ones.

[dap42]

I've got the same tank and a Mag5 has been quite sufficient for return...you really don't want massive turnover through the sump....use powerheads for that. If you're trying to save money, make your own sump out of a 30G tall and ditch the expensive pre-made sump, my sump cost ~$50 total.

[moze229]

I'm with Avi on the lights. You can make a sump yourself - even use some type of Rubbermaid container for that matter. It's a nice sump, but you don't really need all of those chambers. Save that money and put it into the lights and water flow.

Oh - I'll also jump on the bandwagon that seems to be going on here lately and recommend an Octopus skimmer I use an AquaC Remora (hang on) on my 44 gallon and it's a great skimmer. I've not heard of Nautilus.

Matt

[bteagle93]

great guys...thanks. like, i said, i am used to nanos, so the sump and sump "accessories" are new....anyone have plans for a DIY sump?

[dap42]

http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

[bteagle93]

hey, guys....i am lookign at both these two skimmers...any insight?
(1)http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/ca...products_id=47
(2)http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...UPD~tab~2.html

[Southern Boy]

You ought to check out the used equipment forums before you buy all this stuff new,you might find a whole systm for a fraction of the cost.Or pieces to the sysem if you want a new tank.

[bteagle93]

yes i am actually searchign it right now...lol

[Avi]

Originally posted by speccialj922
you will get really mixed opinions on your fish choice. I'm one of the ones that think a 55g is way too small for a hippo tang

I have to agree....A friend of mine just gave me the Hippo Tang he had grow to a very large size in a 40-gallon tank...I think that the 110-gallon tank I have it in now is about as small as I would keep one in.

Originally posted by speccialj922
for powerheads if you are on a budget, maxijets work great. 900s or 1200s. for a return pump, figure out what flow you'll need. Mag makes some great ones.

I have to disagree about the Maxijets...they're reliable powerheads but they have a very narrow stream of water that they push...I would agree with MJs IF you put a Hydor Flow Deflector on it.

Originally posted by bteagle93
...also, water movement....along with the return pump what other powerdeads/pumps woudl you recommend? thanks

There are some excellent powerheads like Tunzes and Ecotechs but they’re pretty costly. In the alternative, I’d look at Seios and Koralias. They offer low cost and good quality water movement.

As for the return pump, I am very satisfied with the Mags that I’ve used, and I have used a number of them and also I like the Quiet One. Even better, but a little more expensive is the Eheim Hobby.

[bteagle93]

thanks.