New 55 gallon tank

EaZy DuZ iT · 07/08/2010, 10:19 AM

Hoping for a nice reef tank.

Running a Reef octopus 800S
Marineland Power Filter 400B
200W Rena heater, plus two 50 watt's
Coralife Circulation Pump model 2900gph ( I'm about to by this, any pros and cons)
USA COMPACT 48 inch, 260watt light
60pounds of live sand and 2000 counts of tiger pods
35 pounds hawaiian rock + 35 pounds fiji rock. = 70 pounds rock

future 10 gallon sump.

Will this setup be fine? Thanks guys

IronMan72 · 07/08/2010, 10:59 AM

I'd personally skip the live sand and buy dry sand. I too fell for it but most things that I've read agree that it's not likely to contain anything live by the time you get it.

chimmike · 07/08/2010, 11:09 AM

I'd skip the power compacts unless all you want to grow is sofites. T5's or metal halides will give a lot more flexibility in what you can grow in the future.

Also, if you can do the sump now, do it now. Skip the HOB filtration stuff. IMO that's not worth spending money on. You've got a better chance of being successful with a sump setup and a good skimmer. And I'd do a 20g long as a sump instead of a 10g. Extra volume always helps keep things a bit more stable.

Not to say you can't be successful with the stuff you have in mind, but really, it'll be a lot easier to start it the right way than to drill the tank and add a sump once it's already well established.

EaZy DuZ iT · 07/08/2010, 12:01 PM

Alright, what about the powerhead?

chimmike · 07/08/2010, 12:27 PM

never seen those used before. Not to say it's bad, but on a 55g, I'd do at least a pair of Koralia 2's, maybe a K2 and a K3 to vary the flow volume

reefermad619 · 07/08/2010, 12:30 PM

You'll want more than one powerhead to have some random flow created. I would get two koralias and put them facing eachother at opposite ends of the tank.

EaZy DuZ iT · 07/08/2010, 01:13 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/3200gph-DUAL-TWI...98822905896200

Any suggestions on this too? Thanks

chimmike · 07/08/2010, 01:34 PM

they look like koralia copies. Koralias are cheap enough that I'm not sure I'd trust cheap chinese copies from ebay. Remember, that's something electrical going inside water!

EaZy DuZ iT · 07/08/2010, 01:44 PM

Oh alright, since it said 3200gph it attracted my attention. The higher the GPH, the better?

Allmost · 07/08/2010, 01:44 PM

what are you planning to use the power filter for ? u can get a phos reactor for cheaper to run GAC in.

forget about PC, go with T5 HO

forget about the live sand. use dry aragonite sand. (wash well)

the tiger pods wont make it, cycle the tank first, then maybe add a small bottel of them, but really if you get Live rock and let the tank cycle there is no need for them. (read on tiger pods, they tend to get bigger and eat other pods pushing towards mono culture which is not good)

the coralife pumps are MEh . Id go with 2 K4s. better design / having 2 you can change where they are pointing for less dead spots.

Nanz · 07/08/2010, 01:56 PM

What are you going to use for an overflow? Is the tank drilled?

I have a 55 with about 50 juvenile maroon clowns/live rock/60lbs of sand
- Eshopps Hang-On Protein Skimmer
- 2 K3 powerheads
- Marineland 220 Canister filter. (just for carbon/phosban, your hangon filter is fine. Just change and filter pads/foam weekly)
- 150 W Stealth Heater
- Turbo twist UV (9W) (I had this in there for the clownfish since they were - babies)

If your going to use a sump I highly suggest a drilled tank otherwise your looking at a possible flood.

droberts · 07/08/2010, 07:11 PM

make sure that the tank is not tempered as it will explode if you try to drill it and that would suck. in the 55 i started with i bought my power heads on eBay i bought 2 that are rated for 800 gph and it worked fine. and as for a sump bigger is better you don't have to fill the entire sump you gust need room for the water when the power goes out so you don't flood your floor. i also bought 60lbs of live sand and it was fine but you can save a few bucks with dry sand as long as you have some one that will give you a cup of sand to seed your sand with. i also bought the t-5 hood i had on eBay as well 4 bulbs with moon lights for around $130 shipped just hope yours doesn't show up with a broken bulb like mine did

07/08/2010, 10:19 AM	#1
EaZy DuZ iT Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 161	New 55 gallon tank Hoping for a nice reef tank. Running a Reef octopus 800S Marineland Power Filter 400B 200W Rena heater, plus two 50 watt's Coralife Circulation Pump model 2900gph ( I'm about to by this, any pros and cons) USA COMPACT 48 inch, 260watt light 60pounds of live sand and 2000 counts of tiger pods 35 pounds hawaiian rock + 35 pounds fiji rock. = 70 pounds rock future 10 gallon sump. Will this setup be fine? Thanks guys __________________ 30 Gallon Freshwater Plant in the making - 62W T5HO 60 Gallon Reef tank in the making - 270W PC light.

07/08/2010, 10:59 AM	#2
IronMan72 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 397	I'd personally skip the live sand and buy dry sand. I too fell for it but most things that I've read agree that it's not likely to contain anything live by the time you get it. __________________ - Dave Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. Current Tank Info: 180G Mixed Reef, Closed loop circulation, OM 4-Way, MRC Skimmer, 40G sump, 40G Refugium, 8X54W T5, ACII

07/08/2010, 11:09 AM	#3
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	I'd skip the power compacts unless all you want to grow is sofites. T5's or metal halides will give a lot more flexibility in what you can grow in the future. Also, if you can do the sump now, do it now. Skip the HOB filtration stuff. IMO that's not worth spending money on. You've got a better chance of being successful with a sump setup and a good skimmer. And I'd do a 20g long as a sump instead of a 10g. Extra volume always helps keep things a bit more stable. Not to say you can't be successful with the stuff you have in mind, but really, it'll be a lot easier to start it the right way than to drill the tank and add a sump once it's already well established. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

07/08/2010, 12:01 PM	#4
EaZy DuZ iT Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 161	Alright, what about the powerhead? __________________ 30 Gallon Freshwater Plant in the making - 62W T5HO 60 Gallon Reef tank in the making - 270W PC light.

07/08/2010, 12:27 PM	#5
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	never seen those used before. Not to say it's bad, but on a 55g, I'd do at least a pair of Koralia 2's, maybe a K2 and a K3 to vary the flow volume __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

07/08/2010, 12:30 PM	#6
reefermad619 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Salty D! Sandy let go of my eggo! Posts: 1,962	You'll want more than one powerhead to have some random flow created. I would get two koralias and put them facing eachother at opposite ends of the tank. __________________ Fish tanks and Chevys... And my cousin's Datsun too. Some call it paranoid. I call it prepared. You have more post than I do... You MUST be right then!

07/08/2010, 01:13 PM	#7
EaZy DuZ iT Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 161	http://cgi.ebay.com/3200gph-DUAL-TWI...98822905896200 Any suggestions on this too? Thanks __________________ 30 Gallon Freshwater Plant in the making - 62W T5HO 60 Gallon Reef tank in the making - 270W PC light.

07/08/2010, 01:34 PM	#8
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	they look like koralia copies. Koralias are cheap enough that I'm not sure I'd trust cheap chinese copies from ebay. Remember, that's something electrical going inside water! __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

07/08/2010, 01:44 PM	#9
EaZy DuZ iT Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 161	Oh alright, since it said 3200gph it attracted my attention. The higher the GPH, the better? __________________ 30 Gallon Freshwater Plant in the making - 62W T5HO 60 Gallon Reef tank in the making - 270W PC light.

07/08/2010, 01:44 PM	#10
Allmost Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: canada, toronto Posts: 8,161	what are you planning to use the power filter for ? u can get a phos reactor for cheaper to run GAC in. forget about PC, go with T5 HO forget about the live sand. use dry aragonite sand. (wash well) the tiger pods wont make it, cycle the tank first, then maybe add a small bottel of them, but really if you get Live rock and let the tank cycle there is no need for them. (read on tiger pods, they tend to get bigger and eat other pods pushing towards mono culture which is not good) the coralife pumps are MEh . Id go with 2 K4s. better design / having 2 you can change where they are pointing for less dead spots.

07/08/2010, 01:56 PM	#11
Nanz Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,389	What are you going to use for an overflow? Is the tank drilled? I have a 55 with about 50 juvenile maroon clowns/live rock/60lbs of sand - Eshopps Hang-On Protein Skimmer - 2 K3 powerheads - Marineland 220 Canister filter. (just for carbon/phosban, your hangon filter is fine. Just change and filter pads/foam weekly) - 150 W Stealth Heater - Turbo twist UV (9W) (I had this in there for the clownfish since they were - babies) If your going to use a sump I highly suggest a drilled tank otherwise your looking at a possible flood. __________________ S.G. = 1.025, Temp = 78.5, pH = 8.00 Ca = 550 ppm, Alk = 176 ppm (9.85 dKH), Mg = 1300 ppm NO3 = 0.97 ppm, PO4 = 0.07 ppm Nuvo 30, Razor Nano LED, Tunze ATO, Tunze 9004 skimmer, Vortec mp10,

07/08/2010, 07:11 PM	#12
droberts Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: stow ohio Posts: 1,277	make sure that the tank is not tempered as it will explode if you try to drill it and that would suck. in the 55 i started with i bought my power heads on eBay i bought 2 that are rated for 800 gph and it worked fine. and as for a sump bigger is better you don't have to fill the entire sump you gust need room for the water when the power goes out so you don't flood your floor. i also bought 60lbs of live sand and it was fine but you can save a few bucks with dry sand as long as you have some one that will give you a cup of sand to seed your sand with. i also bought the t-5 hood i had on eBay as well 4 bulbs with moon lights for around $130 shipped just hope yours doesn't show up with a broken bulb like mine did

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