My 75g upgrade

[VertigoZero]

I bought a new 75g tank/stand combo. I bought it with the intention of replacing my 29g FOWLR (not really reef as it only has a few mushrooms along with some hermits and snails.) I'm going to set up the 75 gallon in my finished basement/entertainment room. I'm relatively new to this since the 29g is my first SW and I've been running it less than a year I think. (Been doing FW/planted for 5+ yrs.)

My main question is regards what to put under the cabinet. I would like to do a sump for a couple of reasons-

1) Surface skimming
2) get my Coralife Superskimmer 65 (currently set up as HOB) into a sump so if the thing happens to overflow I don't have to clean the floors again.
3) extra water volume
4) maybe a refugium area
5) maybe move the heater there

I have about 46" lengthwise of cabinet room. I was wondering what size sump I should consider and if I should DIY or try to buy a cheap one. I currently have a 15g tank I could use unless that is too small. I also noticed a comparably sized model from eshopps. It's the RS-100.

If I stick to the 15 or something that is 24" or less I can also fit a 10g underneath to use as a quarantine tank. Would you recommend that or should I forgo putting the quarantine there and trying for a larger sump?

I do hope to add more fish after the upgrade as my 29g currently hosts 2 ocellaris, 1 coral beauty & 1 sixline wrasse. (Also hermit crabs/snails but I want to get rid of some hermits because they keep killing the snails.) I'm assuming I could put a few larger fish in the 75g with them - any recommendations would be helpful. I'd like to stick to things that are relatively reef safe in case I want to add a anything beyond mushrooms in the future.

I could supposedly put my 29g as the sump but I'd have to juggle the fish somehow (I'm not sure I could fit the 29 into the cabinet from the front once the tank is set up, it's doubtful.)

Also, the 75g is not drilled so I would probably use an overflow box. Any recommendations on those and return pumps, configurations?

Thanks for your help!

[VertigoZero]

Also, please don't feel like you must address everything I mentioned. Any input at all is appreciated.

[jenjen]

To Reef Central

Congrats on the tank upgrade! 75g is a nice size, and a good step up from the 29g.

I would recommend you go with as large a sump area as you can fit. Make sure it has at least one baffle (3 baffle bubble trap is nice) between the skimmer section & the return. This will allow you to keep the water level consistent in the skimmer section. This is important for most skimmers, but extra important for coralife SS's.

Personally I would dedicate all under-tank space to a sump, and put the QT tank elsewhere.

For a 75g, I'd recommend adding a Blenny (bi-colour, midas, tail-spot, two-spot are all good options), and a goby/pistol shrimp pair (YWG, yasha.. lots of choices). With the sixline, I wouldn't suggest any other wrasse.

Good luck! And keep us posted as to your progress.

[Toddrtrex]

For the overflow box, I would get a LifeReef one -- they are a little bit more expensive, but worth every penny. I have one on my 75, and it hasn't given me any problems in the 7+ years that it has been running.

If you can fit it (( depends on your stand, mine was "indented" and it wouldn't fit )), a 30 gallon sump would be great. That is what I am using for my 75 and has plenty of room for a good sized fuge.

You can sort of see in this picture of what I am talking about with my stand being indented. -- the stand next to it holds my sump.

[VertigoZero]

So did you build your sump or did you buy it?

[Toddrtrex]

I just bought an empty 30 gallon tank, and put in the baffles myself. Excluding the dry time for the silicone it took me less then an hour to do.

[VertigoZero]

With a glass tank do you need to make glass baffles or does acryclic also work?

[Toddrtrex]

I used acrylic baffled (( secured with silicone )), 7 years later they are still holding fine.

[VertigoZero]

So I was able to find a 20g long on sale for $20 at a local fish store. Do you think this might be acceptable or should I keep looking for a 30g? I went out and bought acrylic and 100% silicone to start making baffles (haven't started yet). On a 20g long, having 30" to play with, I'm figuring I'll do 8" for the intake/protein skimmer area, 2 inches for a 3-baffle bubble trap, and then maybe 9" for the return and 11" for the refugium? I was going to do this general layout (except smaller). Any thoughts?

[VertigoZero]

I was also imagining that the baffles would be about 10" high with the last of the 3 for the bubble trap (closest to the middle section) being a little shorter to keep the water level lower to allow more room for back-flow in case of power failure. I understand there is a balance between doing this and wanting more water in the return chamber to allow for evaporation. I have no plumbing near where the tank is going so an ATO is probably unlikely.

[Toddrtrex]

I think that a 30 would have worked better, but not so much better to pass up the deal you got on the 20, and with it being a 20 long even better.

Here is a picture of my 30 for my 75, could use a similar layout. (( these picture are old, right when I set it up. 7+ years later the silicone is still holding strong ))

From RIGHT to LEFT. Inflow/skimmer section. Over/under/over baffles. Fuge section, single slotted baffle, return section.



Close up of the slotted baffle.