- Location
- Bay ridge, Brooklyn
Yeah, thanks to Reefbum and his father, I got a great deal on an oceanic 57g tank and I start thinking about how to set it up. I have tons of questions so patience is necessary if you want to keep reading
It's gonna be my first tank with sump so I need help with it, but that later.
First a list of planned equipment for this tank:
57g Oceanic aquarium
Sump is custom and my biggest headache. It is 21x13x14 and with 9" of water it will give me approximately 11g
Return pump: Mag Drive 7 (there is one for sale in another forum for $50, good deal?) or if I can grab used eheim 1260 or 1262. I consider QuietOne 3000 too but need feedback
Lightning: my 24x cree LED light + another one like that that I am gonna build. I don't know if 48 leds wouldn't be too much though
Skimmer SWC Xtreme 120 Conical Skimmer
Flow: One MP10 for now, may add another one in the nearest future
First and most important question is about the transfer from my solana to the new tank. The biggest problem is that I want the new tank to be in the exact same place as the old one so here's my plan:
1.Put together the new setup and put new sand in the tank.
2. Prepare about 40g of water
3. Transfer all corals and fish +liverock into rubbermaid with water from my old tank. Rest of the water will go into the new tank
4. Move the old tank, put new in place and transfer everything from rubbermaid +all the old water
5. Get some new liverock and cycle it in separate tank then transfer it to the new running system.
How is that plan? Am I gonna be OK with about 30lbs of liverock in the new tank for several weeks? Will that kind of transfer create cycle? Should I cycle the new liverock or if it's from an established tank I can put it right away (for example if someone will be selling some?)
Next big thing is the sump, please help me set it up. Here's a couple of pics to give you an idea how the sump looks like:
It's a professionally built acrylic sump, the only problem is that I would like it to be a little bit different. Here's how I thought about it (sorry for the hand painting, I was too lazy to do it better) if I am not gonna do any mods except adding one baffle. Tell me what you think:
The first chamber has a filter sock holder, but the problem is that it has an acrylic top too, so there's no way to put skimmer here. With that design I would have to add one baffle and after that return pump and skimmer. Will it work? I am afraid of microbubbles from the skimmer pumped right into display tank.
Second thought:
In this case, screw the filter sock and feed the sump from the display on the other side of the sump. In first chamber from the right will be heater and skimmer, then a refugium area with cheato. After that water is flowing thru sponges (but the water will hit the sponge from the bottom so it may float-suggestions?) and into last chamber when the return pump is.
Questions:
Oh, there's one more thing- where is the best place to put ATO sensors- in the overflow box or in the sump?
That's about all the questions I can think of at the moment, but there will be more for sure. Thank you for all your replies and help.
It's gonna be my first tank with sump so I need help with it, but that later.
First a list of planned equipment for this tank:
57g Oceanic aquarium
Sump is custom and my biggest headache. It is 21x13x14 and with 9" of water it will give me approximately 11g
Return pump: Mag Drive 7 (there is one for sale in another forum for $50, good deal?) or if I can grab used eheim 1260 or 1262. I consider QuietOne 3000 too but need feedback
Lightning: my 24x cree LED light + another one like that that I am gonna build. I don't know if 48 leds wouldn't be too much though
Skimmer SWC Xtreme 120 Conical Skimmer
Flow: One MP10 for now, may add another one in the nearest future
First and most important question is about the transfer from my solana to the new tank. The biggest problem is that I want the new tank to be in the exact same place as the old one so here's my plan:
1.Put together the new setup and put new sand in the tank.
2. Prepare about 40g of water
3. Transfer all corals and fish +liverock into rubbermaid with water from my old tank. Rest of the water will go into the new tank
4. Move the old tank, put new in place and transfer everything from rubbermaid +all the old water
5. Get some new liverock and cycle it in separate tank then transfer it to the new running system.
How is that plan? Am I gonna be OK with about 30lbs of liverock in the new tank for several weeks? Will that kind of transfer create cycle? Should I cycle the new liverock or if it's from an established tank I can put it right away (for example if someone will be selling some?)
Next big thing is the sump, please help me set it up. Here's a couple of pics to give you an idea how the sump looks like:
It's a professionally built acrylic sump, the only problem is that I would like it to be a little bit different. Here's how I thought about it (sorry for the hand painting, I was too lazy to do it better) if I am not gonna do any mods except adding one baffle. Tell me what you think:
The first chamber has a filter sock holder, but the problem is that it has an acrylic top too, so there's no way to put skimmer here. With that design I would have to add one baffle and after that return pump and skimmer. Will it work? I am afraid of microbubbles from the skimmer pumped right into display tank.
Second thought:
In this case, screw the filter sock and feed the sump from the display on the other side of the sump. In first chamber from the right will be heater and skimmer, then a refugium area with cheato. After that water is flowing thru sponges (but the water will hit the sponge from the bottom so it may float-suggestions?) and into last chamber when the return pump is.
Questions:
- Should I use PVC pipe to connect the return pump with bulkhead in the main tank or can I use flexible. If yes, what kind?
- What if I use scheme no#1 (with feed water from display on the left side of sump) but put the return pump outside the sump?
- Is it possible to cutout the filter sock holder and glue it on the other side? What to cut it with? I was thinking dremel or grinder, but I don't want to f*^^*^# it up.
- What glue should I use to glue acrylic and where to get it? A
- Where to get acrylic sheets locally? I know they have them in HD and Lowe's but is there a better place? Is ? thickness enough for baffle?
- Should the pipe feeding the sump from main tank be submersed in the sump or no?
Oh, there's one more thing- where is the best place to put ATO sensors- in the overflow box or in the sump?
That's about all the questions I can think of at the moment, but there will be more for sure. Thank you for all your replies and help.
