Ready for Saltwater - What should I do?

[the_other]

I have been reading as many salt water forums as possible over the last few months and have learned ALOT. I've got 8 years of experience with freshwater tanks but REALLY want to convert to FOWLR and slowly merging to reef.

Here is what I have:

80 gallon euro bowfront (drilled but without the old type of overflows - just 2 pipes on either side)
29 gallon tank
33 gallon long tank
10 gallon tank

Rena Filstar XP2
Tidepool (i know, i know... but it came with the 80euro and I got a heck of a deal on the whole package)

Many standard NO lights

I'm thinking of drilling the 80 and putting in some good overflows and using the 29 as a sump/refugium or the 29 as sump and the 10 as refugium.

I know what equipment (lights/sump/skimmer/...) I will need but I'm wondering if the 80 is the best way to start. Would the 33L be better to start with?

What would you do?

Thanks for any and all input!!!

 

[metalac]

I'd go with 80, since just like in freshwater, the more water you have the more stable the conditions. Just make sure you get a good skimmer, something ratted much higher than 80 gallons. I'm using a skimmer rated for 200 on my 55 tank. Although depending on what you'd want to do with your sump you might want to go with 33 long that is if you can fit it under your main tank.

The lights you have will probably do fine with FOWLR, but if you ever decide to get some corals you might have to upgrade, depending all on type of corals you'd like.

 

[Anonymous]

the_other,
:welcome:

I'd go with the 80 as well. A 29 isn't as forgiving of mistakes when you are jsut starting out in this hobby.

 

[cindre2000]

Go with the 80, and use the 33 or 29 as a sump (but use only one tank to start out, the plumbing is easier). How is it drilled? If it is just two pipes that go straight down through the bottom then all you would need to do is enclose them with some plexi and attach a durso.

Do the plumbing, make sure it works without leaks. Put in a skimmer and some rock and you are set. You won't need great lights till the tank is stable anyways, and they usually just cause problems.

 

[mr_X]

80 with the 33 as a sump. :wink:
i'd leave the holes as they are, and just enclose them with small, internal overflow boxes, to save space9something like this http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... e+overflow. they don't need to run all the way to the bottom of the tank, and starting out, the 80 might look big to you, but you're not going to believe how quickly you can run out of space.

 

[extremepb319]

Yea man, the bigger the better, I would definately use the 80 as main and the biggest tank for a sump that you can fit in your stand or by your stand or whatever. Bigger the better because like X said it fills up very very quickly and you will wish you had more.

Good Luck with your tank

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Its true...it does fill up real quick...i have a 150 built in to a wall and im currently trying to convince my girlfriend that building a 250 gal wont cost too much...

i vote the 80