55g filtration to reef or not to reef

[Sascha D]

hey everyone!

So I'm having a problem and I wanted to see everyone elses opinions. Setting up a 55g undrilled tank and cant decide filtration. Heres what I was thinking.

One option I was thinking:
25g glass sump filled with bioballs or LR rubble
CPR 600 overflow
Mag 700 return pump
Hydor Koralia 2 (600gph) circullation pump
Skimmer undecided

Another possible option:
Maybe cutting out the sump and using a Cascade 1500 canister filter?
Hydor Koralia 2 (600gph) circullation pump
Skimmer undecided

I've never set up a tank this small so I'm probably going to severely overdue the filtration. Did I miss any options? I'm so excited

 

[Sascha D]

Not sure yet if I want a reef, FO or FOWLR. I've heard reefs are super hard to stock here on the island because of shipping and its illegal for anyone to collect locally or LFS to sell any LR or corals. I am allowed to collect LR but its only 1 gallon container/per person/per day and for individual use only.

Pet stores here have very nice local livestock. Things like yellow tangs $10 and morish idols $15, flame angels $20 and potters $10. I think clownfish were like $7, naso tangs were $12, hippo tangs $30 and my favorite tang the achilles was like $18.

I could fill up a 25-30g sump with LR, drill it for a return pump and skimmer and utilize a overflow.

 

[TWallace]

I'd skip the bioballs and use a refugium, preferably a HoB refugium. That's how my 55 is setup and my nitrates have never risen above 0.5ppm. I even overfeed and rarely do water changes and my skimmer doesn't work very well.

 

[DonW]

I would not put anything in the sump, it will just become a detrius trap. I would go with option one if this is going to be a reef or FO. The thing with small tanks is the lack of oxygen. Skimmers will help but very little. The surface area created by having a sump and drain tube will be the biggest benefit. Getting and keeping up DO levels will help keep the small tank problems from occuring so easy.

Don

 

[Sascha D]

I would not put anything in the sump, it will just become a detrius trap. I would go with option one if this is going to be a reef or FO. The thing with small tanks is the lack of oxygen. Skimmers will help but very little. The surface area created by having a sump and drain tube will be the biggest benefit. Getting and keeping up DO levels will help keep the small tank problems from occuring so easy.

Don

You mean refug only sump? I was going to use crushed coral in the tank (trying to avoid sand) so that kinda limits my biological filtration unless I use a canister filter or maybe an emperor 400.

 

[TWallace]

I thought you would use live rock in the display for filtration. Is that not what you planned to do?

 

[DonW]

You mean refug only sump? I was going to use crushed coral in the tank (trying to avoid sand) so that kinda limits my biological filtration unless I use a canister filter or maybe an emperor 400.

I would put LR in the display. Leave the sump for the equipment. With a 55 the sump is going to be small and cramped. I would never put CC in any tank.

Don

 

[Sascha D]

I thought you would use live rock in the display for filtration. Is that not what you planned to do?

Yeah I was hoping to set up a reef but I'm not sure if I can on the island so I might have to settle for a FOWLR or FO. The idea of a fish only has never really gotten my attention in a 55g because its only 13 inches wide. I think it would look really bare.

I dont think I can fit much rock into the tank itself and still allow the free flow of water in front and behind the structure without stacking it all the way to the top. I plan on drilling the rock and creating perminent structures.

 

[Sascha D]

I would put LR in the display. Leave the sump for the equipment. With a 55 the sump is going to be small and cramped. I would never put CC in any tank.

Don

Was planning on probably a 25g standard glass tank for a sump. I guess I wouldn't mind using higher grain sand that I've seen in North Shore. I just wanted to avoid sugar sand that I've used in the past...bad experience hehe

 

[DonW]

Was planning on probably a 25g standard glass tank for a sump. I guess I wouldn't mind using higher grain sand that I've seen in North Shore. I just wanted to avoid sugar sand that I've used in the past...bad experience hehe

Thats what I mean. If you used a 25 tank for a sump there will barely be enough room for a skimmer and return pump. I will be so crowded and flow would have to be so low that the lr rubble would collect detritus.
Even a small skimmer like my asm g3 takes up a 12x 12 spot. Then figure 6x6 for a return pump. Then and some for heaters and probes it will be packed.

Don

 

[Sascha D]

Thats what I mean. If you used a 25 tank for a sump there will barely be enough room for a skimmer and return pump. I will be so crowded and flow would have to be so low that the lr rubble would collect detritus.
Even a small skimmer like my asm g3 takes up a 12x 12 spot. Then figure 6x6 for a return pump. Then and some for heaters and probes it will be packed.

Don

Well I was going to drill the side of the tank and have an exterior return pump. I havent decided on the skimmer yet so I'm not sure if I'm going in-sump or a similar inline design.

Heres a link to some of the plumbing diagrams I was looking at. They show a drilled tank but since mine isn't I'm going to substitute an overflow.
http://www.reefs.org/library/mechanical/plumbing/

 

[vwmoneypit]

Hey I have the answer go look at my pics i have had this tank for over 1 and a half lot of ideas have became and gone to get it right this is the best set up we have found and remember over skim is a good thing I have 2 lbs of rubble and 1 LBS OF SAND/PRCELAN TUBE CHUNKS IN MY SUMP WITH THE PUMPS TO THE SKIMMER AND LOOP HERE AND I NOW HAVE 60-70 LBS OF ROCK IN TANK LOTS OF LPS AND 7 FISH SO WHAT U THINK WILL UPDATE PICS LATER 2DAY AS WELL

 

[brady816]

i have a 55gal tank.. With a aqua c remora pro and an emperor 500 do w/c every 2 weeks..

 

[Sascha D]

Well I just got a 25g tank for free, which is either going to be my sump or my q/t =-)

I'll do some searches and see what kind of skimmer I want. I'll check out the aqua c remora pro, since I know alot of people use those.

VWmoneypit. I didn't see any posts for your tank in the members section. What equipment/skimmer do you use?

 

[Sascha D]

I got another free 20g today so I have the option to use one as a sump and one as a q/t. Does anyone have a hang on refugium they can recommend. I saw some on ebay for a decent price but they dont look very sturdy.

 

[Sascha D]

I was bored on my day off so I took a trip down to the beach to see what I could see. The tide was kinda low and looked to be comming back in, so I put on my reef shoes and walked out about half a mile to see what kind of LR I could see. Anyway I'm out there and I stop to look at a large cluster of rocks in front of me, when a 3 foot moray came at me from my left side, swam straight through my legs and into a big rock pile behind me to the right. OMG he scared the crap out of me! He was white with black stripes, very nice pattern.

Anyway the point to my story is that I didn't see much I could use for my tank. You know the stuff they sell as "base rock"? Thats basically all I had seen with the exception of a few lettuce coral skeletons. Nothing had any growth on it and it was covered with a kind of sludge. HOWEVER I found some 500-3000 metallic button polyps growing in a shaded area and a few patches of red/orage button polys here and there in the sand.

 

[Sascha D]

Right now the skimmer I'm looking at most is the Octopus 150, rated for 150 gallons. I called the company today and they told me I could plumb the skimmer outside of the sump using the gate valve kit they sell. Anyone have experience with this brand or can recommend a skimmer with a minimum rating of 75g?

Heres the link

 

[burning2nd]

overflow.... Aqualifter. (nothing in sump but macro and skimmer) sump, Return pump (mag something) (rated for your overflow)

lighting for sump

no bio balls (neva!)

no live rock, (unless special design)

 

[Sascha D]

overflow.... Aqualifter. (nothing in sump but macro and skimmer) sump, Return pump (mag something) (rated for your overflow)

lighting for sump

no bio balls (neva!)

no live rock, (unless special design)

Thats about what I was thinking, except I want to do the plumbing outside of the sump so I have more room. Now all I need are good brands of products to buy. Thats always the hardest part...who gets my money.

 

[blind1993]

what about an asm or a css.