Living Sump Questions

[Grey Legion]

Ok, this may sound a bit off the wall but I have a idea and want to share it with you guys/gals for review before I spend any money or do anything.

I currently have running a two tier 35G setup Tanks are 4x1x1 and are looped together. water is pumped from bottom tank to top top tanks, top tank then over flows ( via stand pipe ) back into the bottom tank.

I want the bottom tank to act as a sump ( kinda ) and the top tanp to almost be a FOWLR setup. But I would like to start to frag some soft corals to be able to trade/sell in the future. I'll be using T5's for lighting.

Top tank will have 21 watts of 10K and 21 watts of Atinic

Bottom tank will have 42 watts of 10K and 42 watts of Atinic

I was thinking of having the bottom tank housing 30 LBS of LR and tons of cheato along with the normal clean up crew ( snails )

The top would only house 15-20 pounds of LR to allow for more water volume and swimming area, both tanks will be glass bottom to keep maintenance easy

I'll be using a HOB skimmer on the bottom tank to aid in cleanup and flow and the top tank will only have the output from the bottom tank about 2600 litres a hour (686 GPH )

since I plan on mostly fragging mushrooms I think the lighting will work as long as I keep them very close to the surface. I was planning on plastic breeder traps to start with the small frags until they grow then move them onto a rack system built into the lower tank ( using eggcrate ) until I sell/trade them.

So tell me, what do you think of this setup ?? should I maybe look into other options, I am ope to idea's all I have are 2 tanks with saltwater now..

Let me hear your thoughts..

Thanks

 

[Juanfer]

well it seems like a very cool project to me and I think that you should do it, but my only question is are you goin to use the sump(or the bottom tank) as fragment tank???

 

[Reefdaddy1]

I believe this article can help direct you to where you want to get. Just take into consideration that it is made for Fragging

http://www.garf.org/news30p2.html#unit

 

[staticx]

hmm

Sounds like a good idea, Kinda small tanks though. Should work out pretty good I would just build a little eggcrate shel in your sump to keep whatever you grow real close to the lights the lighting you have i dont think will work very well even if the corals were right next to it

 

[staticx]

here is a pic of mine I have it kinda set up like that but my top tank is about 125 gallons and my bottom tank is 70 I am almost done setting it up

 

[Grey Legion]

I believe this article can help direct you to where you want to get. Just take into consideration that it is made for Fragging

http://www.garf.org/news30p2.html#unit

Very cool article, I guess I may be on the right track.

If fragging does not work, it will still be used as a 2nd tank/sump