new tank idea, and ?s

[randymon]

I will be upgrading from a 55 gal to a 125 here in the next couple months and have some questions. First, the tank is not rr so I will be using a aqua c pro hob skimmer and also a above tank 20 gal refugium. With this set up will I need a sump for anything? If so what? I will be using pre skimmers on both the skimmer and refugium to pull surface water. My current 55 with 6 fish and mostly softys is set up like this with cpr bak pak and hob refugium, and it basically runs itself with monthly water changes. and can rival some sps tanks. Also I am somewhat concerned about the 125 as I live in a 2 story, daylight basement and it will go where my 55 is upstairs. Should I be worrired about the weight difference? The home is a solid owner built in 1957. Any input is appreciated and I will post more later as I progress.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF Randymon! Lucky you...You get to go up to a 125!(LOL) About the weight issue, I'm not really sure how the place is built, but you will be adding 70 gallons more of water. I don't know if water got any heavier these days (LOL), but at 8 1/3 lbs a gallon (which I think is the correct weight of a gallon of water) you will be adding an additional 581 lbs...Not to mention the extra weight in glass. If you said it is solid built, then that shouldn't even be an issue because I'm sure the room was built to hold the weight of a few people without any problems.

About the need for a sump...I personally feel that it will be totally up to you. Some people just use them to hide heaters, add more water volume etc. and since you already have a refugium, you may be able to incorporate everything you need in your system right in there. I guess you will have to see if you have space for eveything with the design you have in mind. Just a few thoughts...Hope it helps a bit.

 

[reedman]

Do you need a sump...NO...is it nice to put all the unsightly equipment into...YES. I ran a 75 gallon reef for 3 years without a sump and it ran without any problems. I have since added a sump and like the convienience of it. You can do everything without a sump that you can with one, you just have to be a little more creative.

Weight: This one you need to provide a little more info. A 55 can go into almost any house without issue. When you get bigger than that you want to check the alignment of the floor joists compared to the direction the tank is aligned. If the tank is across several joists...probably not an issue. If you are running parallel to the joists and are only resting on one or two joists...you may want to think about reinforcement. Are the joists exposed in the basement? If so this check is very simple and providing additional support it too. If the ceiling in the basement is finished then things get a bit more complex. As an example of what a full tank can do, my 75 was set up as a room divider and prior to reinforcement, the floor would sway as people walked by the tank. There is a lot of weight there. Better safe than having 125 gallons of salt water on your floor.