over sized equipt in under sized tanks????

[tofu]

Hi all,

So I'm wondering what your thoughts might be on this:

I'm currently 20G w/ hang on filter.
I want to mod a 10G for a sump and get the gear out of my tank.

I can see this going to a 55G w/ my current 20G serving as the sump.
Should I be concerned with over sizing my equipt for a 75G setup if I'm installing in a 30G setup?

Any equipt recommendations will be appreciated! Especially for getting the skimmer and overflow box. Probably drill the new tank I get later.
I'm on a budget, please keep it real.

When I get to the next phase, I'm sure I'll ask more.

Oh, one last thing.....
Your thought thought on modding a 10G, or I was thinking to call my local glass company and ask for precut pieces to glue myself????
Sump advice setup would be appreciated as well!! My thought is to get equipt first, then figure out how to lay it out.

I'm ordering a Aquaticlife T5 4lamp if you don't stop me really fast. I figure 1 more if I go wider or accents if I go deeper. I REALLY like the square tanks.

I'm not in a hurry, but better to get it while I have the money.

3 months into this....this addiction is for real, isn't it

Thanks!!!

 

[Peppie]

If it were me I would buy the best my pocket could afford and still fit into the 10 gal sump you are about to set up. You could also buy a really good HOB skimmer and use the extra space in the sump for other equipment.
Or you could buy another 20 gal tank ( they are all over for for$20) and out fit it with the equipment that will be used for the upgrade in the future.
When you get ready to put the baffles in your sump it is better to use glass baffels with glass tanks and acrylic baffles with acrylic tanks, either or will work though
I dont think it is possible to over size your equipment from a 20 gal to a 55 gal IMO

 

[Chichas01]

I would say that if you are going to stay with your current 20, find another 20 for you sump. You then have way more room for what you want to do and a better increase in water volume. It's all budget and space dependent in the end. If you are thinking you will go to a 55 or 75 soon, save your money and move that direction.

 

[kpiotrowski]

"I can see this going to a 55G w/ my current 20G serving as the sump.
Should I be concerned with over sizing my equipt for a 75G setup if I'm installing in a 30G setup?"

not sure I undertand. talking about a skimmer then you want to add all water volume and then still oversize.

I have a skimmer good (realistically) for 200g for about 175g total water volume....and the only reason it isnt bigger still is because thats all I could cram under my tank.

also you can't have too big of a sump. more water voume the better

 

[kpiotrowski]

ps. the one thing you don't want to oversize is a heater. I have had 2 heaters, and one was 6month old, get stuck full on. one time I caught it and the other killed everthing overnight and the tank was 97dg. now I undersize based on how much heat other equiptment gives off. One strategy is to run 2 smaller heaters incase one goes bad either not working, or working overtime.

 

[NemCrazy]

I have a skimmer for a 125 in in my sump and I have a 46 bowfront. Because I plan on having two tanks share the sump (I'm thinking water volume). I use a heater rated for a 10 gallon because my equipment heats the tank really. and If i were you I would look to get a cheap 20 to make a sump out of because it can handle the expansion to a bigger tank. Think water volume.