Change of plans

[TheBlueMeanies]

Best overflow I have found are the CPR overflow boxes. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3642
Easy start, quiet, and easy to maintain.

Thank you this site was very helpful ill be looking more into a sump and the size i would need for my tank. Any advise on if i should build one or buy one would be nice. It seems like a lot of people made their own and it worked just as well if not better then store bought ones. I am limited in space the stand under my tank isn't very big maybe 11' wide by 46" long (that's if i don't have anything else in there)

[TheBlueMeanies]

Ok so after hours of reading up on sumps, pumps, refugiums, and overflows i think i have an idea of what I'm going to do. I went to my LFS and looked at their sumps i cant find any 9.5 or 10 in. max in width (to fit under my tank) so I'm going with 24" L X 12" W X 16" H Eshopps wet-dry filter WD-150CS with overflow. I'm going to put it in a plastic container next to my tank (not what i wanted to do but its a much better sump then i originally planned)http://www.eshopps.com/filters.php I still don't know what protein skimmer to go with so an any advice on that or my sump idea would help a lot.

p.s. i got a few videos at my LFS sorry about the quality i was using my 3mp camera on my phone and one at my house with a better camera next time i go i will get a good pic of their 600 gallon main show tank its beautiful


(FYI turn down your volume i was standing next to a little kid who was kida loud)


puffer, and a few others


small snowflake eel


clown fish


the sump i think im going to get


my 1.5" rubberlip pleco back at home with my olympus fe-20 camera set to super macro he is in a 10gal freshwater tank

[Pufferpunk]

Don't forget to check the sticky on how to get a 6% rebate & $5 off your 1st order at DFS, if you're ordering from them.

[TheBlueMeanies]

Well i bought the sump and it came with eshopps overflow (dual). Now to save money for lights and protein skimmer here are some pics i need shorter intake tubes and a longer return tube but this is how its set up until then.

The sump


The overflow


Sump next to my tank and dog his name is Cesar


(P.S sorry i forgot my camera when i went to the LFS it was about to close and i wanted to get my sump today. I'll get some pics next time.)

[Sponge bob]

nice

[julianchan]

Very nicely done!

[Pufferpunk]

I'd replace those bioballs with live rock rubble. Add cheato & a light & you have a refugium!

[TheBlueMeanies]

I'd replace those bioballs with live rock rubble. Add cheato & a light & you have a refugium!

I think i might just do that but isn't the current supposed to be slow in a refugium? When i got my sump i was talking to the guy about protein skimmers and at my LFS they have Pacific Coast skimmers. Does anyone know if these are good or if i should look at some other brands and maybe order online?

[TheBlueMeanies]

Ok so i went to the LFS and got a few little things like a heater, power head (for mixing salt water), test strips, hydrometer, thermometer and i think i have everything i need to start curing live rock. I still don't know what substrate I'm going to be using (sand or crushed coral) i like the fine sand but have heard or so many problems with it "snowing" in the tank. here are some pics at my LFS of their 600 gallon main tank (sorry i only had my phone with me to take the pics) I am still looking at skimmers and any help would be awesome.

[DRRT]

don't get crushed coral. all the detritus gets trapped in there and can cause water parameters to spike. i'd go with the sand or possibly even a deep sand bed. i have no idea what snowing is unless you are referring to when the fish move, via mouth or tail fin, the sand around and put it on the rocks. i never considered that a problem

[TheBlueMeanies]

don't get crushed coral. all the detritus gets trapped in there and can cause water parameters to spike. i'd go with the sand or possibly even a deep sand bed. i have no idea what snowing is unless you are referring to when the fish move, via mouth or tail fin, the sand around and put it on the rocks. i never considered that a problem

from what i understand its when the power heads (or any other type of pump) blow the fine sand around making it look like its snowing

[DRRT]

i've never had that problem. perhaps someone else...?

you don't have to get really fine sand, you could get the slightly larger grained sand

[Pufferpunk]

A lot of your planning depends on whether you are planning a FOWLR or adding a reef to the mix.

Here's to get you started:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... id=1031074

A lot of that is about reefkeepign though.

[TheBlueMeanies]

i am building this tank around getting a puffer so if there are any corals that are safe with it then maybe but from what i have read puffers are not reef safe other then that its just going to be a FOWLR tank

(i am going to use sand but now my questions is should i buy 100% live sand or just seed dry sand with some live sand?)

OK it looks like i found an awesome fish store but its a 45 min drive for me. As of now I'm going to get the AquaC Urchin in sump protein skimmer(unless advised not to) here is a link to the store where i will be buying it. http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant ... Code=AquaC. My wife and i are going to go there when they are open (they have weird hours) and see if their livestock is good and maybe get some live rock if the prices don't look to bad. here is another link to their livestock page http://www.premiumaquatics.com/LiveStock.htm I'm so happy i found another store i just wish it was closer to me.

[TheBlueMeanies]

Well all I need is salt mix, live rock, and sand. Everything else is all paid for ! I just ordered my skimmer(eshopps psk 100 rated for 75-100gal. tank), powerhead(maxijet 1200), and return pump(RIO hyper12 750gph). Hopefully I can go pick them up tomorrow.

I got everything today and i got some pics too
Eshopps PSK-100





unfinished wood

wood complete under the tank

video from new LFS