Ok fellow Reefers, I am just getting back into the game after a 6 year break, divorce and moving two times. I just moved into my hopefully forever home now a few months ago. I found an 80 gallon Bowfront with a stand that had been a freshwater before for 200 bucks. It was a heck of a deal so I jumped all over it. When I got it home I filled it and left it over night under my carport filled, and didn't leak. The next morning we had 40 to 45 mph winds and I had a yard flag about to come off a stake. So I grabbed it real quick and was going to put it in my outdoor closet, well the tank was behind the door full of water and the wind ripped the door out of my hand in a full swing. Busted the side pane as you can see so my 200 dollar heck of a buy just turned into a total rebuild. But only good thing is while it is down I can drill my overflows for an overflow box before I put it back together. I have a few questions that maybe you all can help me with.
1. How many gallon overflow box do I need for a side pane mount.
2. Does the glass have to be a special kind or just same shape and thickness as was before. Tempered or not? If Tempered can I drill the holes then have it tempered? And the top trim was very brittle from the heat of the halogen light fixtures on top so it was cracked into 4 pieces, I've seen people sylicone braces onto the top of the glass rim and know this will work but how many and what size am I going to need? I was thinking a 4 inch wide in the center and two two inch pieces on the sides running back to front of the tank.
3. I bought a 20 gallon long sump tank for inside the stand, which is the largest I could find for the dimensions I have under the stand. Will this be enough for a coral tank with 2 juvenile tangs and couple of clowns for the first few years of their life til I can Upgrade to a 125 or larger?
4. What brand skimmer is best bang for the buck? And which one.
5. Should I drill one side of the tank for overflows and the other side of the tank for return 1 hole or two?
6. Best bang for the buck LED full spectrum lighting? How many or what size?
7. There are so many options and variables in this hobby anymore I just want to have all the pieces of the puzzle ready and together before startup. Thanks in advance for all the advice.
Chad
