I'm in the planning phases of an upgrade so I have some general questions. Building a tank, it'll be between 450g and 500g, haven't decided on final dimensions.
Sump- what size sump do I need? I currently have a 4'x2'x2' (125g) sump that could be modified easily to work with the new tank. It'd also make transferring from old tank to new a lot easier. It has baffles made of glass and Siliconed in, I could cut them, move, then re Silicone to make the sump a bit larger - it has an integrated ato today, I can remove that baffle and make the drain and fuge areas larger. Would this be a large enough sump for a tank this size?
Returns - I'm thinking of 4 return holes in the tank. Would you recommend two return pumps or one larger one? How much turnover should I aim for? Basically, what size / flow of pump(s) do I need?
Skimmer - what skimmer would work for a tank this size? I checked out the bubble king 300 supermarin but it's quite pricey. Also looked at lifereef and those are a bit cheaper, I've never heard one, are they loud? Also wondering what other skimmer would be well suited. Assume the tank will be stocked with a heavy bioload.
Thanks for the help!
Sump- what size sump do I need? I currently have a 4'x2'x2' (125g) sump that could be modified easily to work with the new tank. It'd also make transferring from old tank to new a lot easier. It has baffles made of glass and Siliconed in, I could cut them, move, then re Silicone to make the sump a bit larger - it has an integrated ato today, I can remove that baffle and make the drain and fuge areas larger. Would this be a large enough sump for a tank this size?
Returns - I'm thinking of 4 return holes in the tank. Would you recommend two return pumps or one larger one? How much turnover should I aim for? Basically, what size / flow of pump(s) do I need?
Skimmer - what skimmer would work for a tank this size? I checked out the bubble king 300 supermarin but it's quite pricey. Also looked at lifereef and those are a bit cheaper, I've never heard one, are they loud? Also wondering what other skimmer would be well suited. Assume the tank will be stocked with a heavy bioload.
Thanks for the help!