New to Saltwater

[OCJoeR]

Morning all. I've had fresh water tanks for a number of years and always admired saltwater. I lived near a guy who was in the business and set up tanks for the studios. He gave me a couple tanks for a set and wanted me to go with saltwater but at the time, mid 80s, my budget couldn't take the thought of flushing a dead $50 fish. I haven't had a tank for years but now things have changed and I'm thinking about taking the plunge so to speak. The den has sort of a set back that is approximately 53" wide and 23" deep. I've built a book case into the area with an area for the tank. The base is set on 2" x 4"s with 3/4" plywood and then additional 2" x 4"s support the shelf where the tank goes. I still have one of the acrylic tanks he gave me, it's 24" high, 36" long and 12" deep, I think that's somewhere around 55 gallons. It fits inside the area with room to spare. I've building a shelf 10" above the tank with a hinged front to access the tank. I was also going to use the bottom of that shelf to attach any lighting. There are outlets under the tank, where the filter, heater, air pump and any other items can be connected, and outlets above the top shelf with other things can be connected. I'll post photos later.

I've been reading up and it looks like my Marineland 530 canister isn't the best system for saltwater but it may work for a while. I'm looking at setting up a sump system and trying to understand the basics. If I'm reading correctly plumbing it directly into the tank is the way to go. It looks like it takes the water from the top of the tank through a pipe that goes through a bulkhead and down, via gravity, into the sump. I have some diagrams of sumps and should be able to locate a 20 long tank to use. I'm thinking plastic panels and silicone will be used for the compartments and bubble trap. Then a pump at the other end of the sump pumps the water up into the tank. So here are my questions:

1/ Where should the outflow and inflow lines go in the tank? I was thinking about using 1" pvc and drilling a hole on one side of the tank for the drain line and another hole in the opposite side for the return line.

2/ Is it absolutely necessary to use a protein skimmer in the sump?

3/ Is a 20 gallon sump sufficient for a 55 gallon tank?

4/ Where would I find info on lighting?

Any other suggestions or tips will be greatly appreciated.

Joe

 

[Zach B]

Welcome Joe There is a ton of good info here on the site than can be found through the search. BRS also has a lot of good videos on YouTube. Good luck!

 

[Murica]

Welcome!

 

[Jonify]

1/ Where should the outflow and inflow lines go in the tank? I was thinking about using 1" pvc and drilling a hole on one side of the tank for the drain line and another hole in the opposite side for the return line.

Yes, opposite ends of the tank is great.

2/ Is it absolutely necessary to use a protein skimmer in the sump?

No, but highly encouraged, as this is where most of your gas exchange and nutrient export--which are very important--will happen.

3/ Is a 20 gallon sump sufficient for a 55 gallon tank?

Yep!

4/ Where would I find info on lighting?

Check out the lighting forum (click "forums" at the top, then scroll down until you get to "lighting"

Any other suggestions or tips will be greatly appreciated.

Joe

Also, welcome!!

 

[OCJoeR]

So here's what the tank stand/bookcase looks like thus far. I think I may be able to get it completed tomorrow, after the obligatory return trips to Home Depot. Still needs the doors on the bottom, door to hide the light and access to the tank, and top piece and crown molding. And I'm sure there are some nick nacks that will have to be strategically placed on the shelves.

After watching some videos on sumps and overflow tanks I pretty sure I'm going to plumb everything for the sump system. Until I set it up I'll just put valves on the pipes so I can have them shut off for now and use the canister to get the tank going.

Joe

 

[OCJoeR]

Things are getting there. I've just about completed the bookshelp/stand for the tank. I picked up a Somatic 60 skimmer/sump and a Hygger HG-9105-5000 pump. They were both on one of the shopping apps but are both brand new. I'm not sure if I'm going to use the sump tank that came with the Somatic or pick up a 20 gal. long tank to use. I'm trying to contact Reefsavvy to see if their Ghost overflow box comes in a size I can use on the side of my tank which is only 12" deep. It's been suggested that this is the best way to go rather than trying to DIY a box. I've located a shop nearby that carries live sand, salt mixture and from what I've read I can use the R/O water out of my system to fill the tank (along with the salt mixture).

I'm looking at lights and have found Fluval Aqua Sea 2.0 and Aqueon. I'm not sure which one is better, still reading reviews.

I'm pretty sure I want to set it up with coral and rock, along with the fish. Do I need "live rock" or can I use the rock from my old fresh water tank? I'm not sure what type of rock it is but it's got lots of crevices and nooks and crannies. According to the folks at the store I need to get the water ph correct before putting any fish in the tank, which I sort of knew, and I can't add coral until after the fish are in the tank. Any help here would be appreciated.

Looks like another trip to Home Depot tomorrow for the plumbing parts for the sump, although I can't put anything together until I get the info on the overflow box and get either the Reefsavvy one or a similar one in so I know where to put the pipes.

I'm thinking this just might be all working by spring.

Joe

 

[AdamB]

Hey welcome to R2R.

 

[KrisReef]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Perhaps the mods can move this into the build thread section and you will get a nifty "Build Thread Contributor" badge like @Jonify has?

 

[OCJoeR]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Perhaps the mods can move this into the build thread section and you will get a nifty "Build Thread Contributor" badge like @Jonify has?

Hi Kris,

I wasn't sure where to post this. If they move it will they let me know? It's kind of a small tanks so I'm not sure it's anything that rates a thread, lol.

Joe

 

[KrisReef]

Hi Kris,

I wasn't sure where to post this. If they move it will they let me know? It's kind of a small tanks so I'm not sure it's anything that rates a thread, lol.

Joe

I can't but perhaps the mods can? I sent them a "report" so we shall see!

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I highly recommend the use of a skimmer. Sure takes a lot of crud out of the water.

 

[OCJoeR]

I highly recommend the use of a skimmer. Sure takes a lot of crud out of the water.

I picked up that Somatic 60 skimmer/sump. Only problem is there are no instructions that come with it. I was able to find a Youtube video showing how it is assembled but that's as far as it went. There's nothing about adjustments, how to set up the sump or anything else that came with it. The sump is 16" x 16" 2 compartment unit with a small 4" section and the rest (12" x 16") open. Obviously the skimmer goes in the large section but there is nothing to tell you where to put the pump or where the drain lines go. There are a set of clips built into the small section that may be to hold a heater, but again, nothing to tell you what they're for. I'm looking around for a different sump but for now this is what I have. It's very well made and looks great, just doesn't seem very practical.

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I picked up that Somatic 60 skimmer/sump. Only problem is there are no instructions that come with it. I was able to find a Youtube video showing how it is assembled but that's as far as it went. There's nothing about adjustments, how to set up the sump or anything else that came with it. The sump is 16" x 16" 2 compartment unit with a small 4" section and the rest (12" x 16") open. Obviously the skimmer goes in the large section but there is nothing to tell you where to put the pump or where the drain lines go. There are a set of clips built into the small section that may be to hold a heater, but again, nothing to tell you what they're for. I'm looking around for a different sump but for now this is what I have. It's very well made and looks great, just doesn't seem very practical.

Wow, that's a real problem not having a manual for your skimmer/sump. Maybe you could contact the mfr for instructions ? Or call BRS ? In my last setup when I had a sump I used an all-glass 10 gallon tank with an Aqua C Urchin skimmer. Worked very well.

 

[harley32907]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[OCJoeR]

Wow, that's a real problem not having a manual for your skimmer/sump. Maybe you could contact the mfr for instructions ? Or call BRS ? In my last setup when I had a sump I used an all-glass 10 gallon tank with an Aqua C Urchin skimmer. Worked very well.

I found a video on assembly, turns out it was pretty easy. I also found some WiFi controlled lights online and ordered them. Since I'm not getting any response from the "Ghost" overflow box manufacturers to my questions I'm going to go DIY on the overflow. I'm going to try and pick up all the parts this week and drill the tank and put in the bulkheads and see where all the piping lines up so I can drill the shelf that the tank sits on for the plumbing. Once that's done I'm going to take everything outside and run a practice test on all the equipment for leaks. That will make mama happier than dealing with leaks inside on the den floor, lol.

I'll try and post some more photos as I get the bookcase/stand completed.

Joe

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I found a video on assembly, turns out it was pretty easy. I also found some WiFi controlled lights online and ordered them. Since I'm not getting any response from the "Ghost" overflow box manufacturers to my questions I'm going to go DIY on the overflow. I'm going to try and pick up all the parts this week and drill the tank and put in the bulkheads and see where all the piping lines up so I can drill the shelf that the tank sits on for the plumbing. Once that's done I'm going to take everything outside and run a practice test on all the equipment for leaks. That will make mama happier than dealing with leaks inside on the den floor, lol.

I'll try and post some more photos as I get the bookcase/stand completed.

Joe

That's what I did with my FOWLER a few years ago; I set it up outside first and tested it. It was the first setup I ever had with an overflow and sump, so I wanted to make sure nothing was going to leak !

 

[OCJoeR]

I'm going to have to set up some kind of support for the tank since my tank stand is part of a bookcase I'm building into a cut out area of the den. I've got a built in BBQ thing out there that should support the tank.

 

[OCJoeR]

I picked up a bunch of dry rock yesterday from an online ad. According to the seller it was in his tank that he had to take down because of a move and he just never got back into it. It's been in plastic containers for a long time. I've watched several videos on "curing" dry rock and some mention using bleach in the water for the initial cleaning then using muriatic acid in a second cleaning step, then a salt water soak with a power head. Is all that necessary?

Those same videos state that adding a small amount of live rock will eventually propagate to the dry rock. That sounds logical to me as well as a lot less expensive.

I'm going to be doing the back yard leak test on the tank/sump to make sure it all holds water and then bring it all in and wait for the rock to be ready to put into the tank. I was thinking about using that super glue/baking soda combo to put the rock together.

I've also ordered a RO system for under the sink. It's a 100 GPD system so it should make enough RO water to keep up with water changes. For the initial set up do I add the RO water into the take once all the dry rock is in and add the salt into the tank or mix the salt with the RO water in a separate container and then pump it into the sump/tank?

At what stage should I add the live rock? ( I haven't purchased any yet)

I'm still waiting for my lights (I bought 2 Lightimetunnel units) so there's no light in the tank yet. Should I wait until I have them set up before I begin filling the tank?

Thank you for all the help everyone's been in getting me on the right track.

Joe

 

[OCJoeR]

I just cancelled my Lightimetunnel light purchase, well I guess technically "they" cancelled it since I got a message that they were not available at this time. I substituted a Hygger 36" Advanced 24/7 light. It's supposed to be delivered Saturday. It seems to get good reviews and I wasn't too sure about the WiFi control on the other one. This one has controls built into the power line.

 

[OCJoeR]

The Hygger light came in today along with the RO system. I got to work on the bookcase/stand today and got most of the wiring for the surround sound system in. Took the tank and sump outside and filled them up to check for leaks, all good to go. I tested the skimmer and return pump. The skimmer doesn't seem to give me the tiny bubbles (whoa, Don Ho flashback!!) but I'm guessing that's due to the water in the sump for the test was clean water. My understanding is the residue in the tank water is what causes the bubbles to stick together. I also have to drill another row of holes in the bubble trap in order to get the water height down to what is recommended by Somatic, 6" to 9".

I picked up most of the plumbing parts for the Bean Animal drain system but Home Depot didn't have big enough bulkhead fittings, the largest they had were 3/4". They also didn't have a flapper style check valve for the return line. Their spring loaded one seemed too tight for the water pressure from my pump. So it looks like Monday before I can actually get it plumbed.

I'm going to start soaking the rocks tomorrow while the rest of the crew is watching the Superbowl. I also have to get to a aquarium supply store for test kits. Here's what I have so far. The doors still need to have the molding put on and hinges, but it's getting there.

Joe