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- Dec 19, 2017
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So, I'm thinking of doing something different and I need someone to talk me out of it.
I am thinking of a 2 tank system running off of the same sump and need to know the pros and cons of this from the experts.
My last tank was very successful and up a few years before I had to take it down (everybody rehomed and friends happy with free coral). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mikes-45-gallon-zoa-garden-max-e-170.345012/page-5#post-9255377
I still have my Max-E 170, but not the equipment for it other than the auto top off (I switched it to breeding freshwater shrimp and have tons now).
I am thinking about getting a used Red Sea 350 (or similar depending on craigslist availability) and plumbing 2 tanks into the sump. One tank would be a mixed reef light on the stocking part. Probably just softies with a few torches and easier things mixed in. I'm not huge on stocking fish (mostly interested in inverts) and would be looking at a 6 line wrasse and maybe the odd fish. What I'm thinking of doing is... since I still have the Max-E 170 still, could I also plumb it into the same sump as sort of a giant fuge. I'm thinking of just having rocks, some calerpa, and maybe a seahorse or some other oddballs that would not normally suitable for a reef tank. I'm thinking that if I kept it as a strictly "planted" saltwater tank I could get away with just keeping the freshwater plant LED light that has been great at growing plants.
I'm still early in the research phase on this, but I'm thinking since I already have the tank that would be used as the fuge, so long as the sump is large enough to support a power outage other than more rock and an extra pump it wouldn't be all that expensive to set up and would increase water volume/stability/all that good stuff.
Honestly, the most interesting stuff for me (and for my kids) are the hermit crabs and little creepy crawlies. If the seahorses are a bad idea but the 2nd tank is not I could see leaving it as a giant exposed invert only no coral fuge with live plants.
Thoughts?
If this has been done before I can't find any relevant material. Please feel free to tell me this is dumb or to point me in a different direction. Also... is there a specific forum here for used tanks or setups and not just equipment?
Thanks!
I am thinking of a 2 tank system running off of the same sump and need to know the pros and cons of this from the experts.
My last tank was very successful and up a few years before I had to take it down (everybody rehomed and friends happy with free coral). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mikes-45-gallon-zoa-garden-max-e-170.345012/page-5#post-9255377
I still have my Max-E 170, but not the equipment for it other than the auto top off (I switched it to breeding freshwater shrimp and have tons now).
I am thinking about getting a used Red Sea 350 (or similar depending on craigslist availability) and plumbing 2 tanks into the sump. One tank would be a mixed reef light on the stocking part. Probably just softies with a few torches and easier things mixed in. I'm not huge on stocking fish (mostly interested in inverts) and would be looking at a 6 line wrasse and maybe the odd fish. What I'm thinking of doing is... since I still have the Max-E 170 still, could I also plumb it into the same sump as sort of a giant fuge. I'm thinking of just having rocks, some calerpa, and maybe a seahorse or some other oddballs that would not normally suitable for a reef tank. I'm thinking that if I kept it as a strictly "planted" saltwater tank I could get away with just keeping the freshwater plant LED light that has been great at growing plants.
I'm still early in the research phase on this, but I'm thinking since I already have the tank that would be used as the fuge, so long as the sump is large enough to support a power outage other than more rock and an extra pump it wouldn't be all that expensive to set up and would increase water volume/stability/all that good stuff.
Honestly, the most interesting stuff for me (and for my kids) are the hermit crabs and little creepy crawlies. If the seahorses are a bad idea but the 2nd tank is not I could see leaving it as a giant exposed invert only no coral fuge with live plants.
Thoughts?
If this has been done before I can't find any relevant material. Please feel free to tell me this is dumb or to point me in a different direction. Also... is there a specific forum here for used tanks or setups and not just equipment?
Thanks!