Upsizing my tank! Need wisdom!

[relifordh1]

Hey reefers! In a couple months, I will be purchasing a 65 gal tank and ditching my tiny 13.5. I am pretty sure I'm going to go with the aqueon megaflow 65gal that has a built in overflow and buying a stand from my local fish store (feel free to comment on the tank if you have other suggestions). I am now considering using a canister filter for the tank instead of a sump, I still live at home with my parents and they aren't really pro-reefer (I know... they are crazy) so I figured it would be somewhat more quiet and easier to deal with without my mom freaking out every time I need to disassemble something for cleaning purposes.

Either way I am most likely going to go with a canister filter for my 65 gal but I am still looking for reassurance that my tank is going to be okay and still flourish... feel free to make any suggestions at all. P.S. this will be a reef tank.

 

[Troy V]

Hey reefers! In a couple months, I will be purchasing a 65 gal tank and ditching my tiny 13.5. I am pretty sure I'm going to go with the aqueon megaflow 65gal that has a built in overflow and buying a stand from my local fish store (feel free to comment on the tank if you have other suggestions). I am now considering using a canister filter for the tank instead of a sump, I still live at home with my parents and they aren't really pro-reefer (I know... they are crazy) so I figured it would be somewhat more quiet and easier to deal with without my mom freaking out every time I need to disassemble something for cleaning purposes.

Either way I am most likely going to go with a canister filter for my 65 gal but I am still looking for reassurance that my tank is going to be okay and still flourish... feel free to make any suggestions at all. P.S. this will be a reef tank.

Congratulations! That is a really nice first upgrade.
I would highly recommend going with a sump. Especially since you already have an overflow box and the tank is drilled. Here are a few reasons sumps will take your reefing to a different level. They allow a remote tank to keep your different forms of filtration. Whether it's a refugium, ATS, filter socks, carbon, or a protein skimmer. They can all be kept out of view. They will also keep the water level on your display tank constant, you won't even see a water line. It gives you a grater water volume which is helpful for reef stability. It makes it easier and cleaner looking to add dosing equipment in the future. They are safer from water leaks, as long as you setup a proper back siphon incase of a power outage, and brainstorm your design 100 times. You will find them incredibly safe. Once I switched to a properly drilled/plumbed system I've never had a leak in over 20 years. (Knock on wood!)
If you are concerned about the noise, go with a small return pump or DC pump if you can afford it. If you reduce the flow through the overflow you can make an almost silent system. Plus you will find creative ways to work with poly pad and other sound reducing products to create a virtually silent tank. In my 550 gallon system I have well over 3000 ghp flowing through my returns, and my MP40 power heads are the loudest thing you hear on my tank.
Always do your best to design your reef with your future needs in mind. Adding a sump will allow you to maximize your reefing space. Until the next upgrade.
Good luck with your adventure!