Looking for ideas

[jamesonwhiskey]

I just ordered a 220XH (6'x2'x30" H) from Tom at Extreme Aqua of New Jersey. This will be going in my living room with my sump in the basement.

I'm looking for ideas on reusing what I already have for the new tank:
-120Long (5'x18"x26" H)
-55g tank that was already subdivided into 3 chamber a sump

Should I divide the 120L into a sump or should I use the 55g sump for my pump and skimmer and use the 120L as a giant refugium? Any other ideas?

 

[troywalkerphoto]

use the 120! re-task the 55 to a QT/Hospital tank. I found this some months ago and was totally inspired!
http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.ph...bly-Running-multiple-items-from-a-single-pump
this guy really has it together!

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

use the 120! re-task the 55 to a QT/Hospital tank. I found this some months ago and was totally inspired!
http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.ph...bly-Running-multiple-items-from-a-single-pump
this guy really has it together!

Yeah on my last tank I had a small mainfold that I mainly used for my skimmer and for draining the tank for water changes... the idea was to eventually add a smaller tank for breeding clownfish to it as well but I never got that far. It will be part of this setup.

The QT is a good idea but what would I need at a minimum to support? It would have to have separate water/filtration, etc from the main setup. I don't want to be running a full on tank on a separate setup.

 

[troywalkerphoto]

I don't know about that. I would assume that a return line with a strong inline uv sterilizer would do the trick but you know what they say about assumptions. Also the flow would have to be right in order to kill any and all pathogens. I would ask another large setup MR Member.

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

that's something i'll have to look into. right now i'm thinking of using the 55 for the refugium

 

[lnevo]

Since the 55 is already setup with baffles i would use that as the sump. If your new skimmer doesn't fit run it externally use the 120 as a fuge. You could partition it if you want to use half for frags half for macro. Or half macro half for clown breeding all kinds of possibilities.

 

[thirty6]

Since the 55 is already setup with baffles i would use that as the sump. If your new skimmer doesn't fit run it externally use the 120 as a fuge. You could partition it if you want to use half for frags half for macro. Or half macro half for clown breeding all kinds of possibilities.

+1
Turn that 120 into a wicked display fuge! Have some unique fish in it or mantis shrimp

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

Or half macro half for clown breeding all kinds of possibilities.

Loving this idea!

I don't really have the space to make it a display fuge though as thirty6 suggests... also if you recall the center brace on the 120 long was broken and had a piece of steel put over the top to hold it together, not exactly display quality

When the 120 was setup I epoxied the brace and it held for a couple of months, then one night a loud pop woke me up, didn't think anything of it until I saw the front glass of the tank bowing out the next morning!!! The brace immediately went back on lol

 

[lnevo]

Oh right. I remember. Is there enough of the trim to drill holes. I saw a nice brace replacement mod with clear acrylic. It had two holes drilled on each side and attached the brace with nylon screws and nuts..

For a display sump, you said it was gonna be in basement? It would still be a display who cares about the steel brace.

 

[d5332]

IMO if the 55 can accommodate the equipment that you will put in it then save your self the trouble of gluing 2 3 4 5 baffles into the 120.

If the 55 will not allow you to perform maintenance easily then turn the 120 into a more comfortable work station.

If you turn the 120 into a sump you can easily add a baffle and use 30% of it for a refugium if you are into having one.

The 55 can be your QT / acclimation tank.

The simpler the better time and money wise.

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

IMO if the 55 can accommodate the equipment that you will put in it then save your self the trouble of gluing 2 3 4 5 baffles into the 120.

If the 55 will not allow you to perform maintenance easily then turn the 120 into a more comfortable work station.

If you turn the 120 into a sump you can easily add a baffle and use 30% of it for a refugium if you are into having one.

The 55 can be your QT / acclimation tank.

The simpler the better time and money wise.

Good points... I also remembered I still have my 54g bow tank so I can throw that in the mix somehow if needed as well. I gave Samsky a deposit for his skimmer so I'll see how that fits once I pick it up and then decide.

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

Oh right. I remember. Is there enough of the trim to drill holes. I saw a nice brace replacement mod with clear acrylic. It had two holes drilled on each side and attached the brace with nylon screws and nuts..

For a display sump, you said it was gonna be in basement? It would still be a display who cares about the steel brace.

I think it would depend on how wide the brace replacement is as well... being in the basement though I'm not overly concerned with having the bracket since my basement is unfinished it fits right in lol