54 Gallon Corner Unit Sump HELP!?

[jmsandy]

Hello all, I have just started to get into this saltwater craze! I have recently purchased a 54 gallon all glass reef ready corner bowfront overflow tank with stand.

What I have for the equipment is as follows:

- 10 gallon tank for sump
- Protein Skimmer
- two tubes (one large one for the I dont know what and one small one for the pump I think)
Pump
Wet/Dry Bio Ball filter
Heater
24''Coralife 136 watt light w/led moon light
and the plumbing kit that came with the tank


I am going to get about 75 lbs of live rock for the tank, live sand, two clowns, a small yellow tang, a small koran angel or coral beauty (whatever you guys think is best), and a couple gobbies, and some soft coral (limited) and some anenames

FIRST, does everything sound ok?

SECOND, HOW IN THE HELL DO I PUT THIS PUMP TOGETHER I AM SOO CONFUSED AND HAVE FOUND NO HELP ON THE INTERNET!!

PLEASE HELP!

 

[metalac]

Is your tank made for a sump? built-in overflow, etc? if not you're going to have to get an external overflow box that will essentially syphon the water from your main tank down into the sump. You just have to do some pvc plumbing to get it down into the sump. You stick that plumbing into one corner and then you get a pump that is on the same order as the overflow in terms of gph and put it on the other corner of the sump and plumb it to return water back into the main tank.

Few issues with your setup:
- sump might be a bit too small, it will get crowded with all the equipment. I have a 55 gallon main tank and 20 gallon sump and I wish I got a bigger sump.
- I'd go without those ball filters they seem to cause a lot of problems, live rock and skimmer should be sufficient.

 

[jmsandy]

Yes it has a built in overflow.
Everything fits into the ten gallon sump. So if it all fits do you think there will be problems?

You really think that getting rid of the filter (bio balls etc) is necessary? I want a really clean and low maintenance tank, so you dont think I should include a filter?

 

[metalac]

if everything fits and you don't plan on adding stuff then you're ok. Did you make any baffles in the sump yet? they tend to take up space as well.

The issue with bio balls seems that they work fine at first but then they tend to put a lot of that dirt back into the water in the end. With skimmer and maybe some carbon you should have a pretty clean tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Can you post any pictures of what you're working with? That might help.

I know space is at a premium in a 54 corner, but I think a ten galllon will be too small. You're going to have issues with bubbles getting into the return pump since there isn't much space for the bubbles to rise to the top before getting to the other side of the tank. Baffles would help a lot, but as someone else mentioned, they are going to take up space too.

HTH,
JP

 

[SnowManSnow]

You may consider taking out the bioballs to add to your sump size. it sounds like this was bought direcely from a big name petstore, like petco or petsmart. most reefers will just skim and use LR as filtration. You can prolly take the tubs out too.

10g isn't a lot of room.. but if its all u got... well it's all u got.

I'm with the last post. les c some pictures.

 

[jmsandy]

Allright yall, I took your advice and went to my LFS tonight. I exchanged the ten gallon tank for a twenty gallon sump tank (I iwll have to cut out some pieces of the stand to allow my sump to fit but I think I can make it work)

I took back the bio ball filter and my previous small skimmer. I now own a Euro Reef RS80 skimmer with a ballaster separating the protein skimmer from the 5 mag pump, I also added this sock thingy which hangs on the side of my tank to filtrate some of the dirt from the tank.

Any comments concerns?

 

[metalac]

WOOOOWWWW HOLD

DOn't cut up your stand. Post the pictures up lets see how sturdy that thing is. Last thing you want is that thing collapsing under the weight.

 

[jmsandy]

ha ha ok ok ok, I iwll take pics, I dont have a camera except on my cell phone, so I gotta figure out a way to show you guys the pics... It is a corner stand, imagine a trivial pursuit pie piece, that is what the stand shape is...SOOOO dont cut up the stand, I was planning on just cutting two pieces out of each side to allow the tank to slide in?

 

[mr_X]

you mean just removing the cosmetic covers on the sides to get the tank in?
i think as long as you don't cut the support wood, you'll be ok. or you could even get a few 2 x 4's and double up the support wood, if you are removing the cosmetic outer cover.

what i think you've explained so far is that you want to know what those large and small tubes are that came with the tank? that is a durso standpipe setup to help quiet down the overflow, so it doesn't sound like niagra falls in your house.
http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

you did the right thing returning the wet/dry filter and getting the skimmer.
live rock, and a good protein skimmer(which you have) is all most people use for filtration. the filter sock is good, just keep an eye on it. they seem to get cruddy pretty quick. i use filter socks, and i have to replace mine every other day or so. i alternate 3...and keep putting them in the washing machine without soap.

 

[jmsandy]

Ok yall, The system is set up! Does it matter in what order I put the items? As or right now I have the sock filter then the protein skimmer then a foam brick, then the sump. I have all the piping and tubes connected and ready to go. I did not glue/tape anything so I am hoping that the piping does not come loose or anything, with an overflow system such as mine that would not be a good thing.. ANY suggestions/ideas before I start aquascaping?

What is the best way to keep the black background on the tank? Clear tape seems sort of ghetto and one can see parts of it.

Also, any hints or advice when I set up my liverock/livesand?

 

[jmsandy]

And Mr. X, yes I just knocked out the cosmetic covers. The tree thicker pieces of wood are still intact. I just knocked out the two covers so I can put the 20 gallon in there.

Any hints for the live rock? I think I am going to do about forty lbs of base rock and then forty lbs of good marshall rock.

 

[metalac]

Any hints for the live rock? I think I am going to do about forty lbs of base rock and then forty lbs of good marshall rock.

If possible try to get more live rock. In my 55 I have 65lbs of live rock and maybe 20lbs of base rock. It seems that about 1 to 1.5lbs/gal is what people recommend. Then again I don't think there was a direct comparison of the two. The only reason I'd do this is because if later you find you need more live rock it might be hard to add and cycle rock in an established tank.

 

[jmsandy]

Sorry, I should restate what i just said, the forty lbs I am using as base rock is DRIED live rock. I am buying it off a guy and it is Fiji rock but has been out of hte water for a month or so....Still think the same thing though??

 

[mr_X]

what did you mean by "I did not glue/tape anything so I am hoping that the piping does not come loose or anything"?
do you mean that you connected pvc fittings with just your hand pressure?
i don't think i would trust that sort of construction, if infact that's what you meant.
can you take a picture of your setup and post it here?

if you can afford it, i wouldn't buy any dead rock.

 

[jmsandy]

Mr. X,

Ok do NOT buy dead live rock. Gotcha I will turn down the offer made. Second, I glued the pipe that returns the water to my tank but I did not glue or tape any of th piping and bulkheads together, rather just turned them tightly. Would you suggest going back in and gluing it?

 

[metalac]

Yeah definitley glue them. It's not that hard and it gives you a peace of mind. and yeah that dead rock is DEAD and ti will be dead for time to come. It will probably take a couple of years for it to come back to it's former glory

 

[jmsandy]

wow, ok I did not know that. Thank you guys for all your advice, I really do appreciate it.

 

[metalac]

wow, ok I did not know that. Thank you guys for all your advice, I really do appreciate it.

No problem man. I started my reef adventure only few months ago and asking around here has proven VERY useful, saved me a lot of trial and error type of experimenting.

 

[SnowManSnow]

Dead rock isn't bad as long as you have LR in there with it. I built an entire structure with only the TOP layer of rock being LR. The rest was what I call base rock. IN a few months pods and coraline will be all over it anyway. Just make sure it wasn't used in a tank that had been medicated in anyway.

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