I have two tanks, how would i set it up?

A

ado124

AC Members
Jan 5, 2006
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Alexandria,VA
I have two 29 gallon tanks and was wondering if could put together a SW tank. I was thinking about using one as the main tank and the other as a sump. would this be a wise idea? I'm really interested in starting a reef tank but am a little hesitant about purchasing a new tank.

What would i need to make this setup work or is this a bad idea?

all advice is welcome and greatly appreciated!

Andrew
 
interesting but no, i was looking for a more common set up. i guess my main question is, will it be a problem to have the sump and the tank the same size?
 
It could work nicely. You might think about having the second tank as a fuge, rather than a sump. A sump would be nice for keeping the skimmer and heater, but you could put an HOB skimmer on the fuge to keep it out of the display. The fuge can make an interesting ecosystem of its own, as well as providing nutrient export and a supply of plankton.

Here's a possible layout:
-Drill the display tank to have an overflow that goes to the tank below.
-Use plexiglas to divide the second tank into a refugium, and a smaller compartment for the return pump. There are lots of cheap PC lights you can use to grow macroalgae in the fuge.
-Use a submersible pump, like a mag 5, as a return.

There are certainly other possibilities. Keep the questions coming.
 
mogurnda, that sounds like a really good idea! the only compromise i would have with the system you suggested would be to use a HOB overflow or something else to get the water into the 'fuge. I'm a little hesistant about drilling into glass.

I have a metal stand and was thinking i'd put the display tank on top and the 'fuge/sump on the botttom with the skimmer,heater,return pump. Id let gravity take the water from the main tank to the sump/fuge. Does that sound like a decent set up?

How much lighting would i need if i wanted to keep beginners corals/LR/fish?

How much live rock? live sand?

I also noticed you're in my area and was wondering if you knew any good places to purchase fish/rock/supplies at a good price

Thanx alot!
 
I didn't notice you were local. :hi: There are several people around here with diamond drill bits who might be willing to drill if you change your mind.

Your setup sounds very good. You will also have access and viewing opportunities with the fuge that way. Try to rinse/wipe salt splash as much as you can, because the metal will really want to rust. It would be worth an extra coat or two of paint before you get the tanks set up.

If you want to do less demanding corals, I have seen good results with 2X65 watt PC fixtures, but there are many options. T5 seems to be really taking off, but I don't have enough personal experience yet to tell you what would be good for you. The way things usually go, you will be wanting more intense lights in no time, so it might be worth investing in a more intense HO T5 or metal halide setup at the outset.

For a reef, go with about 1.5 lbs/gallon live rock. I like a deep sand bed (DSB), innoculated with good live sand myself as well, but there are plent who like bare bottom tanks. If you go BB, a DSB in the fuge might be helpful.

You're lucky to be down in VA. There are a few good shops down there. Blue Ribbon Koi is new on the marine side of things, but Johnny is marketing aggressively toward us and he's winning a lot of business.

I am a member of WAMAS, which actually has a much larger representation in VA than Maryland or DC. The group is very helpful, especially with hardware stuff, so you might check the link in my sig. Just remember to jkeep coming back here to keep us updated :D

Let me know when you're ready for frags.
 
whoa thanks for the advice! i have a few more questions i was hoping you could help me with. What protein skimmer would you recommend? What lighting system would you recommend? Sorry about all the questions! im having a hard time finding good solid info about this stuff.

Do you have any experiences with "the reef tank" or "wallys"?


Andrew
 
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