Newbie Help

[Hairytank]

Welcome,

I did the same thing a long time ago and kept SW fish only with Live rock for about 10 years in my current 46 gal bow and it is pretty good, but I am in the process of looking for a larger (110gal) system as I want to move into corals. The 55 will likely be good to start with and see if Saltwater is something you want to stick with, but you have to ask yourself what do you want to be keeping in the tank? If it is fish and liverock, then as long as you stick with the right sized fish and stock levels (Imperator Angels would not be good. Up to15") you will be good, but if you want to try your hand at the more difficult corals then a larger system will be desirable, as this increases stability.

By the way, I initially tried to run the tank with canister filters and no sump. This worked OK, but in the long run you will kick yourself for not having a sump as it is less work overall. I found that canisters can be a pain to maintain properly and therefore can cause elevated nitrate levels and therefore algae issues. Just look up information regarding canisters and nitrate on the web for more info.

I am using a LifeReef Overflow box and had some very good success (no floods), but again in the long run it is better to have the tank drilled. This will prevent some of the potential problems involving flooding.

The Coralife Skimmers are notorious for overflowing if they don't have 1) constant water levels 2) the air intake nozzle cleaned every month/week. In fact, I cleaned up a total of two floods due to my CL SS 65, my wife was not happy...This was when I was using it as a hang off the back. If you have a sump, you can hang them on the inside of the sump, therefore removing any flooding issues. They are OK skimmers, in terms of pulling gunk, but again in the long run you will likely switch over to an in sum skimmer.. Having said all that, "don't look a gift skimmer in the collection cup" it is a good start, just keep it clean and maybe even a safety bucket underneath.

Well, those are my long winded thoughts...

[Lance]

I ran a 90 gal. for a couple of months with no sump. (only had a few fish, softies, and LPS at the time) I used a large canister filter and cleaned it twice a week, along with weekly 20% water changes. It worked fairly well but was a pain in the a$$. A lot of work to keep water parameters decent.
When I finally got the overflow, sump and skimmer installed the tank water was much clearer, (no scum on the surface), and the maintenance is much easier. Fewer water changes; less algae; equipment is easier to get at in the sump; dosing is easier, etc. etc. I would never go sumpless again. Not even for a short period of time. I would rather wait if I had to than set up a tank without a sump.

[md14]

Hey thanks alot guys, I really appreciate it..

I dont know if it's just going to be easier to to buy a tank with a corneroverflow.. or do it all my self.. seems like a pain to drill and construct an overflow.

I'll look into it I guess, if anybody sees anything in calgary in terms of a tank let me know!

Thanks!

(Wow this completley just went over my head... what about an overflow box? like a Lifereef are they any good?)

[Midknight]

One important thing is to check the glass on the tank first.
If it is a Hagen Tank the bottom is going to be tempered and can not be drilled. So you have to drill the back.
Also being a freshwater tank for so long you have to be careful because if you have use copper based medical treatments in the past the residue could be toxic to your corals.

I am using that skimmer and I have a 10g tank right below it... just in case it over flows... again.

[Hairytank]

LifeReef overflow boxes are one of the best as they do not require the lifters and pumps a CPR one requires so the siphon does not get broken. I have never had the siphon break on the LifeReef after a power outage or pump restart. There have been times though where the overflow could not keep up initially when the pump restarted and therefore the water in the tank was very high, near overflowing.

One other drawback of a HOB overflow is they don't seem to have the same flow capability a drilled tank would have. Finally, I am not a fan of the look, as there is a big box in your tank, which I find more obvious than the corner overflows.

A drilled tank is a better option, but a HOB overflow can work.
I have a LifeReef and it is easy, but I can't wait until I have a drilled tank and built in Herbie overflow.