I need your opinions...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Corals or New Sump?

  • New 40 gal Sump now

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • A few easy corals in a month

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

RLG2182

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
819
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Well... I'm at a crossroads right now. :? I have $100 to spend so far from bday money (I'm not short on cash to worry about caring for my tank... but it's money I want to blow so I don't get used to having it). I was thinking either I could save it for a month or two and pick up some easy corals... zoos/shrooms. OR... I could replace my 20L sump with a 40 gal tank & add baffles (36.5 x 15.5 x 17).

I want to add in a fuge regardless, but I was thinking of adding a secondary tank and connect it to my existing sump right now via a gravity feed/bulkhead with a T splitter line from my main sump pump... about $10 total to set it up. If I did the new sump, I could just add in a fuge baffle and have one big unit.

What would you guys do? Go with some corals since I already have a perfectly good sump? Or would you get a bigger sump even though you'd only really be adding another ~~15 gal or so in total volume, replacing something you already have. I'm lost... any .02 would help!! :D
 
Buy the new sump (which should eat up only about $50-$60 of your cash), sell the old one, combine the cash and save another 2-4 weeks, then pick up a couple of corals.
 
I have a 40 gallon sump but a 125 tank. The twenty you have now i feel should be big enough for your 60. Maybe someone will chime in with bigger is better. Good luck
 
This may help... the 40gal tank is going for $50, plus about $35 for the glass of baffles. I have the silicon... but this is THE cheapest price I could find. Nothing on ebay here, nor 2 weeks worth of yard sales. So $85-90 for the tank setup (If I don't want it drilled)

Thanks for the quick replies! :D
 
I would say that if your nitrates are staying low without problem and you're free from nuscience algae then I'd go ahead and get in line for the corals (My first frags went in at about 10w). If you've got any of the above issues I'd deal with the sump/fuge first and make sure your trates are steady and low.
 
I tested before I did my last water change... posted it a few days ago.

0 am
0 trite
0-5 trate... barely.
SG 1.024
Temp: 79-81F

Going to get a few more test kits anyways. Moonlights/canopy fans on the way.
 
I say go for the sump now. It will help your sytem in the long-run. Once the sump is up and all is well, you can start saving for corals.
 
:lol:

Yeah... that's pretty much the road I was going down. I'm good at DIY, and enjoy making stuff better... so I figured I would go down that route. Just wanted to get other people's opinions... since I AM replacing something that works 100% well for my system. Maybe now I can add to my 20 lbs of LR rubble in my sump.

At least soon I'll be able to say I have a "100 gal" tank. hah. :D

Now I just need to find a light suitable for a fuge. Will a regular incandescent work with a grow bulb?
 
o find a light suitable for a fuge. Will a regular incandescent work with a grow bulb?[/quote] Nope, sorry....go with a [acronym="Compact Flourescent"]CF.
 
Hmm... interesting. I just ask because most of the pics I see of fuge's have grow bulbs in a pendant/clip on fixture like you'd have for a reptile. All the reasearch I do doesn't lead me to a final answer on what to get. Anyone have a simple product link to steer myself in the right direction? Thanks!!
 
Back
Top Bottom