Upgrading to a bigger tank...help needed please.

[VoiceOfReason]

Hello everyone!

My first post in your forum. I look forward to trading notes with all of you!

I've currently got a FOWLR 18 gallon tall tank with an Eclipse 1. 30 lbs of live rock, 30 lbs of live sand and a CPR Bak Pak 2 protein skimmer.

I just found a 55 gallon (48x13x20) SeaClear acrylic tank and stand for $50 so I decided to pick it up. I'm trying to plan out a migration to this new tankand hoping you can guys can offer some advice. I'm eventually upgrading to a 125 gallon corner tank, so my hope is that I can leverage my upcoming purchases for use in that setup eventually.

1) Filtration - what type of setup should I consider? Perhaps a setup with a skimmer built in (sell my old one?)?
2) Lighting - I'd like to host some corals in the new tank. Something for my pair of perculas!
3) Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Jeff

 

[ASpec]

1) If the tank is drilled, I'd suggest a wet/dry, sump, refugium. Your current skimmer should do fine with the new tank.

2) You really need to look into MH if you want to keep corals, or at least some very high wattage PC.

3) Yes. You'll need more LR and some additional sand. If the tank is not drilled you may consider an overflow box, or skipping the "filter" and using the LR/LS/Skimmer as your only filtration. And keep the 18 gallon and convert it into a QT tank.

That's a great deal on the tank/stand your getting, and welcome to AA.

 

[austinsdad]

Don't know if your lighting for a 55g and the ultimate 125 corner tank (?) would be interchangeable - in terms of size and wattage. I didn't know there was a 125g corner.

Anyway, I'd suggest reading Robert Fenner's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" for a good overview of fishkeeping. The best approach I could recommend is to reseacrh and determine your ultimate goals so that you can buy the right stuff the first time around and not have to but it again. Still, I'm thinking the hardware (light and filtration) between the 55g and 125 gallon may not be interchangeable. Maybe someone here could tell you that a 125g rated filter would work on a 55g for now. I wouldn't know.

I'd also recommend a QT tank setup.

And of course, welcome to AA!

 

[steve r]

if you are going to go with a corner eventually, metal halide would be a good choice. you can position the bulbs more easily than long PC or VHO bulbs. possibly a ballast that can run a couple of 175 watts or a 400 watt MH. i have no experience with MH, i just think it is a good idea with the future in mind. i wish i would have done that with my 29g.

the only other thing i can think of is flow. you will need a bunch more flow for the 55g. if you went with a sump you could put a SCWD on the return pump, or a closed loop system if you dont use a sump. i have the closed loop SCWD on my 29g. but again, i wish i had gone with a sump. i will be doing that soon

steve r

 

[VoiceOfReason]

Thanks AB, Austinsdad, and Steve R.

A few further comments and questions:
Q - What do you mean by "drilled" exactly??? (sorry still a newbie I guess!) There are no holes in the bottom if that is what you mean.
Q - If I can't "reuse" the filtration and/or lighting for the new tank, would it be a good idea to find used equipment if I'm looking to hold my costs down on this intermediate step? eBay?
Q - In terms of filtration, I'm a newbie because of my Eclipse experience to date. Anyone have a link to a wet/dry or sump product picture and overview worth looking at?
Q - My tank is clear. Has anyone ever painted an acrylic tank (black background)? If so, what sort of paint is safe on the acrylic?

C - I will check out Robert Fenner's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist"...thanks!
C - I do plan on keeping the other tank as a QT environment.
C - I was also hoping to add/build a hood for the lighting and keep the top of the tank clean (nothing hanging on like the skimmer I guess)
C - Here's a link to the tank I hope to have in the future (100 gallon pentagon instead):
http://www.exoticfish.com/details.cfm?cat=0|1978|1699|1709|1653&id=42651&
Its also pretty deep (24 in) so I would imagine that I'd be looking at some pretty high output lighting requirements?

Thanks so much for the responses and welcome!
Jeff

 

[VoiceOfReason]

Just a bump...anyone?

Sounds like a sump is the majority opinion. Would a setup like this make sense?
http://www.aquacrylics.com/150info.htm

I'm starting to think about using my 18 gallon for the sump. And buying a 10 gallon to use with my Eclipse hood for my QT tank.

1) Am I on the right track here?
2) Would I be able to hang my skimmer off the sump as well?
3) What other equipment would I need to buy (e.g. a pump to return water to the display)?

Thanks again for the advice and guidance!

 

[clowninround]

https://www82.safesecureweb.com/web...en=PROD&Product_Code=ACSU90&Category_Code=MSR That would work for your 55, also the one below it may fit undera 55 depending on how the stand is constructed...check out the dementions for it to see. The one thats rated for 150g might be your best bet since you are shooting for a 125. Infact, thats the one I am purchasing. I have a wet dry now and have had 0 problems until a few months ago when my nitrates started to creep on me. I think the thing thats cool about this one is that you can use the bioballs in the beginning and then slowly take them out once you are established and still have a good fuge/sump. The macroalgea that you grow is sopposed to naturally filter out nitrates and phosphates. Anyways, thats my next purchase.

 

[clowninround]

By the way a 125 corner sounds hot! I also agree with halides. I have vho's that work great for me, be with your dimensions (corner tank) I would think thats your best option. Gives ya more options coral wise too. Me, i do mostly softies and thats kinda where I am stuck unless I upgrade.

 

[bobajum]

Hey VoiceOfReason,

I'm starting a new 40g setup. When you get some we are both up and running with some coral...maybe we can do some coral frag trading. I'm in Long Beach so we're fairly close.

BTW, GL with the new setup and the guys on here give excellent advice.