Jordan's 55 Gallon Reef!

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Just a thought, do you know the manufacturer of the tank? Definitely want to make sure the glass isn't tempered before you go drilling.. Also you could use the polarized glasses method to see if its tempered or not
 
Ahhhh. That's why I need you guys. Lol. I wouldn't have even thought about it. What difference does it make if its tempered? I'm guessing it will shatter? Also, I'm not sure of the manufacturer but I do know that them glass isn't as thick as some I've seen. Could that be a hint as to whether it is tempered or not? How would I test it?

Kevin, you'll probably need a bigger one someday with all those corals you have and thank you for having faith in me! :)
 
If its tempered it will shatter and your day will be ruined :) I believe the only ways to knowing its tempered are the two I mentioned above, but I could be wrong.. If you have polarized sunglasses, or at least know someone who does, then you can do a quick google search on what to look for.. I've never done it and can't really remember.
 
aadair22 said:
If its tempered it will shatter and your day will be ruined :) I believe the only ways to knowing its tempered are the two I mentioned above, but I could be wrong.. If you have polarized sunglasses, or at least know someone who does, then you can do a quick google search on what to look for.. I've never done it and can't really remember.
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Thanks. :) this is something I found. Is this the method you were talking about?

http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?9542-How-to-tell-if-glass-is-tempered
 
jmay33 said:
Thanks! I won't be home for a few days. So I don't really have any tank updates. As soon as I'm home I will update and hopefully figure out whether its tempered or not.
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Awesome! Hope it is.. I have a DIY PVC overflow and even though it does work, I absolutely hate it!! I cannot wait to get a drilled tank..
 
Don’t listen to negative opinions. Your reef tank is yours, not theirs.
Bigger is better! More costly to startup, but the more water you have the more stable the system is.

I too wanted to start with a 55 gallon, but after 9 months of research, I went with a 120 gallon.My tank is almost a year old, and I can go at least two weeks without water changes, and there is no change in water parameters.

Drilling your glass is not that hard. Scary, but I did it. There are a ton of videos out there. Check bulkreefsupply.com. They have a few.

In my opinion, I would drill the back glass. Aquacave.com sells overflow boxes for this application. Back glass is less likely to be tempered, and if your weir box or bulkhead should fail, your tank won’t be emptied. You would never want to drain all the water in your tank out would you? Then why put a hole in the bottom? Just for thought. :)

I'm sure all of us could help you with the plumbing part. Rule of thumb… “Two drains, one return.” You want two drains that will drain twice as much as your return can put out. That way under any circumstance, if one should plug, the other could withstand anything the pump can throw at it.

I run a 1” return, 1 ½” drain. If I could start over and do it all again I would choose the path I just explained.

Not sure if you have a RODI unit yet or not, but would be a cheap and smart investment. Having 50+ gallons of mixed saltwater on hand is good for emergencies. 30+ RODI gallons is good too. I keep (2) 55g Drums of SW, (2) 32 gallon BRUTE trashcans of RODI.

If you need help with an ATO, let me know. I can show you how to make one from stuff you have probably laying around in your house.

If you have any questions, just let us know. There are lots of great reefers on here. Asking someone with experience and a POSITIVE attitude, will gain you the knowledge you are looking for.

Good Luck my friend!
 
Thank you guys for all of the advice! I appreciate it a lot. I don't have much experience with all of this stuff. (ATO, sump, etc.) I cannot have a sump unless I can drill my tank. (I don't think the $350 deposit I put down to keep my tanks will cover the damage 100+ gallons of water would do. Lol.) so I'm praying and crossing my fingers that I can drill it! I don't have an RODI system. I'm not sure how that would work in my apartment. It doesn't have to be actually installed right? Are there different kinds? That's another thing I would like to invest in for this tank. Here's a list of stuff I'm thinking I will want(if my tank is drillable):

-Tank for sump
-Glass to build baffles
-Another skimmer
-ATO
-return pump + plumbing
-Canopy (still throwing around thoughts on lights) -Chaeto(sp?)
-Much more live rock
-sand (thoughts on pool filter and play sand?)
-RODI system
-refractometer
-large trash bins to hold water

I'm positive this list will grow. Lol. Do you think my two 800 gph power heads will be enough or should I plan on getting some more? If I can have a sump, I would really like to put most of my equipment in there.

Any suggestions or advice on other equipment I need? I'm positive I've left something out. Lol. And thanks again for reading my novel. :) :fish1:
 
You don't have to drill, you can get hang on back overflow boxes. Also for return pump the standard I found was 10x tank volume in flow with the appropriate head loss. So for you 1000gph at probably about 5-6 feet. As far as the rodi system you can get smaller countertop type units that just hook up to your faucet, little better option for a renter.
 
kdpuffer said:
You don't have to drill, you can get hang on back overflow boxes. Also for return pump the standard I found was 10x tank volume in flow with the appropriate head loss. So for you 1000gph at probably about 5-6 feet. As far as the rodi system you can get smaller countertop type units that just hook up to your faucet, little better option for a renter.
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I can't do that. If my electricity goes off, which it does CONSTANTLY, I can't have gravity draining my tank in my apartment. Please tell me if that wouldn't happen. Lol. I def could be wrong.

I'm excited to hear that they have RODI systems like that! Can they all be that way? I don't know anything about them, really. Only that I would really like to have one. Any thoughts on this one?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006JKO9W/ref=mw_dp_mpd?pd=1&qid=1368452407&sr=8-2
 
I lose power at my house constantly and run a CPR overflow with an aqualifter. Never had any issues regarding losing power. You just want to unhook the aqualifter and use a paper clip to clean it out to prevent it from getting clogged.
Either way, if you plan it well, you won't overflow. I lost siphon when I burned out an aqualifter once and the sump drained into the display, didn't overflow due to slow moving water through it and small return section. It's all about planning when power outages can destroy equipment.
 
Sniperhank said:
I lose power at my house constantly and run a CPR overflow with an aqualifter. Never had any issues regarding losing power. You just want to unhook the aqualifter and use a paper clip to clean it out to prevent it from getting clogged.
Either way, if you plan it well, you won't overflow. I lost siphon when I burned out an aqualifter once and the sump drained into the display, didn't overflow due to slow moving water through it and small return section. It's all about planning when power outages can destroy equipment.
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Ahhhh. That's such a good thing to hear! Thank you! Is this the one you have?


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YD2LE6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1368453672&sr=8-2&pi=SL75
 
Yes it is. Great product IMO. Just remember to keep up on the cleaning. The air hole getting clogged will burn out the aqualifter, but will drastically decrease water flow and I've had it build up in the dt. I just clean it out weekly to be safe.
 
Sniperhank said:
Yes it is. Great product IMO. Just remember to keep up on the cleaning. The air hole getting clogged will burn out the aqualifter, but will drastically decrease water flow and I've had it build up in the dt. I just clean it out weekly to be safe.
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Oh my goodness. Awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will do some research. I would rather be able to drill it but I am so so excited about this option!! I want a sump for this tank so bad!
 
Sniperhank said:
Agreed. I'd kill for a drilled tank, but until then this does a great job.
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I'm excited. :) I'm thinking a 30-40 gallon sump? I could use my 55, I guess. It doesn't have a center brace and that may make it easier.
 
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