coffeetwitch
Aquarium Advice Addict
hello all,
this is all very overwhelming. ive read so much with so many conflicting opinions. ive done searches with dead ends.
so this in now where im at... i will be moving my oscars into their new 125 gallon tank, which leaves me with an empty 55 gallon aquarium, sweety pie and i would like to start our first ever saltwater aquarium. probably a fowlr tank with the option to do the eminent reef down the road. (given that we dont find a 100 gallon tank before then) we have come to terms that this will take a while to get everything up and going and collecting all the necessary bits and pieces. but thats part of the problem... what are all the bits and pieces?
i know i want a sump of some sort but dont want to pay the lfs for the $300 wet/dry they have stacked in a corner. i am very handy and diy is very much an option. what is a good overflow box that everyone can recommend? then from the overflow to the sump... what kind of sump? how big? ive read a refugium is the way to go, any recommendations on that? ive read that wet/drys are not so much reef filters. how big of pump to return the water to the aquarium? recommendations on a protein skimmer? power heads to circulate the water for the live rock. recommendations on brands and models would be great. am i missing anything?
now a little tongue in cheek, one of our lfs guys suggested a canister filter with crushed live rock will do the job until we can put together some sort of sump system. thoughts on that?
thanks for reading and thank you to those who reply with direction and advice.
this is all very overwhelming. ive read so much with so many conflicting opinions. ive done searches with dead ends.
so this in now where im at... i will be moving my oscars into their new 125 gallon tank, which leaves me with an empty 55 gallon aquarium, sweety pie and i would like to start our first ever saltwater aquarium. probably a fowlr tank with the option to do the eminent reef down the road. (given that we dont find a 100 gallon tank before then) we have come to terms that this will take a while to get everything up and going and collecting all the necessary bits and pieces. but thats part of the problem... what are all the bits and pieces?
i know i want a sump of some sort but dont want to pay the lfs for the $300 wet/dry they have stacked in a corner. i am very handy and diy is very much an option. what is a good overflow box that everyone can recommend? then from the overflow to the sump... what kind of sump? how big? ive read a refugium is the way to go, any recommendations on that? ive read that wet/drys are not so much reef filters. how big of pump to return the water to the aquarium? recommendations on a protein skimmer? power heads to circulate the water for the live rock. recommendations on brands and models would be great. am i missing anything?
now a little tongue in cheek, one of our lfs guys suggested a canister filter with crushed live rock will do the job until we can put together some sort of sump system. thoughts on that?
thanks for reading and thank you to those who reply with direction and advice.