nwsharksfan
Aquarium Advice Activist
Currently I have a 55 g reef tank with 55 lbs live rock, duncan coral, toadstool, acan that survived on the live rock when purchased, mushrooms, clove polyps, a clownfish, royal dottyback, and a goby. No sump. I have a reef octopus 100 hob skimmer and a phosphate reactor. I am moving all this to a 92 gallon corner tanks (not drilled) and I have a few questions:
1) so far I put about 25 lbs of the live rock from the 55 into the 92. 92 is filled with fresh RO water (with salt mix obviously) and has been brought to the proper temp. Also added some sand from the 55 to the 80 lbs of virgin sand i added to the 92. How much and how long of a cycle can I expect? The live rock was out of water for all of about 1 1/2 minutes while i scrubbed off some undesirables. When can I start moving over the inhabitants of the 55?
2) I am balking at setting up a sump for two reasons. First, it will cost about $200 for the sump (I'm not handy enough to build my own), $75 for an overflow box, guessing $75 for the return pump and a bit more for any other plumbing. And once all this is done then there's the fear of a overflow. The power goes out here often. I was thinking that instead of $350-$400 for a sump I can get a "plug and play" hob refugium for $160. Thoughts? Can I make due with just the HOB skimmer and phosphate reactor?
1) so far I put about 25 lbs of the live rock from the 55 into the 92. 92 is filled with fresh RO water (with salt mix obviously) and has been brought to the proper temp. Also added some sand from the 55 to the 80 lbs of virgin sand i added to the 92. How much and how long of a cycle can I expect? The live rock was out of water for all of about 1 1/2 minutes while i scrubbed off some undesirables. When can I start moving over the inhabitants of the 55?
2) I am balking at setting up a sump for two reasons. First, it will cost about $200 for the sump (I'm not handy enough to build my own), $75 for an overflow box, guessing $75 for the return pump and a bit more for any other plumbing. And once all this is done then there's the fear of a overflow. The power goes out here often. I was thinking that instead of $350-$400 for a sump I can get a "plug and play" hob refugium for $160. Thoughts? Can I make due with just the HOB skimmer and phosphate reactor?