New 75 gal saltwater tank

[lmmosk]

Two weeks ago I started a 28 gal nano and things are going great and I am loving it.

As luck would have it, my aquarium store was having a big anniversary sale and I won the drawing for a 75 gal tank setup. The package came with the tank, stand, Deep Blue Solarmax HE 248 light (which they said was sufficient for salt water but I could add a second if I got into higher end corals), Deep Blue 300w heater and a Deep Blue Clarity plus in tank subermersible uv sterilizer. I definately have the saltwater bug and want to set up this new one but the need to minimize costs as this was totally unexpected. I am pretty sure I want a sump system but know very little about setting one up. I know I can get all the equipment at my aquarium store but will pay a premium. I just don't want to be rude and take up their time telling me what I need and then go buy it online because it is cheaper.

I know I need live rock, sand, and water which I will buy at my aquarium store. I know I need a sump, protein skimmer, and overflow box. What brand / size should I get of each that is cost effective and simple enough for a saltwater novice? What else do I need?

Thank you in advance for the advice.

Lori

[Gti_Leo]

reather then gettign an overflow box ,have the tank drilled for overflows, they are lessheadaches and less to setup then a hang on over flow box. you can build a DIY sump, they are pretty simple and inexpensive.

skimmers you can go with a reef octopus, i recommend double your system size, so if you have a 75g and a 30g sump i recommend atleast a 210g rated skimmer. it'll help keep your water clean and help keep nitrates to a minimum.

as far as rock you could always get dry base rock and seed that wil about 10% of live rock

[lmmosk]

Gti_Leo thanks for the quick response.

I was told I couldn't have the tank drilled because the glass is already tempered - is that correct? Where does one take a tank to have it drilled for future reference?

I am nervous about building my own sump. Is it really that much cheaper?

I thought about the dry rock to save money. How long will it take the tank to cycle and get to adding the fun stuff if I use dry rock? Can I start a tank with some live rock and some dry? Will it really save any significant money?

[Gti_Leo]

i cycled 20lbs of dry lace rock in 3 weeks, didn't use an ammonia course just used the organics that were already on it and once they decomposed that started the cycle.

a DIY sump is simply just a fish tank with some 1/4 acrylic dividers which you can easily get from homedepot, and some 100% silicone.

as far as drilling usually its just the bottoms that are tempered the backs and sides are just regulare glass but find out before hand, you don't want to shatter the glass under an assumption. you can buy over flow kits that come with the box and hole saws.

1500 gph complete kit - Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff

[maxst2]

If the tank is tempered then your SOL on drilling it. A way to check is to put on polarized sunglasses and like when you look at a windshield of a car you see like dots... it'll look like that on the tank as well.

if not... Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff

go there and get a setup