starting up again soon - sump question

[evil Nick]

So Im going to try my hand at a reef again but try things a bit different.

I picked up a 20 long to attempt drilling again. Yes I cracked the first one. MY question is what size sump do you guys think Ill need?

My stock will primarily be corals and inverts. Maybe a TINY fish or two, like small damsels or one mandarin/dragonettes (I plan on building a feeder for them).

Im going to utilize the majority of my rock from last time in the sump with minimal pieces in the display for easier removal and cleaning in case that dreaded algea ever reappears.

Im thinking I might try to get another 20 long that can be half full incase the return pump ever dies it can more than hold the run off until the tanks overflows are safe.

Thanks

[Sniperhank]

The answer for the sump size is as big as you can fit. A larger water column will mean more room for error and assist with diluting any issues that would arise.
I'd skip on both damsels and dragonettes, due to aggression and feeding habits. There are lots of neat fish out there, like some of the different gobies that will perch around the tank.

[carey]

I'd also caution against the damsels, they can be mean little guys and a small tank would let them abuse each other/anything else in the tank easily. I speak from experiecne with the mandarin, unless you have a boatload of pods, a mature refugium AND a way to sustain BOTH I would pass on it. I am always tempted to get another one but I know the odds are against me getting a second winner of a mandarin. lol ( mine eventually ate everything and everything including pellets but took YEARS)

Good luck!

[evil Nick]

thanks guys. When I say damsels I literally mean 2 and ONLY damsels so they arent tearing up other fish in the tanks.
When I say a madarin I mean just one or 2 mandarins ONLY (no other fish) and then making a feeder for them. Ive done a lot of research on them and have seen a bunch of neat feeder builds using brine shrimp and such. I would also keep a VERY steady supply of copes in the sump and in a feeder box in the tank itself.

The way I see it is there are mandarins (sadly) in the store. Better I than someone else to at least attempt to take good care of them. Every time I bring a fish (mind you fresh) back to the store because it outsized my tank they are always in awe at the color and size/health of them and it resells in less than a week.

speaking of which I have a discuss in my 29 planted (PLEASE dont ask) that really should be rehomed to a larger tank again. He was raised in my 55 with angels before I broke it all down. Hes a pretty cool fish and I hate to be rid of him because he actually seems to be the peace keeper in the tank now but I cant let him spend the rest of his life in there, even if he eats VERY well. If anyone is in the CT area and willing to take him let me know, pass it along.