Advice - What Would You Do??

[Smacky021]

Okay so I joined this forum about a 1 - 2 montha ago and started researching Saltwater Fish Tanks, well i was researching prior to joining. I have been looking on Craigslist searching for some deals, 1 month goes by and i come across 2 tanks & 2 pumps for what seemed like a good deal. So i pick them up. 1 Tank is 90gal, the other is a 75gal, and 2 Mak4 A40LX pumps.

My proposed setup for the 90gal is a FOWLR setup. The tank is drilled in the bottom back corner of the tank. For flooring I was gonna line the bottom of the tank with some black egg crate. Then the thought of a light bedding of sand could be an option.

I'm not sure about how to setup, in which order the sump, pumps, and protein skimmer. Like would it go... drain line < sump < pump < skimmer < pump < return line?? Also can you piggyback 2 pumps or is that not a good thing to do. ie. Pump < plumbing < pump < etc...

Sumps, I'm thinking on the 30 - 50 gal range. I was going to do a baffled sump/refug/skimmer setup like on Melevs site but someone had mentioned all I needed for the setup i'm looking for is a 30-40gal wet/dry sump and some bioballs & a skimmer.

Skimmer size, i'm looking at ones that are capable of supplimenting a 125-150gal tank. is that over kill or not because the total volume of the system is gonna be just shy of the 150gal mark?

I'm also thinking of teeing of the return line and coming over the top of the back of the tank with some split flexible ball socket tubing. is that a fesible solution if is can work all of the plumbing out?

I'm going to be building my own stand and i'd like to plan this out so that everything fits nice in the stand.

Is an RO/DI system necessary for a FOWLR System? I was looking at Melev's site and was leaning towards the 100gpd setup

Lighting i haven't gotten to yet...

I am in the process of moving so nothing is going to be done anytime soon but that just gives me more time to plan everything out to a T.

Livestock.. Lionfish, Pufferfish, Tuskfish, Clownfish...

Thanks in Advance and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

 

[David S]

Welcome to the club
Are you setting up both tanks or are you going to use the 75 as the sump as it would work great,you dont really need a fuge as long as you use plenty of liverock in your tank and sump.
if using a fuge the order is as follows
drain to first section of fuge which has the skimmer then baffles,1st baffle has gap at bottom,2nd gap at top,3rd gap at bottom the onto to dead section, miracle mud/live sand with macro algae(i would suggest LS)then one partition with gap at top and onto last section which has LR (small pieces and return pump,If you look at my photo's i hav a refugium there,but note the baffles are the wrong way round.
I personally wouldn't go with the fuge I'd stick with the sump.
bio balls not sure,I've just gone with two sumps 20% of water goes to sump with LS and cheato(macro algae) 80% goes to skimmer section which also has the heater and return pump inand LR rubble.
definately go with at least an RO unit or RO/DI unit.