getting very angry with my lfs

sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
So I just bought a 24 gallon tank for my 125 gallon tank. When I bought it yesterday someone at my lfs said it would be sufficient for a sump tank. Then today someone else from that same store is saying it might over flow. He is also the one that is telling me that he has his own business and builds sumps and will build one for me and will also break my cabinet so a bigger sump tank can fit... of course all of this is for a price. Just as a spent $300 on this crap for this tank he tells me I need other stuff. So what is everyone's opinion. Is this guy trying to get money out of me. Or will this sump truly not work and will overflow? Please answer... I'm on the verge of saying $&@# it with this new hobby.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3292616
So I just bought a 24 gallon tank for my 125 gallon tank. When I bought it yesterday someone at my lfs said it would be sufficient for a sump tank. Then today someone else from that same store is saying it might over flow. He is also the one that is telling me that he has his own business and builds sumps and will build one for me and will also break my cabinet so a bigger sump tank can fit... of course all of this is for a price. Just as a spent $300 on this crap for this tank he tells me I need other stuff. So what is everyone's opinion. Is this guy trying to get money out of me. Or will this sump truly not work and will overflow? Please answer... I'm on the verge of saying $&@# it with this new hobby.

Wow short fuse...If that is all it takes for you to give up and quit....you are in the wrong hobby for sure.
If you are just angry and blowing steam I understand...LFS does indeed want to make a buck. Yes unless you make some way to prevent an overflow..it will. Lots of folks on this site can walk you through it. Oh and everything costs money, lots of money. Another word for saltwater aquarium is money pit.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
He is trying to get money out of you but he also makes a good point. Sure you could make the 24G work but it's pretty small for use as a sump for a 120G tank. You really aren't going to fit an appropriate sized skimmer in there and it doesn't leave you much extra room for backflow into the tank.
I don't know what kind of skimmer your purchased or how big it is. But one option you may have at this point if you can't return the tank is to get a second tank to use as your refugium and plumb it to where it will drain into the sump tank.
One thing about this hobby is you really need to take the time to learn everything you can so that you can come up with a good plan of action before you start buying stuff. Many people don't realize this untill it's too late. You still have options though so don't give up yet.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
YEAH...Don't give up.....I bought a lot of USELESS stuff at first.....then I found this site...and have learned sooooo much....MOST...NOT ALL LFS are in a business to make money, so of course they are gonna recommend all kinds of stuff.....I found out that it is better to ask first HERE before making any large purchases....there are a lot of very helpful people here that can help you
I realize you have a size issue with your stand...so maybe as 2quills said...you can use the 24G, and something else....I am not a good DIY....LOL....he is.....give him the dimensions, and I bet he can help you out
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3292636
YEAH...Don't give up.....I bought a lot of USELESS stuff at first.....then I found this site...and have learned sooooo much....MOST...NOT ALL LFS are in a business to make money, so of course they are gonna recommend all kinds of stuff.....I found out that it is better to ask first HERE before making any large purchases....there are a lot of very helpful people here that can help you
I realize you have a size issue with your stand...so maybe as 2quills said...you can use the 24G, and something else....I am not a good DIY....LOL....he is.....give him the dimensions, and I bet he can help you out


Big + 1000
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292695
I didn't believe that until just last week. In 6 months I have spent well over $1000 and that doesn't include my tank, stand, or sand.

welcome to SWF! This year alone and I have an established tank..I did buy new lights $586.00...I have spent over $2000.00 on nothing else but fish food, additives and RO water ad some corals and maybe two fish..I have not added the newest purchase of 168.00
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I'm at a little over 2k with everything 8 months in and I only have 4 fish and a dozen corals so far :)
 
sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
I have no qualms with spending money. I have a problem with a store telling me i need this and this and this and then the day later saying eh it won't work. While you all tell me it will work. I am now considering you all my new lfs!!!!!
 
dc2mlbsm

dc2mlbsm

Member
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3292704
I have no qualms with spending money. I have a problem with a store telling me i need this and this and this and then the day later saying eh it won't work. While you all tell me it will work. I am now considering you all my new lfs!!!!!
You should take what the LFS tells you with a grain of salt...most only want your $$$. Ask us instead we just wanna see pics of your tank looking good
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by dc2mlbsm
http:///forum/post/3292708
You should take what the LFS tells you with a grain of salt...most only want your $$$. Ask us instead we just wanna see pics of your tank looking good
EXACTLY...none of us have anything to gain except for the satisfaction of you (and your fish) having a healthy tank....
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by dc2mlbsm
http:///forum/post/3292708
You should take what the LFS tells you with a grain of salt...most only want your $$$. Ask us instead we just wanna see pics of your tank looking good
This is why it's best to arm yourself with as much information as possible...so that you can make educated decisions before making purchases.
There are some good LFS people out there who are truely willing to help but at the end of the day they still need to make a buck to pay their bills too. So if they have to tell you what they think you want to hear in order to do that...then alot of them will do just that. And then some other LFS person somewhere else will say NO that's wrong and you need to buy this from me to make it work. You see where this is going?
People on this site are just trying to help you...not make money.
 
sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
2Quills,
Why can't I private message you? I don't know if I should enter a message here or on PM.
Regardless, my question to you was going to be what dimensions do you need to help me out?
I have:
125 Gallon - 5 1/2' (W) x 1 1/2' (D) x 2 1/2' (H)
Cabinet - 4' 1" (L) x 1' 4" (D) x 2' (T)
*Sump Tank* - 3' (W) x 1' (D) x 11" (H)
Skimmer - 1' x 8" Footprint 21" tall with 1/2" of additional room for removal of top.
The tank itself has ONE built in overflow(which many people I've been speaking with keeps raising their eyebrows and saying "ONLY ONE?!?"). I just noticed recently that the O/F Out has some sort of filter on it already (Sponge like object on it, as well as a tube from the top to (mid way?) that has many little holes in it). It looks like it's a 1" diameter pipe going down and a very thin pipe going back up the O/F into the powerheads in the tank.
What else do you need? I'm dying for step by step direction right now.
Thank you all for your constant help and the help pushing to keep me going!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Im, not quills...and can't help you build...BUT.....pics might help also....just a thought...and what brand skimmer is it?
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the PM's...other people have messaged me without any probs.

The stand dimensions for the length are shorter than your tank...is this because you are measuring the actual available space inside the stand? If so then yes, that's what we need to know to help.
I'll crunch some numbers and see what kind of design we can come up with that will work for what you have now. Don't worry, you haven't screwed yourself. Limited your options a little bit, but not screwed.
Do you know what the size of the drain and return line is in your overflow?
In the mean time I would recommend making another post in the DIY section for building your sump. It would help get some ideas from other folks as well. But yes, if you can get the us the size of your drain and return lines as well as all workable dimensions that you just posted and post them in a specific sump build thread then I'll come up with a plan that I believe will work for what you've got as soon as I can.
Just be patient, rushing things will only add up to disaster. Believe me, we've all been there.
 
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