Just got free tank. Have Questions

schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Hi, I just got a bunch of epuiptment form a guy at work who's brother-in-law was moving and couldn't keep the stuff. It was all free but some of it I don't quite know how to use it. Was hoping I could post some pics and someone could give me some advice. I've had a couple tanks so I'm not new to this but I don't know alot about setting up sumps and stuff. I'll try to post some pictures with my questions if I can figure out how to do it. Thanks alot!
Here's a pic of the 55G acrylic tank. It's scratched up very badly. I know you can buff out some of the scratches but it looks so bad I don't think it's worth it. I have a 55G glass tank that I'll probably use instead, then could I use the scratched tank as a refugium or is that a little big? I have an empty 20G and 10G if they would work better.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
I can't get the pictures to download. Any ideas? One said it was too big but I took it as small as my camera lets me. Any way I can crop it down or something?
 
ross

ross

Active Member
Go into paint open the image. At the top it says "image". Click on it and hit "stretch skew". Take your image down to like 30%. Then save it try posting. If it is still too big you can make it smaller. HTH
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Ok, I think I got it now. Here's a couple pics of what I assume would be the sump. There's a bunch of small pieces that go with it. I'm not real sure how I would hook it up. It is a Summit Aquatics, is that a decent brand? There's a bunch of blue bio balls that I guess go inside it right? Is there anywhere I can find a good diagram on how it should work? Thanks.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
The next 2 pics are of 3 buckets. One has all those little plastic pieces in it, one has like a fake plastic grass stif and the other a sponge. There's one lid that looks like it fits these but I have no idea how they work.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
He said the sump is supposed to have some type of protein skimmer built into it. Is that right? There's a bunch of other small parts but if someone could tell me how to get started or how this stuff works I'd appreciate it. I've always had just a basic tank before and keep up on the water changes, never used a sump or anything but thought i might give it a try since it was free. I was gonna take it to the LFS and see what they thought but I thought I'd get some suggestions off here first so I don't feel so stupid going in there. Thanks for the help.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Thanks guys. So how would I hook all this stuff up if I were to use it? I'm no tsure if there's a good or bad way to hook this up, if there's an order they should go in.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Alright, thanks for the help. I'm not sure of any clubs around here but I'll ask the LFS guy, he's always helpful and may know of one or come himself and help out. THanks again.
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
Try www.fishheads.org it is a local reef club. I would give you a hand but I am still too far away (Kansas City). You really do need to find someone to come over and give you a hand it is just too hard to figure that stuff out online.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Thanks everyone! I checked the links you gave me last night a little and never realized Mid MO had so many hobbyists. That'll help tons having someone locally I can go to for help. Thanks again.
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
SE,
First of all Welcome.
It sounds like you are off to a good start.
Second. Where do you live in Columbia? I lived there for 5 years from when I was 8 until I was 13. Great place to grow up. Of course that was awhile ago. We moved out here in 1979. In all those 5 years we only had one white Christmas, and that was just a dusting. How is the weather there now?
Scott
Go Tigers.
 
schafer_eric

schafer_eric

Member
Hi Scotts, I've lived here in Columbia about 3 years now. Grew up about 40 minutes from here in Mexico. I live on the Northeast part of town by the 63 and 70 interchange. It's probably changed alot since you were here. I think there's about 80,000 people now and they've added I think 400 acres to the city limits last year alone. Really taking off. Didn't get a white christmas this year either but we've had a couple good snows. This week it's in the 50's which is great. That's probably a low for CA right now isn't it? I've never been out there but would like to go sometime. Better get back to work. Thanks for the welcome!
 
witche42

witche42

New Member
hi there,
the 55 g acrylic would be a great sump/ refugium. alot of people these days have large tanks and even larger sumpsor refugiums. for instance a couple guys i know have 200gal display tanks and 3 100gal sump/refugium tubs. these are the huge rubbermaid watering troughs used in farming that you get from the local feed and seed. the big box you have that has all the dividers in it is a sump/ refugium itself. this hangs on the back of a tank. the other plexiglas box part is part of the overflow. it looks like it connects to the right side of your sump. there should be a u-shaped tube also that will go in the overflow box and the sump.
hope this helps,
steven
 
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