New Tank 2ft by 6ft

[albm]

im starting a new tank this will be my first tank over 55g and i picked up the stand so the tank has to be 2ft by 6ft im not sure on height yet im thinking 2ft tall too im going sump should i have a refugium what gallon size sump should i have what kind of lighting should i go for we have ASM protien skimmers at my work thats probably what ill put on any comments on ASM i was thinking just a laguna pump for my sump pump is this a fine thing to do i want to go at this right and not rushed so it can truly be my pride and joy any and all help and comments will be greatly appreciated thanks

 

[small triggers]

OKAY,,, number 1 lets take a breath and get some puncuation in there, i'm assuming those are all questions?
tank height is a personal preferance, I like to be able to get my whole arm in the tank so no higher than 30 inches, plus that allows easier penetration for lighting.
Sump I chose to use a rubbermaid container that holds 44 gallons of water, you could use a 50g standard tank or your 55 if you are tearing it down? its a little over half full, I have an ASM G3 skimmer that i love (my tank is a 150g) and as far as a refugium,,, you could partition or add a seperate tank with a bulkhead fitting...
Laguna Pump? i have no idea how many GPH that pushes or the head loss, but make sure you have enough, I have 2 1200gph pumps with a slight head loss of about 200gph at 4 feet...

 

[albm]

Thank you very much and sorry those are all questions. laguna is the brand that makes pond pumps and thank you for all the help anything else i should be watchful or carful about when geting everything for this tank? i want the best of the best for this set up

 

[small triggers]

as far as a pump, stick to something made for saltwater, some of the other brand pumps could have metal parts....
if you can afford it get a 'reef ready' tank, it has all the overflows drilled SO MUCH EASIER...
Also, i personally like to use black tubing for the return to the tank, doesnt get algae grownth inside,,,
are you thinking about lights or a canopy yet?
If you are wanting the best of the best for this tank be ready to shell out so money...
what fish and or corals are you wanting to put in this tank?
what are your MUST HAVES?

 

[albm]

im definatly geting a reef ready tank im not wanting a canopy i have one on my 55 it just bugs me. i was trying to figure out some lights i had the thought of coralife but im not really sure. for tubing i heard black tubing gives off toxins into your water. im ready to put as much money as i need to into this i work at a pet store so it makes things a little easier and cheaper for this. my must have right now are just my triggers and puffers i plan no corals but i still want a high quality light that will make my fish look magnificent

 

[eric b 125]

well you wont need MH then. you could just to a few T5 bulbs and you could maybe do some softies depending on your triggers. i've heard a lot of good things about asm skimmers - which is why i just got one for my tank. as far as the sump goes, i've found that 55's are a bit too high for my cabinet- it doesnt leave much room to work with. being that you arent doing any (or many) corals (yet) a refugium isnt a must, but might as well add it now rather than later. the general rule of thumb for flow through the sump is about 10X the volume of your tank every hour. i would suggest looking into a mag drive 18 for the return. are you going to incorporate a closed loop system?

 

[albm]

this was the first time i ever heard of closed loop system how much more would it cost because it definatly looks good. and for my light i was thinking 2 four bulb sun blaze lights its the same company as tec but hundreds cheaper and longer warranty plus flourescents in it already. or is that a bad way?

 

[eric b 125]

all you need is a pump and plumbing for a closed loop. i would suggest drilling the tank for it. there are ways to add a closed loop without drilling, but the extra step makes the whole thing look a lot cleaner.