New tank setup

[brimestone]

Hello guys, i have an Aqueon 26Gal Bow Front SW with LS, LR, Marineland double bright, Eheim heater, Eheim ecco pro 300, CPR BAK PAK 2, New MaxiJet 900.

I'm looking for suggestions for either 55Gal or 75Gal. I'm planing to start it off with fish only then eventually get into corals.
Here are my question.
Glass or Acrylic?
Sump or HOB?
Lights
Obviously, i don't want to go overboard but don't wanna get something that i have to eventually replace ( ends up being more expensive ).
As of live stock, i would love to have a least one blue tang, a pair of clown, cleaner shrimp and .... suggestions??
Any inputs about this unit. "Clear for life Rectangle Acrylic UniQuarium 65 Gal" -it's the one that comes with a built in filtration ( minus skimmer )
Another thing i'm considering is buying it use, Pro and Cons about buying used.
Any tips, suggestion will help. Thank you.

 

[flower]

Hi,
A Blue tang needs at least a 100g tank, so a 75g is not large enough. The Blue Hippo Tang has an amazing ability to go flat to hide under rock...that means you will catch the fish under the last rock removed from the tank. I speak from experience, always get a fish for your size tank, and not plan to remove it when it gets too large. If you really like that nice blue color with the black lines...have a look at Blue reef chromis. They shimmer under the lights and look like electric blue, they are suited for your 75g and you can keep a few instead of just one.
If you plan to get corals...think about what type of coral you want. Stock the tank with reef safe fish, because getting a fish out once it's established is going to require you to remove and shift all of your rock. So having the right fish from the get go, is smart.
If you plan on low light coral, the T5HO systems are great. If you want SPS or LPS...get the strongest lighting, that means Metal Halide or LEDs.

 

[brimestone]

Wow.. thank you.
I'm planing to stay within 75Gallon range due to structural issue. House built around 1920's and the display tank will be on the second floor where the current 26 Gallon tank is located.
Quote:
"Blue reef chromis. They shimmer under the lights and look like electric blue, they are suited for your 75g and you can keep a few instead of just one."
Me and the wife Love the color of this fish, not sure why my LFS dont have them. Will get them online then.
Quote:
If you plan on low light coral, the T5HO systems are great. If you want SPS or LPS...get the strongest lighting, that means Metal Halide or LEDs.
Not sure about the type of corals i'am going to get in the future, but i do want to position my tank for flexibility. At this point in time, i want to get an anemone for the pair of clown fish. But who knows, this tank might turn into a full blown reef ( with the help of this forum

, i don't feel like a blind man stepping into a dark room anymore ).

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by brimestone http:///t/395556/new-tank-setup#post_3521915
Not sure about the type of corals i'am going to get in the future, but i do want to position my tank for flexibility. At this point in time, i want to get an anemone for the pair of clown fish. But who knows, this tank might turn into a full blown reef ( with the help of this forum

, i don't feel like a blind man stepping into a dark room anymore ).
If you want an anemone...you need the super lights...Metal halides or the LEDs. The tube anemones don't require top of the line lighting, and they glow at night looking really cool...but they do eat fish, and sting to death anything too close to them....clown fish will not bond with them.
Just so you know...Clown fish do not need an anemone to survive or be happy. Anemones eat anything that gets too close to it, shrimps, snails and fish if they are small enough...what they don't eat they sting to death. The biggest problem with them is that they move where they want to go...behind rocks where you can't see them...or on the side of the tank squished up where they don't look so pretty, and any corals as they go get stung. They need all the power heads and intakes covered, or they allow themselves to get sucked up and killed, polluting the tank. Covered PHs don't produce as much wave, and they get clogged easy, which lowers the life of the gizmo. So you create extra work for yourself to keep them clear of debris.
I got rid of my beautiful fish eater, and promised myself I would never get another one. They have no brain, they are just a mouth and an anus. My advice...pass on the anemone.

 

[brimestone]

Ok no anemone for me

.
Based on the research i have done, seems like the way to go is a sump setup ( adds more water capacity, and its hidden away for aesthetics ) my question:
Should i go with a built-in overflow or should i get an external one ( CPR CS overflow boxes ) I'm leaning towards built-in overflow but just to confirm that i'm not missing on a benefit ( if any ) on an external unit.
I know the return pump "returns" water from the sump to the display tank, but what happens when there is power outage? will the sump gets filled? the overflow is design to drain water from the tank via gravity so that will continue on working after the return pump halts. Is there some gate that stops the flow of water on instances that the return pump stops working. ( Sorry for the noob question ).

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by brimestone http:///t/395556/new-tank-setup#post_3521931
Ok no anemone for me

.
Based on the research i have done, seems like the way to go is a sump setup ( adds more water capacity, and its hidden away for aesthetics ) my question:
Should i go with a built-in overflow or should i get an external one ( CPR CS overflow boxes ) I'm leaning towards built-in overflow but just to confirm that i'm not missing on a benefit ( if any ) on an external unit.
I know the return pump "returns" water from the sump to the display tank, but what happens when there is power outage? will the sump gets filled? the overflow is design to drain water from the tank via gravity so that will continue on working after the return pump halts. Is there some gate that stops the flow of water on instances that the return pump stops working. ( Sorry for the noob question ).
Hi,
Okay...time to see how much I have learned from Acrylic and 2Quills.....
You never fill the sump tank all the way. You watch the level when the entire system is down (I use a power strip, so I have an "emergency" shut off button) the power strip makes a sump easy to adjust. Once you see the full amount of water in the sump at shut off, then you know how much more water to add to the sumps water line so that it can't ever overflow....that's the easy part.
I have the CPR overflow, and it needs a lifter pump to work...I put the pre-filter they sell for it on it, and it helped quite a bit. The dang thing clogs, and if it fails...the sump water keeps running into the tank, and the top tank overflows. If I had a drilled tank, that could never happen. As soon as the water gets to the drilled holes, it just empties into the sump. If the power is out...the return quits pumping water...the drilled holes is as high as the water could ever go on the tank up top, and since you know the water level of the sump at shut off...you are safe from a flood.
So absolutely get your tank drilled. I had a canister filter, and added my sump after the tank was set up...if I ever need a new tank...I will have it drilled, LOL...and take an axe to that lifter pump.
The only danger of flooding when you have a drilled tank, is if a snail or other critter clogs the drilled drain holes...so you need something to prevent that like a mesh...and always make sure the holes are clear and you won't have any problems. Nothing is 100% to prevent a flood, there is always something that could happen. A small hole drilled just below the water line on the return line at the top of the display tank, will prevent any back siphon.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Flower is right about most of it.
For a larger starter tank a 75g is usually what people choose. It's just wide enough and deep enough to make aquascaping easy and allows more swimming room for fish. An internal overflow I would say is a must if you are buying new. You can sometimes luck up and buy a used tank with an internal overflow, but it's rare - and you don't know what kind of condition it will be in.
A 75g typically has a 20g sump, but I am unhappy with my 20g on my 75g tank and would much rather a 29 or a 30g long. The benefits would be increased water volume and more places for equipment - and so that you would pretty much never run into any trouble of your sump overflowing... as long as you drill the proper holes as Flower suggested. Internal overflows can be pretty noisy as well, so consider researching a durso overflow pipe. It runs a lot more quiet than a "mega-flow overflow kit."
Consider what kind of reefer you are going to be as well... if you like the equipment and go overboard with it, or if you are more into the livestock and want to get by with just enough equipment to keep it all alive. Skimmers aren't completely necessary and refugiums aren't completely necessary, however, it is good to have either one or the other or even both working on the same system.
Try to keep your aquarium as clean as possible too - the less "man made" items in the tank the better. That's why most serious aquarists like to have a sump... because it all looks much cleaner.

 

[acrylic51]

Following along.....I seen the post yesterday, but didn't chime in......Will agree with most said here already, but will touch on a few things.....As suggested I'd opt for the 75.....Again comes down to what you feel most comfortable with. A drilled tank is always easier to work with IMHO. As far as internal overflows being noisy...Well not so much the truth....With that being said what makes it noisy is the plumbing inside the overflow. A durso pipe is good, but noisy IMHO........The mega-flow is another noise box IMHO......I've personally run the durso and a real PITA to tune and keep tuned. Mega-flow....well a decent attempt but still doesn't cut it......
The big key IMHO is to minimize the water drop from the DT into the overflow box.....The farther the water drops the more noise....That also is the same as when the water exits the plumbing to the sump area. You can easily adjust the water "drop" level by either increasing or decreasing the height of the stand pipe. With that said fine tuning the Durso is a pain.....Some drill a hole....Only to realize they need it bigger and they keep fidgeting with the hole size.....I myself went the route with drilling and taping the hole and a air vale 3/8" valve and still a PITA, because they aren't set and forget.....I know where not talking or comparing apples to apples here, but a fine example of a good overflow system would be a Herbie or the BeanAnimal. Both are well suited for a off the shelf tank.....But that said gives you some options to look at. Happy Reefing!!!!!!!