New to the game...Intial Tank Setup Question

getitcdot

getitcdot

New Member
So i have had many freshwater tanks and none that have really...kept my attention for longer then about 6 months. Until i discovered the amazing marine life salt water tanks can have.
According to some good sources (the forms tips) i wanted to get the biggest tank i could afford. I ended up buying a 150Gal glass tank. I also purchased a 30Gal tall breeder to put underneath the tank for filtering purposes. Now here's the dumb questions....
I have two pipes that come out of the top of the tank (drilled right above the ridge) one of the far right and one of the far left.... What do i do with them exactly? Do they connect? Do they both go to the breeder tank? does one go to the skimmer? Pump placement? im so lost :(
Also is it true i do not need aeration if i have enough water always moving?
 
culp

culp

Active Member
one hole should be for the overflow so that water goes from the tank into the sump than the second hole is for the return pump to put the water back into the tank after going through the sump. does the tank already have the bulkheads on it?
 
getitcdot

getitcdot

New Member
yes it does.


i tried to get the pic of the tubes which are coming off the back so you could see what i mean.
and this is where the breeder will sit inside
 
getitcdot

getitcdot

New Member
i will measure when i get back but when fitting it into my jeep i seem to remember approx
3.5ft long
1.5 feet wide and
3.5 feet tall
that's all approx.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
there is only two holes right? because if there was a third hole the two on the top would be for the overflows and the third hole would be for the return pump. but if there is only two holes than one is for the over flow and the other is for the return. do you have a overflow for the tank? or do you still have to buy one.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
and for the aeration question. as long as the the water free falls a little distance from the overflow to the sump the water should fine with enough water movement in the displace tank.
have you thought about what type of protein skimmer you are going to use? and how about the sump what do you plan on putting in your sump? are you going to go with a refugium type of sump with either a deep sand bed or mud, with micro algae. or do you plan on going with a wet/dry sump? i have a refugium.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by iyachtuxivm
http:///forum/post/2843653
I see a hole too. In the bottom middle?
Yeah, unless it is some kind of optical illusion. This would be a great place for the return no? Right in the middle of a few pcs. of rockwork flowing through them to keep them clean. Then a Koralia or two for the flow in the rest of the tank.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2843647
From the pics it almost looks like there is a hole in the bottom doesn't it?
that's what i was thinking that's why i asked the question to see if there's a third hole.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Can you get a closer pic front and back of the tubes? Looks to me like they are both the same size. Probably the return lines. Might of had a hang on back overflow??
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by GrouperGenius
http:///forum/post/2843710
Can you get a closer pic front and back of the tubes? Looks to me like they are both the same size. Probably the return lines. Might of had a hang on back overflow??
they could be for return lines. but built in overflows are so much nicer than hang on back ones.
 
getitcdot

getitcdot

New Member
they are both the same size and apparently when he had used this tank he had a hang-on-back skimmer i guess. Does that make sense as to why the tank is set up the way it is?
 
culp

culp

Active Member
Originally Posted by GetITCdot
http:///forum/post/2843719
they are both the same size and apparently when he had used this tank he had a hang-on-back skimmer i guess. Does that make sense as to why the tank is set up the way it is?
it makes some sense. but i think that hang on back over flows are much more unsightly than the built in overflows. maybe you have change one of the return holes into a overflow. but its up to you on what you want to do with it.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by Culp
http:///forum/post/2843753
it makes some sense. but i think that hang on back over flows are much more unsightly than the built in overflows. maybe you have change one of the return holes into a overflow. but its up to you on what you want to do with it.
You would have to with a real low GPH pump. The hole in the back to be an overflow won't drain fast enough. I have tried it before plus it doesn't skim the top nearly as well as a HOB overflow. Too bad the bottom is tempered.
 
getitcdot

getitcdot

New Member
so do both pipes in the back connect and go to the sump? im still confused as to how the "plumbing" is done. If somone could give me a thread to read or step by step directions that would be geat.
 
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