To sump or not to sump?

leheath

leheath

Member
Ok, as I have mentioned in previous posts, I am doing my research prior to setting up a 50-75g tank. I want to keep some very basic, easy soft corals, a couple of inverts, a cleaner crew, and a handful of modest sized fish. I was planning on using plenty of LR and a HOB protein skimmer (make to be determined!). Is this sufficient, or do I need a sump? If so, what exactly is one (I have read lots of other post, but still am a bit hazy) and how much is one likely to cost (I don't have an unlimited budget!)? Is it difficult to install to a basic glass tank? Is it more difficult/time consuming/noisier/smellie/etc. to use a sump?
Is this sufficient filtration? I may also try some LS, but haven't decided on that for sure?
Sorry for all the questions, but any thoughts on some or all of them?
Thanks in advance
:happyfish
 
belothsurf

belothsurf

Member
Sounds like you have done your research, with the good questions you have asked, although there is nothing wrong with a bad question ( I ask em all the time).
First of all, take all the advice you get from here with a grain of salt ( especially mine).
Secondly, keep in mind, your plan will take some time, shoot for 6 months to a year, so be patient.
Thirdly, yeah, to keep a happy reef, you will need a sump/refugium. Not an absolute, but in the long run the positives outweigh the negatives.
fourthly, the difference between a sump and a fuge is not much. Basically it's another tank plumbed into your main display tank(DT). If you use it as a sump, it would be a place to put equipment that you don't want in your DT tank. If you use it as a "fuge", it can be a place to put extra equipment, but you also design it so that it is a place to grow algea (macroalgea), critters, can be a deep sand bed, and so on. Do a search on refugiums and you'll get more than enough info.
And lastly, a 75g would be not much more costlier than a 55g. A 55 is considered the smallest you should start out with, and the bigger the better, within reason. A 75 is perfect to start out with, in my opinion, and many others. I wish I would have started with a 75. Of course now I want a 150, but that's another story.
Last but not least, for me to start up a 55g with one good cannister filter, a cheap hang on the back filter/skimmer, 40 lbs ls, the salt and a few other misc. stuff was 900 bucks.
7 months later, I've got some cool fish, some cool corals ( easy ones) and a new passion. I'm not gonna BS you, in the last 7 months, to get my tank to where it is ( I started a fuge, got a nice protein skimmer,got a nice light setup, and made many mistakes), I'm sure i've sunk well over 2k in it. Keep in mind, I'm a Taurus, and by nature I'm very stubborn, and tend to only learn from my own mistakes, but if you ask, listen and learn, you will receive some very valuable information from this board, as I have. .......:jumping: .......:happyfish
 
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