Upgrade to Sump + Refugium

[stingrayjs]

I am thinking out upgrading to a sump and rerugium for my 75 gallon tank. My tank is not drilled nor can it be. I was looking at the hang on overflow boxes. Has anyone used them, are they good, and what would you suggest when using them? For the sump and refugium, what would be a good one to get? I would want to try to use some of the equipment I already, if possible. On my tank currently there are two canister filters, from previous tanks. Protein skimmer, and UV sterilizer. My water quality is perfict with that setup. But I want to upgrade to a better setup. being I plain on having my setup a long time. Plus I am playing on making my tank into a reef tank slowly. I don't know alot about sumps and refugiums, so I have been trying to read as much as I can from the site. If anyone has suggestions what to get, also what exsactly everything I will need for plumbing, and to get it would be a great help to me.
Current LS:
Flase Eye puffer
2x Clowns
Striped damsel
Blue damsel
Lawnmower bleeney
3x sand shifting starfish
bunch of turbo snails
3x emeral crabs
Cleaner shrimp
Neon green BTA

 

[ameno]

I have an 80 gal hex that I set up about four months ago, and I put on an overflow box to a refugium tank, I"m not sure if it's a homemade box or not, I just went to my LFS and told him to set me up for a refugium tank. It seems to work fine. although it takes up some space which on my hex there is not much room. I keep a small tube in the outlet pipe for priming because it seem to loose some prime at times, and I have to be sure the flow tube back to the tank is barely below water level, In case there is a power outage it will backfeed into the refugium tank intill the tube is out of the water. One thing to make sure is that you get a return pump with enough head to feed back to your main tank. I had a problem with this because I had to feed back up about six feet. I still run a canister filter with charcoal and phosphate sponge and I'm thinking about useing it for my return pump. Not sure what type canisters you have but this could be something to look at.

 

[stingrayjs]

Thanks for the tips. I use a Fluval 404, and Fluval 204.

 

[fishfeeder]

To keep your return from creating a siphon when the power goes out you can drill two holes (one on each side) in the return pipe about a 1/2" to 1" below the water so that once the water drains below the hole it will suck air and break the siphon created! Just thought this might be helpful!

 

[stingrayjs]

I appreciate the info, and thats a good idea. Im still not sure where and what to buy. I have found onethe looks promising, but still looking into it making sure its what I need and want. After this upgrade im goping to upgrade my lighting. Proboly 2x 250 watt MH's, which will cost me some mad cash. I think from what I have read that will be enough for my 75 gallon tank, and alow me to have just about any coral in companation with the lighting I already have. I think....

 

[ameno]

I bought a light system about a month ago off line, it's a coralife for my 80 gal. hex it has (2) 65 watt actinics and (1) 150watt MH for a total of 280 watts plus two moon lights. all built into one unit for about $400,which some might say is not quite enough for 80 gal. but has worked out very well, I have a lot of rock so things that need more light I just put up higher on the rock. everybody in the tank seems happy I have three annominies and a buch of babies. The thing to remember with Mh is they get very hot. even with my one 150 Watt MH I have to watch the tempeture.

 

[stingrayjs]

I have been looking at the prices and what I would need. I am starting to look more into T5's over the MH's. For my tank it will cost me $700+ for MH, but so far if I go with T5's it will cost me only about $300 for about hte same setup. I am still researching the diffrences of them. I already have a fair amoutn of light. Running two 10k coral life day, and 2 Arc. on my tank, and everything seems happy. So I might try to combine the T5's with the lighting I have, which I think will be enough for just about anything. If someone knows for sure I would love to know before I buy anything. Would be nice to find some people local in MD to share idaea's with and get together for projects, and such.