Upgrading to 30g...help!

[ebs21]

Hello everybody,
I currently have an 8g Biocube set up with a couple of clown fish and a nice little cleaning crew. It's 2 years old. I'm going to start a new tank, preferable in the 30g range, to move those guys into. I've always been curious to try setting up my own tank with separate equipment instead of getting another all-in-one setup with the Biocube (I've had some problems with the power supplies and quality of equipment, so I'm definitely going to avoid the Biocube route this time). I need suggestions for the best setups and equipment to use for longevity and efficiency and, of course, aesthetics.
I'd like to have some nice corals and preferably a few other fish (one of my clownfish is particularly aggressive, but I'm hoping he'll lighten up in the bigger space). If there any suggestions as to what smart combinations of fish/corals/invertebrates I should put in there, I'd love to hear them.
If there's anything else you think I should know, feel free to tell me!

 

[meowzer]

Well...Welcome to the site
with 2 clowns in an 8G...I'm not surprised there is aggression....glad to see you are going to upgrade though
Do you already have the 30G? and if so is it a standard size?
You can get a nice T5HO light setup that will allow you to have many corals....I have a 4bulb set up on my 29G, and keep corals, sps and a clam.
There are many possibilities too...

 

[ebs21]

Yes about that clownfish. The people I spoke with at the store said that they should be fine, which at first they were. But the one has since gotten so much bigger, and now I just feel bad for them.
I don't have the tank yet, I think I'm pretty set on the size being around 30g. I guess I'm sort of working backwards. I'd like to have the best gear for this one and so will adjust the size of the tank accordingly to get the best combination of equipment I can.
Thanks!

 

[btldreef]

If you're considering a 30G tank, I highly urge you to do a 40G Breeder. They are by far one of the nicest tanks to set up a reef in.
They do also make a 30G Breeder. You'll find the breeder style tanks to be a little wider which makes for a nicer reef design. On either size a good T5 fixture will work well.
Do you plan on running a hang on back filter or doing a sump design?

 

[ebs21]

I planned on the 30g for space reasons, but I'll look into the 40g breeder. I was planning on a hanging filter, but if I can figure out how to do a sump design I may .

 

[yannifish]

Welcome to the site!
I'd do a sump if I were you. A 30 gallon tank is not very much water, and a sump will add a fair amount of water volume to the system.
However, if you have been able to keep the eight gallon tank going for two years with two fish in it, you must be able to keep fish tanks.
But I'd still go with a sump. A little more complex, but worth it in the long run. I've slowly upgraded from hang on back filters, to a sort of canister/wet dry combination filter, and finally to the sump. And I can tell, you, I wish I had gone with the sump in the begining.
Plus, you can put equipment such as a heater and protein skimmer in the sump, so you don't have to look at them in the tank.

 

[ebs21]

The sump idea is growing on me, but I'll certainly have to do some research to see if it's something I'll be able to handle. My understanding of a sump system is having the water filtered away from the tank (like underneath through a network of pipes, etc) and then pumped back in. Is that correct?
Also, the more I look/read about the breeder tanks, the more I like them. I think a 30g breeder could be really nice for aquascaping. And I'm always partial to the idea of having the greater surface area of water.

 

[ebs21]

So I've done some preliminary measuring. The surface I am planning on setting the aquarium is 40in long and 15in wide, so I think it'd be a little too narrow for a breeder tank (standard width is 18in if I'm not mistaken). I could just bump up to a 45g which seems like it would fit nicely with a couple of inches around to spare.
What size sump tank would I be looking at if I do go with sump filtration for a tank of that size?

 

[btldreef]

I don't like to do sumps less than 20G, just for size reasons. It's hard to fit things in anything smaller.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ebs21 http:///forum/thread/381883/upgrading-to-30g-help#post_3330599
So I've done some preliminary measuring. The surface I am planning on setting the aquarium is 40in long and 15in wide, so I think it'd be a little too narrow for a breeder tank (standard width is 18in if I'm not mistaken). I could just bump up to a 45g which seems like it would fit nicely with a couple of inches around to spare.
What size sump tank would I be looking at if I do go with sump filtration for a tank of that size?

 

[yannifish]

The sump is just a container that sits under your tank, and holds equipment such as a protein skimmer, heater, phosphate reactor, etc.
Many people also incorporate refugiums into their sumps.
Most people use hard PVC to get water back and forth between the tank and sump.
Just realize you need some sort of an overflow (either a hang on back, or drilling), and a return pump.
I personally just use a standard ten gallon tank for my sump, but I didn't need a lot of space, and don't have a fuge. But that's just me.
That's part of the beauty of the sump, you can make it to fit your needs exactly, making it as elaborate or a simple as you want.