Using my 55 Gallon as a Sump?

[lutz493]

Went tank shopping today and will be getting a 125 with built in overflows.
I have an established 55 Gallon with a Prizim Pro Hang-On Skimmer, Dual Bio-Wheel Hang-on Filter. I have a DSB and 90lb or LR in the tank.
Couple of questions here.
I was thinking of just taking the 55 leaving couple peices of LR in it, mebbe going to a 5 inch DSB, putting in critters/Caulpera. I was gonna set it up as a normal tank under the 125, then just set-up the water flow between the two tanks.
Will that work? Do I need more equipment to properly keep the 125 filtered? Do I need to make changes to my 55 to make it more like a Sump?
My biggest problem is because of my place being recarpeted I have to basically tear down this 55 and immediately set up this 125 in the other room.
Is my tank gonna need cycled if I use the same water etc from 55 and just make 125 gallons of fresh saltwater?
Advice and Opinions please.
Thanks~

 

[krunk]

yes, your tank should be cycled before putting the 55 inhabinents into the 125. buy a cheap 20-30 gallon tank for your fish untill the cycle is complete. as for the ls/lr, put it in too cycle with or you can throw it in rubbermaid containers with the old tanks water.
i can show you sump/fuge plans in 30 mins.

 

[lutz493]

Ok.
Question here hope some of you guys knowledgable will reply.
I'm torn on what I wanna do.
Should I run this 125 from the 55 I have now with the filters and add a Fuge?
Should I just make a DiY Sump/Fuge from scratch?
Is there a beneift to me doing it one way or another?
I'm going to start putting this 125 into the works this week and would like some advice on where to go with Filtration.
If I keep this 55 and hook it -up as a normal tank under this 125 I'm I alright? Do I need to make alterations to the tank?

 

[reefnut]

Well I'm not all that knowledgeable but I just swapped 2- 55g for a 125 awhile back.
First off, what do you mean by putting the 55 under the 125? The 55 may not fit in the stand of a 125.
If you do indeed run the 55 as a refug for the 125 that should be all the filtration you need with the exception of maybe a skimmer and of course LR.
Personally, unless you are going to put the 55 and 125 side by side, I would get like a 40g long to use for your sump/ refug. The 55 is a great idea, room is the only problem.

 

[lutz493]

I'm going to build my own stand for the 125 so I should beable to get the 55 under the 125 no problem.
What I meant was I was going to just set-up the 55 with my Dual-Bio Wheels and my Prizim PRo Skimmer (Both HAng-ons) beef up my Sandbed to mebbe 5", get some PoDs/Caulpera growing in the tank. The 125 has dual overflows so I was gonna just run those into the 55 and a return back.
Thinking it is very simple way to do it, but if building my own sump from scratch is more beneficial to me I would do that.
I'm not sure do I even need to attach a fuge?
As for Live Rock I'd keep some in the 55 (I have 90lbs of it now) and then put the rest into the 125 with some new cured LR to give me about 200lbs in the 125 total.

 

[jumpfrog]

If you have room under the stand because you're making the stand you can make this work. My guess is that you're going to use the 55 as a fuge and not a sump to filter the 125. The reason that makes a difference is that in order to use the 55 as the sump/filter for your 125 you need significant turn over, 8-10 x per hour to be effective. Such a turn over is too high for a fuge. If you plump your drains fromt he overflow right you could make it work with a somewhat small return pump. Say a throttled back mag 5.
How much rock to you plan for the 125 ensure good filtration if you don't have a sump? What kind of skimming to handle the 125? What kind of tank will the 125 be? Reef? FOWLR?
These are all things to consider when approaching the setup you're talking about.
Edit: Just read about how rock. 200 lbs in the 125 will do a great job of filtration so using the 55 as a fuge would be fine.

 

[thomas712]

Lutz - Let me see if I have this right. Your thinking of putting the 55 under the 125 with the 55 running full just like it is now only with a deeper sand bed. And the 125 will be draining into it from above? Is that the general idea?
Thomas

 

[lutz493]

Yes.
I was initially going to set the 55 up as its own tank under the 125 using my HAng-On Skimmer and my Magnum Dual-Bio Wheel Hang-on Filter. Then just pump water between the two tanks.
After thinking and researching. I think it would be in my best interest to set the 55 up as a Fuge and then build a 29 Gallon Sump.
Any recommendations on Skimmers?
Before I actually start making a sump, I'm trying to get the question of is running a seperate Sump/Fuge much better then me just setting my 55 up as it sits now (Using filter/skimmer I have now) and just pushing water between the two tanks.
To answer Live Rock questions. Live rubble Rock in the 55 with 6inch DSB. Display will have 3-4 inch DSB with 180ish lbs of LR
The LR/Sand is for sure.

 

[peasly1]

IMO....I think you need a much bigger skimmer(I have an aqua c 180 on my 125,its great but $$$,also IMO.. I dont think your tank will recycle unless you add uncured lr..I am in the process of doing the same thing right now..my 55 has been under the 125 but was a holding tank for my koi...good luck

 

[lutz493]

I decided I am going to get a 29 Gallon tank and turn it into a sump then attach the 55 to that as a fuge. I am not sure if I'm gonna use my hang-on stuff for added filtration or just pack it away for a rainy day.
Will a 29 Gallon Sump and a 55 be more then sufficient for running a 125?
I am gonna put some sand/LR in the sump should the water pass through that first or should it go to the skimmer first?
Thanks

 

[starfishjackedme]

I have a 55gal sump with a 5" playsand bed. I have some shop lights over it and have to pull out 5-7lbs of calurpa every week or so bc it grows so fast. There are tons of critters in there, pods all over the glass. The only thing I don't like about it is that sometimes a debris layer settles on the top of the sand bed that comes from the main tank. I think it is fish food and algae. Anyway, i may divide the 55 with a piece of glass siliconed in for a 4-5" section (where the overflow plumbs in) and have a 12" fliter sponge at the top to catch anything before it flows over into the sump. Other than that it works great and is a nice refugium. You will be surprised how much life will grow in there!