20g long questions!

[suddenrelic]

Hey everyone,

Just joined today, been lurking for a bit. I am looking at setting up a 20 gallon long reef tank with a 10g sump. I just started the plans and initial work on the sump. I have the lighting, heater, sand, salt, and testing supplies on the way. My LFS has some live rock on hold for me and they have been helping me a lot with this. I am still a little lost on two things though.

1. I am having trouble deciding on a protein skimmer. I do not know which brands are reputable and how much to pay to get a good quality one. I don't have a blank check, but I am not on a small budget. I also do not want to pay for something that is going to be overkill for my set up, I want something that fits just right.

2. Should I drill my tank? I have found a few HOB overflows online that have solid reviews, but is it better to just drill the tank? The 20g I have is kinda old so I do not know if the glass is tempered or not.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jinks]

I would drill your tank for sure. HOB overflows are a pain. Even if you break it getting another 20 gallon is still cheaper then redoing carpet.

Reef Octopus make nice skimmers. I used a 110 on a 40 gallon and though its rated for a larger tank did a good job. I have found many of the skimmers made for smaller tanks are just junk and youre better off getting a little larger one that is good quality. Eshopp has some good smaller ones too. You can also search SCA skimmers on ebay. They seem to make okay inexpensive skimmers. Make sure its rated for 2x your tank size or more.

 

[suddenrelic]

Thanks I will check them out! I am usually really comfortable doing things myself, but for some reason drilling glass is not in my comfort field. Where could I take my tank to get something like this done?

 

[Clownfish Chris]

Cutting glass is actually really easy. I just recently switched from an overflow to a drilled system after flooding my bedroom for a second time. All I did was lay the tank on its back across two saw horses, clamped a 2x4 to the back side to prevent chipping, put a hose in it on a very low setting, and drilled SLOWLY. It came out perfect. If the diamond hole saw binds up, the glass will quickly heat up, glow red, and then chip. If you go slow it is actually very hard to chip the glass.

Any glass shop should be able to do it for you though.

 

[AdamNC]

I have heard some ACE Hardware or mom-pop hardware stores will drill the tank for you but will not guarantee if they crack the glass.

 

[ReefKeep66]

I would drill your tank for sure. HOB overflows are a pain. Even if you break it getting another 20 gallon is still cheaper then redoing carpet.

Reef Octopus make nice skimmers. I used a 110 on a 40 gallon and though its rated for a larger tank did a good job. I have found many of the skimmers made for smaller tanks are just junk and youre better off getting a little larger one that is good quality. Eshopp has some good smaller ones too. You can also search SCA skimmers on ebay. They seem to make okay inexpensive skimmers. Make sure its rated for 2x your tank size or more.

+1 for reef octopus. I used a ro nwb 150sss rated for 210g on my 20g long with a 10g sump before upgrading to my 75g rimless. It did awesome! obviously a little overkill but you get the point

 

[gone fishin]

Just to play the other side. I ran a successful 29g for a few years with no sump or skimmer. Weekly WC took care of everything. I then decided to make a sump and used a eshopps overflow and never had any issues with it. Just letting you know a small tank can be successfully operated at a very basic level using live rock, power heads, heater and a HOB filter. Given the choice between a drilled tank Vs. non drilled I would take a drilled tank every time. just my 2 cents.

 

[snorvich]

Just to play the other side. I ran a successful 29g for a few years with no sump or skimmer. Weekly WC took care of everything. I then decided to make a sump and used a eshopps overflow and never had any issues with it. Just letting you know a small tank can be successfully operated at a very basic level using live rock, power heads, heater and a HOB filter. Given the choice between a drilled tank Vs. non drilled I would take a drilled tank every time. just my 2 cents.

What Tony said.

 

[Teenreefer15]

I would drill the tank but you like tony said you can be successful without it. Siphoning is fine but then you have to factor in what happens when there is a power outage or if your pump fails or something like that.

 

[suddenrelic]

Wow, thanks everyone. I think I'm going try drilling it. It's currently being used as a freshwater tank, I'm just waiting for my new 55 to finish cycling and then I'll move the fish over and begin the reef project. I'll be sure to post my success/failure with the drilling and plumbing.

 

[gone fishin]

one tip on drilling. Get some plumbers putty, kind of knead it until it gets long then make a circle out of it. place it around where you are going to drill and put some water in the spot. This will keep the bit in water while you are drilling. I also like to put an old pillow or some cushioning on the opposite side to catch the glass disc when you you drill through. good luck

 

[jason2459]

Just to play the other side. I ran a successful 29g for a few years with no sump or skimmer. Weekly WC took care of everything. I then decided to make a sump and used a eshopps overflow and never had any issues with it. Just letting you know a small tank can be successfully operated at a very basic level using live rock, power heads, heater and a HOB filter. Given the choice between a drilled tank Vs. non drilled I would take a drilled tank every time. just my 2 cents.

Can definitely be done with out the sump and skimmer. I've been running a 20L mantis tank for a few years now with some softies. Not sure how successful hard corals would be with out more filtration then the none I have. I just have Xenia and zoas. Both doing well. Xenia is always pulsing and the zoa's always out. I just have a single reefbrite and stunner strip retro fit into the stock hood and a couple koralia pumps. Then do a weekly water change.

Having said that a sump would be nice if I could set it up but it's location doesn't allow it. But I don't know if I'd still run a skimmer as I wouldn't want the noise either but having a refug and growing out macro algae would be nice and a easy place to do the water changes and ATO. If noise wasn't a factor then I'd do a skimmer too. There's lots of nano skimmers out now.

 

[Teenreefer15]

Wow, thanks everyone. I think I'm going try drilling it. It's currently being used as a freshwater tank, I'm just waiting for my new 55 to finish cycling and then I'll move the fish over and begin the reef project. I'll be sure to post my success/failure with the drilling and plumbing.

alright remember to use a diamond coated hole saw and not to apply pressure just let it do its thing.