55 gall reef setup ?

[onabudget]

hello and thanks for looking. i purchased a 55 gallon tank for 40 bucks awhile back and its not reefready i want to know what i need to make it reef ready far as with a sump or what not if im making any sense or is there like a combo deal with the over flows or something?

 

[Blown 346]

To have it reef ready you need the overflow or overflows built into the tank, and the bottom of the tank has to be drilled.
The manufacturer who makes the tank will be the determining factor if it can be drilled. AGA tanks the bottoms are tempered.

 

[onabudget]

ok thaks but i though it can be done without drilling or am i wrong

 

[Blown 346]

If you want a Ref ready tank it has to be drilled, the differnce between a RR Tank and a Non RR tank is the RR tank is drilled and already has either 1 or 2 built in overflows, depending on the tank size.
A Non RR tank isnt drilled and you have to use a hang on the back overflow.

 

[bertoni]

You can use the tank with an overflow, and you won't have to drill it. Reef-ready is really a marketing term, and it's not very well-defined, IMO.

 

[crusing52]

I have a 55 not drilled. I use an overflow box by amirical. That works for me...

 

[crusing52]

I mean amiracle. sorry

 

[onabudget]

THANKS

 

[Noah_Count]

I have a 55 gallon tank with a 10 gallon sump which is more or less for hiding equipment rather than increasing volume. I use a Lifereef overflow box.
The tank has only been FOWLR before but I just moved it recently and I'm hoping to start a reef soon. Anyway the Lifereef box has given excellent results for over two years now. It's a really nice, well made product.

 

[NCreefwannabe]

You do not have to drill the bottom of your tank. You can also drill the sides for horizontal overflow. Or have a hangon refugium.

 

[bigeyetuna]

I had my 75 AGA drilled in the back, as the bottom was Tempered. Tempered + Drill = Shatter into many tiny pieces.

It works great for me, I created a DIY stand pipe that connects through the Bulkhead in the back.

I was considering just getting a hang on the back overflow, but was too worried about siphon break and a floor full of saltwater. My LFS drilled the tank for $6.00 and installed a corner overflow for ~$25.00. I think it was the right decision and I am very please with it.

Good Luck!!

 

[nodoubt471]

I have on my 55g a CPR overflow to a modified 20g and a mag 7 return pump, and that has worked very well with me.

 

[onabudget]

could someone reccommend a good sump/wetdry/fuge or what ever?

 

[Noah_Count]

What kind of space do you have for one? What kind of budget? In my case, my sump is a simple 10 gallon aquarium because that's all that would fit in my stand under my 55 gallon tank. There are folks out there who will build you custom sump/ fuges to fit if you've got the dollars for it.

 

[onabudget]

na no need for a custom buit
i have as much space as the tank is big underneath the stand
so whats beter a bigger sump or smaler or a sump/fuge/wetdry?

 

[Noah_Count]

I don't have any experience with a fuges so I'll leave that to someone else. I will tell you though that if you are going to use a sump that in general, bigger is better. The sump adds to the total water volume of your system. That extra volume of water will help if something happens with your water chemistry.
A 45 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump is just like having a 75 gallon tank as far as water volume is concerned. Obviously not as much room in the main tank though.
Just remember that whatever equipment you add to the sump will displace water and alter the amount it will hold. Since my sump has a skimmer in it along with the heater and return pump, it doesn't really hold 10 gallons. You will also need to leave room in your sump to accomodate the water coming down from your main tank should you have a power failure to your return pump. You don't want the sump to overflow!
IMO, a sump is definitely worthwhile if you have the room. There is nothing showing in my main tank other than the overflow box, the return pipe from the sump and a couple of powerheads for water current. To me that looks much better than a bunch of stuff hanging all over the back wall of the tank and the more water volume the better.

 

[nodoubt471]

a fuge is a great idea and i would certianly reccommend you leave space in whatever sump you decide to go with for one. in mine, i have about 10 lbs of LR and some cheato macro algae, which helps get stuff like nitrates/trites and phosphates out of the water. i have no experience with wet/dry filters, but have heard that they are just nitrate traps.

 

[Noah_Count]

I wish I had room for a fuge in my sump. It's packed full though.
I sometimes think about adding some other kind of biological filtration media in there to help with trates/trites by just putting it in a mesh bag and throwing it in there. Don't know what I'd use though.