Adopting my first tank! need some equipment advice...

[nbgen12]

I'm adopting a 55g tank and have a few questions to ask the veterans of the hobby...
I'm getting one of the filters that needs the hang on back overflow to get the water to the bioballs, then the pump to send the water back....the person I'm getting the tank from doesn't have the overflow or pump so I will need to purchase both plus the plumbing myself. What is the flow rate I should have to the filter, and the flow rate for the pump which puts it back in the tank?

my second question is, since this filter with the bioballs hasn't been used in a while since this was a FOWLR tank, how long would I need to allow the tank to run after setting it up, for the bio balls to be a fully functional filter so I could add coral?

I'm also investing in the RO/DI unit so I can have quality water but may not have it right after my moving of the tank, so any suggestions on getting new water in the tank would be greatly appreciated as well...
i will probably be posting for a lot more input when i pick it up sunday...

 

[cubsFAN]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1696795

i'd rethink the bioballs and look into some live rock. as far as the plumbing goes i think people shoot for 10x through their sump for adequate filtration. a return pump of 500-700gph would work if you are just pumping up around 4-5 feet. for an overflow i would look at the eshoppes ones or lifereef(i think that's what it's called) and get something around 500-700 gph. vinyl tubing and hang on return should work well for a return. the link above should help get a better understanding of the basics.

 

[kimber45]

as stated don't use the bioballs. your liverock will give you all the filtration needed. use the sump for equipment, chemical filtration, or a refuge if wanted.

popular turnover through sump for most reefs is between 3-5x. so a pump that would push around 300gph at your head height would work well.a slightly larger pump would give you the ability to run reactors if needed down the road.

in tank flow is done with powerheads depending on exactly what your keeping.

for existing tanks i like glass-holes overflows. the 700 or 1500gph would work well for you.siphon style overflows are accidents waiting to happen. i'd stay away if possible.

good luck

 

[Mounda]

Bioballs do not belong in a reef tank.

 

[nbgen12]

Alright so it sounds like go with live rock in the sump instead....i also failed to mention i have a hang on back protein skimmer. Am I going to need to have any light on the live rock in the sump then or will it be fine with the water circulating through it?

 

[abulgin]

Although live rock in the sump is a good idea, you should build a reef of live rock in your display. You will need about 1lb of rock per gallon for an effective/efficient biofilter, so about 50lbs of live rock (or about $350!). This ain't a cheap hobby. If you buy fully cured live rock from your local store, you probably won't have any cycle and can start adding (SLOWLY) fish after letting things settle for a week or so and monitoring your ammonia and nitrite levels. Of course, remember to quarantine most fish (learn which ones don't do well in QT) for 4-6 weeks before adding them to the display.

Your plumbing needs will be dictated somewhat by how much head (distance from the pump to the return), but mostly by the fact (and I could be off on the specific number) that the standard overflow can only handle about 600 gph, so keep this in mind. You should definitely plumb a ball valve between your pump and the tank return, which you can use to control the flow.

 

[nbgen12]

I'm already getting 70lbs of rock with the running system....I would say about 45 lbs of it are in the display actually cured already. I will probably add most of what remains into the display then figure out how much more to add into the sump in addition to what I'm already getting. The water coming from my tank will just be going straight from the overflow, down like 2 or 3 ft at a maximum into the sump area. I'm also going to need to acquire an ro/di system so the water is clean enough to put coral in eventually.

 

[abulldogger2]

I would try to save as much of the existing water that u can. Then you can start doing water changes with your new ro/di water!!
Any one with more experience on moves please chime in here!

 

[eric@tampa]

Check out www.wetwebmedia.com great site and will answer a lot of your plumbing questions.Good luck,eric