New 20g long build

[CollegeTyler]

Due to circumstances my old 10gal nano was vandalized, so its time for a new build. I have the tank and stand, skimmer, and a decent light to get me through cycle but my build is as follows,

Aqueon proflex model 1 sump (i will use live sump rock in the center section)
Mag 5 return pump
Glass-holes.com nano overflow kit, and two 1/2inch return kits
Coralife 65 skimmer
Ultralife UV sterilizer
Reefkeeper lite (for easy monitering of temp,pH,salinity and control of my pump and ATO system, Also down the road a controller for my actinic t5's)
Not sure what salt i'm going to use, open to sugesstions
Eventually I will upgrade my 150watt JBJ to an ice cap 250 ballast and a hanging pendulum, with one or two t5 actinics.
Paint the back black.

Im in college and this is the biggest tank i can have, but i want to get everything much overkill so when i get out i can upgrade to a 55 or mabey 70 gallon tank. Heres some pics of what i have. I wont be using the HOB filter in the pic. Open to suggestions!!! any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Friday Night]

Looks good. Drop the HOB filter and just use skimmer? ahhh nevermind just read that part lol.....

Maybe get a k2 PH and keep bio load low. Anyevent looks good viper is a good light as well.
:smokin:

 

[CollegeTyler]

got my glass-holes kit today! gonna have the tank drilled tomorrow ill post some pics of the finished result.

 

[duncantse]

Looks good so far. What are you planning to stock with it?

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Be careful with the CSS 65, they are very touchy! It can easily overflow if bumped, or for no real reason what so ever. I had one for well over a year and it functioned, but I had such a better peace of mind once I got a new skimmer for my 20L.

 

[reefhustler]

i just bought a cpr clone from aquatraders and threw in an airstone. doesn't seem to be to bad of a skimmer. pull this out on the first day.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

The CSS will skim no doubt, but whether you want to deal with a large in tank footprint and a very temperamental skimmer is up to you. Before I replaced mine with an eshopps I was waking up several times in the night to check on it to make sure it wasn't overflowing. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. I don't know, but for peace of mind alone I would eventually upgrade to something else. How is the spread on the lamp right now? I considered on of those but went with a 150w MH Reefoptix 3 and really like it. Best!

 

[CollegeTyler]

The light puts out a decent spread, it does the job well, i might upgrade to a hanging pendulum mh light. The tanks drilled and i painted the back flat black, still waiting on the 2nd return from glass holes then ill order the sump, with the supernano over flow, and two 1/2 returns aqueon proflex 1 sump, what would be a good return pump, i was thinking like an iwaki 15rlt, or a panworld, advice is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[CollegeTyler]

Im kinda lost on the return pump, can someone shoot me in the right direction, I have 1inch drain, and two 1/2inch returns, would an iwaki 15rlt pump which is rated at 300gph be a good choice, or is that too much flow?

Thanks

And as far as the skimmer goes, i had that same problem but its simple to fix, if your using it HOB you have to use the shorter pump tube, and if it overflows, try snipping off like 1/4inch and it seemed to make it stop, im not sure about insump. What are some better choices for a protien skimmer? Im not to certian on the eshopps one..

Im stocking the tank with mostly sps, a basic clean up crew, and fish wise im not sure but i was thinking like a school of chromis and mabey a flame angelfish, if not those fish, just a pair of clowns.

 

[CollegeTyler]

I decided to go with the iwaki md-15rlt, it should do wonders for what i need. I got the proflex sump in today!!!! heres a quick shot of it all crammed under the stand, also bought all my pvc to plumb it up ill prolly get around to it sunday night or monday morning.

Also can someone shoot me in the right direction with how to mount the pump in the stand so i dont have vibrations, and noise? I was thinking a rubber pad in between the stand and pump. What has everyone else done?

Thanks everyone!!

 

[CollegeTyler]

Plumbed in the drain and leak tested, plumbed from pump exit to returns, Mounted the pump securely to the stand with some plastic feet. Waiting on a bulkhead and ill finish up the plumbing.

 

[allsps40]

Be careful with the CSS 65, they are very touchy! It can easily overflow if bumped, or for no real reason what so ever. I had one for well over a year and it functioned, but I had such a better peace of mind once I got a new skimmer for my 20L.

Yep they do. I ran one in sump for a while and it would overflow all the skim into my tank. Very touchy skimmer, skim dry with it.

 

[CollegeTyler]

got it all plumbed up and filled it up with water to test and works like a champ. Should be starting it soon.

 

[CollegeTyler]

Got the sand and the water going have a few pieces of dried out rock from my old tank, this should work out nice, next time i have money ill add some more live rock.

 

[CollegeTyler]

Its all cleared up, im going to lfs for more rock, and im gonna start the refugium. Then we wait for a few weeks till everythings stable to put in live stock!

 

[CollegeTyler]

Got all my Rock, put some crushed coral in the bottom of the refugium, and two nice small pieces of base rock, I will add some algea soon enough. Here is a pic of the refugium, and a pick of the tank with the final aquascaping let me know what you think! ? ! ?

Will add CUC and some kind of refugium algae next weekend. :spin3:

 

[ange062]

Scape looks sweet, but that sump must sound like niagara falls!!

 

[DreTheReefer]

Nice start .

 

[CollegeTyler]

Thanks everyone, Im loving the setup only problem im having is that when the overflow is going the fush tube makes a fast repetitive popping sound. I did however fall right asleep to it so im not worried about the noise. And the sump is extremely quite, all i can hear is the water draining into the box and the popping noise. :fun4:

 

[DreTheReefer]

That would drive me nuts