Hello all! I've been reading these forums for a few weeks, and thought I'd stop being a stranger and start posting.
Long story short: was in school (college, med school, residency) for way too damn long, and spent way too many years of my life without a hobby. I've had freshwater fish for the last two years, but now that I have more free time, I'm planning on setting up a saltwater tank. The wife wants a trigger and a puffer (those were the only stipulations I got, if I want to do the tank, she gets to have a trigger and a puffer. Without those, I don't get a tank )
So, I decided to set up a FOWLR.
I've spent many, many, many hours reading and learning about the hobby over the last two weeks, which has only spurred my interest further. Here's what I'm planning, and any advice/suggestions would be more than welcome!
1- Planning a 150 gallon 48x24x24 tank, with an undertank/in stand sump (is a 30 gallon sump big enough for that size tank, or should I plan on going larger? I feel like it should be larger, but am having trouble finding recommendations on sizes). The tank I'm looking at is a factory made, pre-drilled with 2 corner in tank overflows and predrilled returns.
2- was planning on a protein skimmer in the drainage area of the sump, and a heater in the return area of the sump. No refugium.
3- this tank is going in the living room of my house, which is above a walkout basement and so is, essentially, on the second story. I'm not worried about the weight for two reasons: (a) the floor beams are perpendicular to where the tank will sit, and more importantly, (b) the tank is actually going to be sitting directly ABOVE the load bearing wall in teh basement (we've got a little alcove with a window in it that sticks out from the main load bearing wall, but there's enough space to put the tank and stand in there, and it's a focal point of the house!).
Sorry for the wall of text; any advice would be welcome. I'm still in the planning stages so many things can still be changed, but I figured I'd ask the potentially stupid questions here, in advance, before I started the (large) investment of time and money setting this up!
-Matt
Long story short: was in school (college, med school, residency) for way too damn long, and spent way too many years of my life without a hobby. I've had freshwater fish for the last two years, but now that I have more free time, I'm planning on setting up a saltwater tank. The wife wants a trigger and a puffer (those were the only stipulations I got, if I want to do the tank, she gets to have a trigger and a puffer. Without those, I don't get a tank )
So, I decided to set up a FOWLR.
I've spent many, many, many hours reading and learning about the hobby over the last two weeks, which has only spurred my interest further. Here's what I'm planning, and any advice/suggestions would be more than welcome!
1- Planning a 150 gallon 48x24x24 tank, with an undertank/in stand sump (is a 30 gallon sump big enough for that size tank, or should I plan on going larger? I feel like it should be larger, but am having trouble finding recommendations on sizes). The tank I'm looking at is a factory made, pre-drilled with 2 corner in tank overflows and predrilled returns.
2- was planning on a protein skimmer in the drainage area of the sump, and a heater in the return area of the sump. No refugium.
3- this tank is going in the living room of my house, which is above a walkout basement and so is, essentially, on the second story. I'm not worried about the weight for two reasons: (a) the floor beams are perpendicular to where the tank will sit, and more importantly, (b) the tank is actually going to be sitting directly ABOVE the load bearing wall in teh basement (we've got a little alcove with a window in it that sticks out from the main load bearing wall, but there's enough space to put the tank and stand in there, and it's a focal point of the house!).
Sorry for the wall of text; any advice would be welcome. I'm still in the planning stages so many things can still be changed, but I figured I'd ask the potentially stupid questions here, in advance, before I started the (large) investment of time and money setting this up!
-Matt