please help me plan a new tank

[sureone]

I am planning a new tank. It is going to be a 36 gallon bow front corner tank. It will be a reef tank with live rock, mostly soft corals and a few fish. I want to do this right so I am taking my time planning it.
The main decisions I have to make are on lighting and filtration.

I would like to start with the filtration.

Of course there are 3 choices. The hang on power filter, a sump or a home made wet dry system like the bio-cube.

The power filter is the cheapest and I think it would do the job. I am currently running a Rena on my 30 gallon and it is doing a great job. The big drawback is the tank won’t fit in the corner.

I could section off the back comer of the tank and set up a wet dry system like the one on the bio-cube and I think it would work very well. My concern with this method is where would I put a protein skimmer?

A sump may be the best way but the question is can the tank be drilled? How do I know? And do I need this efficiency for the tank I am planning?

 

[mbbuna]

[welcome]

IMO the best option would be drilling the tank and having a sump. all of your equipment will go there, heater, skimmer, return pump and anything else you might want/need. can your tank be drilled? i have no idea. will need to know more about the tank, who made it ect...

 

[sjj80]

Definitely go with a sump, do not use a hang on power filter or canister filter, they are nitrate factories. If your tank can be drilled I would do that and have an internal overflow installed. If it can't be drilled you can always buy an overflow setup, but drilled is the best way, if possible.