55 gallon tank with 20 gallon sump

[bennycbenny]

Hi! I’m new to this hobby and I am trying to set up a 55 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump. I’m planning a sump with a section for a protein skimmer and a section for a refugium. Does anyone have any recommendations for a protein skimmer/ pump? Appreciate any feedback. Thanks!!

 

[lilithereefer]

as i usually ask whats your budget?

 

[bennycbenny]

Hoping to stay under 500 for everything in the sump, but cheaper the better

 

[lilithereefer]

ok so there is always the nicer more expensive reef octopus, there are also cheaperish bubble magus or aquamax. and you can find like a hydor pump for the return and a jebao doser. the ato you can always find cheap on amazon. the chateo just get at a lfs and you can find a like fuge ray for cheap as a refugium light or you can go with a cheap light on amazon as always. just make sure you do your research on the things that are cheaper because i have had success with cheap things off brand but some have failed.

 

[bennycbenny]

Thanks! Also, how do I go about choosing the right size equipment? Do I chose the protein skimmer first and then size everything else based on that? Or is it based on the size of the tank?

 

[lilithereefer]

i can send you something on that in the next few days

 

[lilithereefer]

so you can do like any sized skimmer because it just takes water and spits it out, it just has to fit in your tank/sump. your overflow is what you should base your return pump size on and then your protein skimmer should really just in my opinion be rated 75 gallons or more.

 

[lilithereefer]

send me your livestock plan and then i can tell you what equipment would work best

 

[lilithereefer]

btw i forgot to say welcome to reef2reef!

 

[dedragon]

So many options for both pump and skimmer online. It is also going to matter if you want to run an external or recirculating skimmer (these are usually harder to set up but can be more efficient, but in no way necessary). Internal skimmer is what i am guessing you are asking about, many options out there Eshopps x120, aquamaxx fc80, reef octopus int 110, etc.
I always recommend a really oversized dc pump for return because you can turn the pump to 50% and it sounds much quiter than either ac or dc at 100%

 

[dedragon]

Sump itself, just diy a 20 gallon and you will be set. I used fijicube as a template for my sump. the acrylic, silicone, and tank cost around $100 to make it. depending on what you can get the acylic pieces for

 

[bennycbenny]

send me your livestock plan and then i can tell you what equipment would work best

Thanks for all the info! I plan to start out with fish, but hope to start adding some soft corals when I start getting the hang of things.

 

[lilithereefer]

do you know how many fish ? or what fish you have in mind? don't worry if you are trying to put a "bigger" fish in a 75 i wont come after you like some crazys

 

[beaslbob]

don't forget to test the sump:
1) no flood power out.
2) power return=normal operation
3) drain failure (blockage, syphon loss) no sump flood.

I forgot to test 3 LOL

Also I would skip the skimmer and make the refugium with macro algae as large as possible.

my .02

 

[beaslbob]

don't forget to test the sump:
1) no flood power out.
2) power return=normal operation
3) drain failure (blockage, syphon loss) no sump flood.<<<<<<<

I forgot to test 3 LOL

Also I would skip the skimmer and make the refugium with macro algae as large as possible.

my .02

the sump should run dry before the display floods.