How would you do this?

Milkmanskid · Feb 10, 2016

I'm either going to upgrade to a bigger tank (suggestions are welcome on type and size) or I'm going to keep my 30 Gallon nano and add a sump.

Two delimmas come with this for me. How do I upgrade and make a smooth transition? The tank I'd be upgrading to needs to sit exactly where the other one is now...hmm

The other issue is if I keep the 30 its almost impossible to add a sump as the stand is to small. What would you do and how?

The 30 I have now is a fowlr. With the right equipment I'd like to go with a reef but with the filtration I have now, I'm not confident enough to invest in corrals and nems etc just yet on this one.

Reeflogic · Feb 10, 2016

30g tanks are easy peasy to move, drain the water into a brute can or 5x 5 gallon buckets, whatever you have, move it out of the way, fill'er back up! You pretty much answered your own question in regards to adding a sump to the existing tank. You don't have room; therefore, it's not feasible. I see an upgrade in your future! If the 30g is not an all-in-one and you don't have a built-in overflow, I wouldn't waste time or money on the hang-on overflows. I mean sure they work, but spend your money elsewhere, you'll thank me later!!

As far as the transition, it's simple since you only have fish. Buy new tank, set new tank up, cycle new tank and acclimate fishies to new tank! Good luck!

melypr1985 · Feb 10, 2016

Actually you can make your own sump to your own dementions out of acrylic. I've done this for a 40 gallon tall tank with a very small stand. I've done it and it's rather easy. If you can design what you want and measure the inside of the stand, then you can get exact measurements for each piece of acrylic. I used a plastics company here in dallas. I explained what I was making and what it's for, then sent all the dementions and drawings. He cut each piece for me and I put it together. Worked like a charm.

For upgrading to a larger tank and having it exactly where the current one is... this is how I did it.

I already had all the water, live rock and sand that I would need along with all the new equipment. It was all ready to go when I started at 9 am.
I had several buckets and totes to hold livestock, rock and corals along with an air pump and a couple small heaters to keep the water at temp.

1. Drain the water down to a few inches and into the totes/buckets.
2. Remove the rock and corals and place them in the totes/buckets. Leave one container to hold the fish and inverts.
3. Catch all the fish and place in a bucket with airstone and heater.
4. At this point the tank should be light enough to scoot out of the way. You'll still have a couple inches of water and the sand in it but that's ok. We will trash that and not use it in the new set up.
5. Clean the floor and wall before placing the new tank in it's spot.
6. Place the new tank, stand and all equipment in place. Plumb and get it and it's equipment completely ready to rock. Make sure you have all the pieces you need or that you are doing this while Homedepot and the LFS are open.
7. Place your new rock and sand in the tank and fill with already mixed saltwater.
8. Add the old rock and corals and all the water they were in during the wait.
9. At this point you should only have fish left. You can drip acclimate them back to the tank, or if the salinity temp and ph match between them then just add them to the tank.

Leave the lights off, but be sure all the equipment is running properly before walking away from it. It took me until 7pm to complete this whole process but it included two trips to homedepot and one trip to my LFS for a bit more water.

I hope this helped. If you have any more questions on how we did this, dont hesitate to ask.

bobman · Feb 10, 2016

I agree with reef logic and on the bright side you can make the 30 gallon now your sump. I would toss eveything into buckets or a brute trash can even the fish and throw a small power head in there to move water while to swap is in progress. As long as you get dry rock you should not have to cycle the tank as the live rock you have now already has enough bacteria to sustain your current bio load but keep water on hand and test regularly just in case you do have a small cycle.

Reeflogic · Feb 10, 2016

Yes, I agree, there are other options, but I just assumed he likely did not have the capacity to do a DIY sump or to drill his tank (if it can even be drilled). Was just trying to give him the easiest transition into a reef. He did state that he only had fish, so as Bobman said, he could literally keep them in a brute for weeks with no issues, assuming he does have some existing liverock and a powerhead.

melypr1985 · Feb 10, 2016

This is the sump I built out of acrylic. I drew up a design and took my measurements. It was really easy. I'm not pushing it as the only option or anything.... just addressing how he can add a sump to a small stand.

Reeflogic · Feb 10, 2016

That's one healthy fuge!! Nice job!!

Milkmanskid · Feb 10, 2016

Wow, amazing replies! Thanks! It seems much easier to move now then I thought. I should correct that I have enough room to fit a ten Gallon in the stand but it has to run north and south instead of East and West. It will also stick out of the back. Making it look a mess. I do have live rock so putting them in a container would probably work

The tank is not drilled

Milkmanskid · Feb 10, 2016

Milkmanskid said:
Wow, amazing replies! Thanks! It seems much easier to move now then I thought. I should correct that I have enough room to fit a ten Gallon in the stand but it has to run north and south instead of East and West. It will also stick out of the back. Making it look a mess. I do have live rock so putting them in a container would probably work

The tank is not drilled

I wouldn't mind a 55 Gallon setup as I'm working on someone that has one for sale pretty cheap with stand. However, as I'm looking more and more, it appears most regular stands are to shallow to support a sump... If you had about $1,000 in disposable income for a new set up; and do it properly the first time, what would you choose?

melypr1985 · Feb 10, 2016

Milkmanskid said:
I wouldn't mind a 55 Gallon setup as I'm working on someone that has one for sale pretty cheap with stand. However, as I'm looking more and more, it appears most regular stands are to shallow to support a sump... If you had about $1,000 in disposable income for a new set up; and do it properly the first time, what would you choose?

I dont think you'll get anything that big for 1000 brand new. I spent about that much on my current 75 gallon set up and it was used from a friend. It had all the right equipment and I verified that it all worked. I will say that a 55 is pretty narrow and wont allow you to keep tangs. (just fyi in case your wanting tangs)

I've found that making your own stand is pretty easy to do, though I haven't had any problems with fitting a sump under the "factory" stands I've used in the past. Your biggest problem is the height of the skimmer, but you can measure to be sure the one your choose will fit.... make sure you leave some room above it so you can remove the skimmer for maintenance.

jetmaker · Feb 10, 2016

Milkmanskid said:
I wouldn't mind a 55 Gallon setup as I'm working on someone that has one for sale pretty cheap with stand. However, as I'm looking more and more, it appears most regular stands are to shallow to support a sump... If you had about $1,000 in disposable income for a new set up; and do it properly the first time, what would you choose?

I don't know I have over 5 k in mine lol

Milkmanskid · Feb 10, 2016

Yeah I was kinda looking used so far. A lady I ran into is trying to almost give her 55 setup away. Somewhere along the lines of $150 ish for tank and stand. This would allow me to spend more on equipment.

.....but what? Lol I'm weighing all my options to see what's best I guess.

melypr1985 · Feb 10, 2016

Milkmanskid said:
Yeah I was kinda looking used so far. A lady I ran into is trying to almost give her 55 setup away. Somewhere along the lines of $150 ish for tank and stand. This would allow me to spend more on equipment. .....but what? Lol I'm weighing all my options to see what's best I guess.

Equipment is up to you. There's the basics like a sump, return pump, skimmer, powerheads, lighting, overflow box (if the tank isn't drilled which most 55s arn't) and a couple powerheads. There are so many other things you can add to that list, but the only other thing I consider important enough to make a priority with the others is an ATO (auto top off)

That's a steal of a deal and if a 55 will let you keep the kind of fish you want, then go for it. Think about your fish list first though.

Reeflogic · Feb 11, 2016

I'm not sure where you are located, but check here on the local club forums and see if any are close to you. You can usually find folks who are getting out or upgrading and find some killer deals. A guy in our local forum recently sold an 80g rimless with 2 new Kessils, skimmer, ato, pumps, etc. Pretty much everything you need for 1,000 bucks. The lights alone are near 800 bucks! Biggest thing is, be patient, think everything through.