I Don’t know where to begin!

[Obiwandza]

Hi I’m obi,
I’m new to the site, and I’m new to salt water aquarium!

so a bit of background….I am a complete newb….I know probably the barest of minimums….but I am not ashamed to admit that.

i ended up here because my girlfriend stumbled across this hunk of a 54 gallon aqueon bowfront corner aquarium with stand on Facebook marketplace for a whopping $0

initially we planned to build it out to house a turtle with a waterfall and a bunch of live plants.

upon doing the research, paired with knowing I’ll primarily be responsible for maintenance and upkeep……..a turtle just isn’t rewarding enough for the amount of work that’s going to go into it.

I wandered into a local aquarium supply today and spoke with the owner who was very patient with me and let me ask as many questions as I could come up with.

im 90% sure I want to go forward with a salt water reef tank!

so what I do know:
1) I know I want to run a sump
2) I have a glass lid but I’m leaning toward no lid (open to why I should or shouldn’t)
3) would love coral
4) I know that I can only keep so many fish in the space that I have and I have a small list of possible fish that I’d like to stock my tank with

what I don’t know:
1) to run a dump will I have to drill my tank?
a) if I have to drill the tank on a scale of 1 - 10 how difficult is this with no experience?
3) what are the rules of growing different types of coral in harmony
4) if I have a fish that requires 20 gallons of space does that mean I can only keep 2 fish total in my 55gallon or am I able to keep multiples of other species as long as 1 said fish doesn’t require more than 55 gallons of space (example could I stock 2 clown fish, 2 cardinal fish, a yellow watchman goby, 3 green reef chromis and a tail spot blenny all in 1 55g tank theoretically?)

I have included pics of the tank/stand I have

it is basically a blank canvas and I’m excited to run it into something wonderful and the only way I can do that is with your help.

I know 55g isn’t the ideal set up but I also am limited to space and wanted something to give me a good foundation to learn all the rights and wrong without being too financially burdened!


PICS:
Was pretty cruddy when I picked it up…..but it was free so hey

Cleaned up pretty nice

 

[RocketEngineer]

1) I highly recommend you watch/listen to the BRStv 52 Weeks of reefing series on YouTube. It’s a few years old but has a ton of good basics to follow.
2) That shape/size tank is hard to find a sump for. Being your first setup, it may be easier to just go with hang on back or in tank equipment for the time being. I know I’ve used equipment like that without issue on my first tank and then again years later in my office tank at work. An in tank skimmer like the Tunze DoC series can’t spill on the floor if it overflows.
3) That stocking list for fish looks good for that size tank. The tank size recommendations are more guidelines. Do your research on the needs of the critter BEFORE you buy. Some fish need more swimming space, others hiding spots. Research is key.

Good luck.

 

[Miami Reef]

Welcome to the forum!

Great deal for that tank!

 

[Obiwandza]

1) I highly recommend you watch/listen to the BRStv 52 Weeks of reefing series on YouTube. It’s a few years old but has a ton of good basics to follow.
2) That shape/size tank is hard to find a sump for. Being your first setup, it may be easier to just go with hang on back or in tank equipment for the time being. I know I’ve used equipment like that without issue on my first tank and then again years later in my office tank at work. An in tank skimmer like the Tunze DoC series can’t spill on the floor if it overflows.
3) That stocking list for fish looks good for that size tank. The tank size recommendations are more guidelines. Do your research on the needs of the critter BEFORE you buy. Some fish need more swimming space, others hiding spots. Research is key.

Good luck.

Yea I was recommended that series by the store owner I spoke with. Actually dozed off with it playing while I made this post last night.

I do appreciate your response, however my questions still go unanswered.

im not really off put by the ease/difficulty of a task l do have some mechanical inclination and I’m handy with a few power tools if necessary

lol that said I’m completely open to building a sump if I have too, I’m just lacking in the understanding of how the shape and size of the tank affects the sump I can use?

Also I kno let the stock list of fish is “ok” because I’ve researched what fish can thrive in a 55g tank.

what I don’t know is, how many of said fish from that list can go into the tank…..I know I can’t put 3 or 4 of everything on the list but I don’t know when enough is too much

honestly the only reason I know 2 clown fish will work is because someone asked about 4 in a similar set up and was told only 1 pair of clown fish lol

im literally the kid at the corner waiting for someone to grab my hand n walk me to the other side

but again thanks for the response hopefully we can get this thing rolling soon…..I just don’t know what my next piece is equipment should be!

 

[Obiwandza]

Actually I’ve found the issue with the sump is the space available in the stand…..

 

[duesmortem]

Actually I’ve found the issue with the sump is the space available in the stand…..

If that is the case then placing your equipment in your display tank is the best option. Since you have a big display tank then your equipment should not take up too much of the space

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hopefully someone a bit more experienced can answer too, but here's my reply.

1) to run a dump will I have to drill my tank?
As I understand it, if the tank doesn't already have holes in it for plumbing in a sump, then yes (barring some very creative and likely ugly plumbing).

a) if I have to drill the tank on a scale of 1 - 10 how difficult is this with no experience?
I have never done it before, so I can't answer this one, but there are probably threads covering this in the DIY forum here on Reef2Reef.

3) what are the rules of growing different types of coral in harmony
Give them their own space (some corals need 6+ inches between themselves and other corals or they'll start stinging each other, some can basically touch without issues - it depends on the species involved). Give them proper lighting, flow, stable water parameters, etc. and they should be fine. You might need to account for allelopathy and place certain corals "downstream" from others, but I can't say that I've seen this be a big problem for people.

4) if I have a fish that requires 20 gallons of space does that mean I can only keep 2 fish total in my 55gallon or am I able to keep multiples of other species as long as 1 said fish doesn’t require more than 55 gallons of space (example could I stock 2 clown fish, 2 cardinal fish, a yellow watchman goby, 3 green reef chromis and a tail spot blenny all in 1 55g tank theoretically?)
No to the first part, yes to the second. You shouldn't keep fish that require more than your tank's total gallonage, but you can keep multiple species/fish of the same species that require a smaller amount in the tank (i.e. you could keep more then just two fish that require 20 gallons minimum in your tank without issue). The comment above about your stock list looking good was saying that your example stock of the 2 clowns, 2 cardinals, etc. was a good stock list for your tank - it should work to have all of those if that's what you want.

Hope this helps!

 

[Obiwandza]

Ok so knowing where to start my research I discovered my tank may be tempered glass…or it may not

so the front panel and bottom panel are supposedly tempered glass. Everything as to whether the side panels are tempered seems to be split. I found one guy back in 2015 that claims to have drilled his but I cannot confirm it.

Gonna research if I can drill this panel….fingers crossed, if so I think I’ll be able to fast track my progress based off of some other findings *evil grin*

mom excited I’ll keep u guys updated

 

[CryptoNautical]

I've drilled a few tanks and will say it's pretty easy. My suggestion is to buy a glass cutter form BRS (tried a home improvement store drill bit for glass and had no luck what so ever) and the biggest form of advice I have is let the drill do all the work. Don't put any weight on the drill or you risk cracking the glass. I would practice on a 10 gallon just so you get the feel for it and see what it looks like.

So number 1: no weight to the drill and let it do all the work.

Number 2: use a constant stream of water over the drill bit while cutting (the drill will be moving fast and heating up the drill bit. You'll want to prevent that as much as possible I used my RODI line to do this. You will get wet)

Number 3: just be patient the thicker the glass the longer it will take for the drill bit to reach the other side.

Number 4: please wear protective equipment. There will be tiny shavings of glass just cover eyes and hands and please be careful.

 

[ying yang]

Search on Google how to see if glass tempered or nor.
There little tricks of using polarised sunglasses and other methods

 

[ying yang]

Can you tell if tank is tempered glass?

Is there anyway to tell if aquarium glass is tempered or not? I just purchased a 90gal tank to start a reef tank. the previous owner had no idea if it is tempered glass or not. I would like to have it drilled for an overflow, but if I can't figure out if it is tempered or not I will get a CRP...

www.reef2reef.com

Quick video in this thread.
Lots more if f
google search

 

[Jedi1199]

First off... Welcome to the Dark Side...

So. let me try and help you as best as I can.

Actually I’ve found the issue with the sump is the space available in the stand…..

You hit the nail squarely on the head here. You are going to have a devil of a time fitting a sump under that stand. When you finally get it in, it will be undersized and inefficient. Not to burst your bubble, but I personally would recommend against a sump on that tank.

Look into a canister filter like the Fluval FX6. I run one on my own 55g standard and love it. It is quiet and highly efficient. Contrary to what you will find many people say, you do not need a refugium or dosers or any of the other hi-tech equipment to run a successful mixed reef tank. Proper maintenance schedule and water changes will do the job just fine.


So the glass lid.... Most of us ditch the glass lids. They block the light, collect salt creep, get foggy and are just generally are a pain. If you are concerned about "jumpers" look into a DIY mesh cover.

Fish and corals are very doable in that tank. Your stock list looks good, but I would cut the number of Chromis to 1 instead of 3. They tend to be territorial and that tank really does not give them the space they need.

Drilling the glass... This is easy enough as explained above. If you are not going with a sump, which I don't feel will be your best option with this tank, there is no reason to drill. That said, There is an option with the Fluval canister filters to use a drilled tank. You will need to buy the adapters to plumb it in, but it does hide the hoses and in tank plumbing.

That tank is likely, 24 x 24 x 36. The limited footprint will make it difficult to add fish that require a lot of swimming space. Clowns tend to stay "Close to home" and not wander far so they are a good choice, as are the Cardinals, Chromis, and the goby is a bottom dweller who will stake out a cave and pretty much stay there. A skunk Cleaner shrimp will be a nice addition as well.

Now, one thing you haven't mentioned is your lighting. If you intend to keep corals, you will need a quality light. There are TONS of inexpensive "Black Box" options available. My personal advice is save your money. That tank is deep. (Top to bottom) It will require a fairly intense light to penetrate through that much water and still give enough intensity for the corals to collect the amount they require to grow and thrive. I personally like Kessil lights but any quality brand should do fine. This is an area that will require considerable research as the options and differing viewpoints are even more vast than the ocean itself.

Hopefully that covers at least the basics of what you are hoping to learn. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We are always happy to help.

Good luck!!

 

[RocketEngineer]

1) to run a dump will I have to drill my tank?
I recommend drilled for a sump. Siphon overflows never make me comfortable. Mine flooded twice before I changed to drilled.

2) if I have to drill the tank on a scale of 1 - 10 how difficult is this with no experience?
covered well above but I would add: you’re not so much “drilling” as grinding a hole through the glass. Water flow and no pressure are key. Also, clamping a board to the inside helps prevent breakout at the end.

3) what are the rules of growing different types of coral in harmony.
Flow and space. Some corals put out sweepers that can damage neighboring corals. Others use chemical deterrents. Research is key. Each coral type is different so it may take some watching and moving.

4) if I have a fish that requires 20 gallons of space does that mean I can only keep 2 fish total in my 55gallon or am I able to keep multiples of other species as long as 1 said fish doesn’t require more than 55 gallons of space (example could I stock 2 clown fish, 2 cardinal fish, a yellow watchman goby, 3 green reef chromis and a tail spot blenny all in 1 55g tank theoretically?)
Those fish should do just fine in that size tank, especially if they each have caves/hiding spots to retreat into. The tank size listings are a guide, especially for larger fish that need room to swim. There’s no hard rule on how many but the more fish, the more food and the more chance of fighting. Adding small groups helps.

 

[melonheadorion]

here is something to think of when it comes to drilling. tempered vs non tempered, with regards to a piece breaking, normal glass might just crack. however, tempered will basically explode into millions of pieces. tempered doesnt take well to drilling, and if it were to break, its going to shatter. however, it was 0$, so youre at no loss if it does. on the other hand, that stand is just not going to give you room for a good sump, so would probably be best to go with a canister.

 

[Obiwandza]

however, it was 0$, so youre at no loss if it does.

Exactly my thought process…free is the best to experiment with….if it works out I consciously take not of what I could’ve done to improve the process and apply that to the next time….but more importantly if I exceed it boosts my confidence because I was successful at something I’ve never attempted before!

on the other hand, that stand is just not going to give you room for a good sump, so would probably be best to go with a canister.

So I’ve found a build using my exact tank that I am using basically as my backbone in this. I actually think, just from studying the few pics and the 3 short threads he created on another forum, the model he uses has a built in overflow, but basically the same tank.

im not sure on the rules for cross posting other forums here, if it’s allowed I’ll gladly post it for reference.

but he uses a megaflow 1 sump in conjunction with several other pieces of equipment and it all fits!

now I understand fitting is one thing and being efficient is an entirely different, more important issue! I haven’t really been able to find many reviews on this particular sump, so I’d be going on a limb…..I’m also open to the option of building a sump that could fit the dimensions of the cabinet if that would guarantee more efficiency?

As far as lighting is concerned I didn’t mention that because I haven’t gotten that far into my research. I think the last 3 things that will go into this build will be lighting, coral & fish.

I want to make sure I can get everything up and going to make adding my coral and fish as easy as possible so my biggest concern right now is getting everything constructed.

I’m hoping to have everything up and cycling at least by the end of summer. But I’m not dead set on that timeline because I’ve given myself no time for failure/replanning which I know is inevitable when embarking on a knee hobby.

I do appreciate the reception and feedback and input, I’ve got a free day today (no work, wife’s in the office today)….I think I’ll browse this site some more and soak up what I can to get ready for this ride!

 

[New&no clue]

Before you go too far down the rabbit hole, I would figure out what type of corals you'd like to keep. That will give you a better path forward for what kind of lights, flow, and filtration you will need.

I run a 30-gallon softy tank with only chaeto and polyfilters. That could easily be done with your space.

I also run a 180-gallon mixed reef with two basement sumps, refugium, skimmers, doser, UV, carbon, and GFO reactors.

Once you know what path you want for corals, start research, sumps, and equipment needs.

 

[mynd]

Isn't that tank tempered glass or is that only the front panel? most corner tanks are tempered glass. Hopefully its just the front panel otherwise, you don't want to drill it..

 

[melonheadorion]

Exactly my thought process…free is the best to experiment with….if it works out I consciously take not of what I could’ve done to improve the process and apply that to the next time….but more importantly if I exceed it boosts my confidence because I was successful at something I’ve never attempted before!

So I’ve found a build using my exact tank that I am using basically as my backbone in this. I actually think, just from studying the few pics and the 3 short threads he created on another forum, the model he uses has a built in overflow, but basically the same tank.

im not sure on the rules for cross posting other forums here, if it’s allowed I’ll gladly post it for reference.

but he uses a megaflow 1 sump in conjunction with several other pieces of equipment and it all fits!

now I understand fitting is one thing and being efficient is an entirely different, more important issue! I haven’t really been able to find many reviews on this particular sump, so I’d be going on a limb…..I’m also open to the option of building a sump that could fit the dimensions of the cabinet if that would guarantee more efficiency?

As far as lighting is concerned I didn’t mention that because I haven’t gotten that far into my research. I think the last 3 things that will go into this build will be lighting, coral & fish.

I want to make sure I can get everything up and going to make adding my coral and fish as easy as possible so my biggest concern right now is getting everything constructed.

I’m hoping to have everything up and cycling at least by the end of summer. But I’m not dead set on that timeline because I’ve given myself no time for failure/replanning which I know is inevitable when embarking on a knee hobby.

I do appreciate the reception and feedback and input, I’ve got a free day today (no work, wife’s in the office today)….I think I’ll browse this site some more and soak up what I can to get ready for this ride!

building a sump is easier than drilling the tank, so you could easily create a custom sump in multiple ways, whether its custom cut class, plexi, or other type of thick material. it will obviously be a non-standard design, but you should be able to create an L shape sump, of some sort. i dont know what the cabinet looks like, but you should be able to. heck, you could keep it square and just make it multiple levels stacked on top of each other. sumps are very simple. you just need to design it with at least the inlet, outlet, and a space enough for a skimmer. you can do a refugium if you wanted to go that route,
in general, sumps dont have a standard dimension or requirement to how they are setup. some designs may have benefits over others, but ultimately you need intake and outlet. i personally built mine to have a ability for filter floss, filter socks, skimmer, refugium, a spot specific for mechanical media, and the return. you can see my sump build in my build thread, if you want. its all hand made except for the overall container of course, but you can easily make a container yourself, such as you would have to in your case

 

[melonheadorion]

also, there are videos out there on how to drill a tank. in the case of drilling glass, the key is to drill it very slow with a diamond cutter bit. with glass and metals, you have to use some sort of lubricant. if i recall seeing right, most just use water when cutting glass. if you go fast, you run the risk of it breaking, so the slower you go, the better off your are. even if its barely putting any pressure

 

[Obiwandza]

Isn't that tank tempered glass or is that only the front panel?

the manufacturer says the front and bottom are for sure tempered they don’t specify as far as the side panels, probably because they want you to spend the extra money and buy their reef ready version
After doing some research I found 50% discovered their side panels are not tempered and 50% were (something to do with the panels the factory may or may not have had in inventory when said tank was built) and apparently the general rule of risk is if one panel is tempered to assume they all are. But I did the laptop / polarized sunglasses test confirmed the front is tempered but my side panels are not!!

building a sump is easier than drilling the tank, so you could easily create a custom sump in multiple ways, whether its custom cut class, plexi, or other type of thick material. it will obviously be a non-standard design, but you should be able to create an L shape sump, of some sort. i dont know what the cabinet looks like, but you should be able to. heck, you could keep it square and just make it multiple levels stacked on top of each other. sumps are very simple.

I’ll try to get better pics (these rocks won’t be used…was planning something else prior to deciding on a reef tank lol)

but this is the stand I took some measurements yesterday,

the opening is 18”w x 25.5”h and inside (I’m pretty sure I’m not measuring this correctly) but from widest corner to corner is 33”w x 28” h and from front to back it’s approx 25” deep

for reference typical hand basket from local grocery (found it, I didn’t take it lol) it measures 13.5”w x 19”long