New tank build - questions

[Gunz767]

Hello everyone, first post.
I have previously had a 75gallon tank setup with clowns, a yellow tang, a couple damsels. I'm pretty decently familiar with maintenance. During that time I didn't have an ro/di setup, or a sump.

So I sold all that off a few years ago. Now I'm about to build another 60 or 75 gallon tank and have some questions. I will be building this over the course of a year or two probably, and want to go slow and do things right.

How necessary is sump? I plan on buying a premade glass tank locally building a stand for it. What other things should I plan for? What are common fish combinations for that size tank? I would like to have easy to maintain corals/live plants etc which I am no so familiar with.

Could anyone recommend me to a guide/tips/any information on what they would go back and do right if they were starting a new build? This will be a living room display and I would like to make it really nice, with some fish that have good personalities.

Any information or recommendations helpful, as far as lighting, filtration, sump information, ro/di systems I should look at - etc. Thanks

 

[Brew12]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I'll take on this question

How necessary is sump?

A sump isn't necessary at all. However, if you are wanting a great looking display for a living area I wouldn't consider running a system without one if for no other reason than it puts the heaters and skimmer out of sight. If you start adding pH probes, temp probes, ground probes or dosing lines it makes an even bigger difference. Its hard to get away from having powerheads in the tank, but the more equipment you can hide the better imo.

 

[ZJedi945]

Welcome back to the awesome salty hobby!

I do agree, a sump is not necessary at all. It keeps all of the "ugly" gear hidden underneath. Since you are building your own stand you can spec the size to what you want.

Could anyone recommend me to a guide/tips/any information on what they would go back and do right if they were starting a new build? This will be a living room display and I would like to make it really nice, with some fish that have good personalities.

Any information or recommendations helpful, as far as lighting, filtration, sump information, ro/di systems I should look at - etc. Thanks

As for a guide my go to is NewYorkSteelo on youtube. As for gear... I am a Ecotech guy through and through. It is pricey but I love the control it gives me. If I didn't use those I would more than likely go with ether Tunze or gyres. ((jabeo is good too))