Planning a new tank

[Brian Kracht]

Hello,

I am new to this site and new to reef aquariums in general. I have been doing a ton of learning overall so I know a few things I guess. I am in the process of slowly gathering things to set up a tank and there are a few things I'm trying to double check on. I have a 30 gallon regular tank not a cube. I have a 4x24 inch t5 light set up coming in with 2 blue plus and two coral plus lights. I also got a ten gallon tank for my sump which I'll be building and have never done before, so this plumbing is confusing me some, but I am guessing it's more simple than I'm making it. I have an internal over flow box coming that just fits on the top portion of the tank and two bulkheads. No clue where to drill for best results, distance from tank or what method to make it silent since I don't have holes going down the bottom like pre drilled tank so 99% of the tutorials don't seem to apply to me. Then I have a sicce return pump that is the 1.5 I think for just over 400 gph and as of now I'll be doing 1/2 inch plumbing for the whole thing. I just need the actual plumbing itself which I'm struggling with. Then I have two koralia nano 420 gph power heads and the basic controller to alternate them. I hope this is posted in the correct place, but does anything stand out as being wrong so far in my process? On the return pump I read somewhere about putting a T so that I can just open it for super fast water changes which sounds awesome, but I am not sure if that's true or the best way to do it. Im sure I will have many more questions in the future but I want a mixed reef tank that will be flexible for lots of different corals that I might want and a few fish. I'll try to wait on some questions I have on fish selection for a later date when I'm closer to actually being set up. If this is the wrong place to post this, please let me know and thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Big G]

Welcome to R2R! How about posting a picture of your plumbing concerns. That would be great!

 

[Brian Kracht]

I will try to draw up what I sort of have going as of now. It will take me a little while to get, but I'll try to draw it up.

 

[Big G]

Well let's see if we can help a bit now. Here's a pic of the back of my tank's plumbing before I filled it. How, other than size, is yours different?

 

[Brian Kracht]

Well let's see if we can help a bit now. Here's a pic of the back of my tank's plumbing before I filled it. How, other than size, is yours different?

See I don't have any box off the back like that. I only have an overflow to put inside the tank. I also don't really have anything started yet only plans and a few things I got to piece it all together so technically I haven't started plumbing at all yet.

 

[Brian Kracht]

I hope the formatting comes through ok on this, but this is all I have so far for plumbing besides of course the sump which I'm building.

BRS FILTER SOCK MOUNT
205912 $24.99
Ordered: 1 Shipped: 1 $24.99
BRS FELT FILTER SOCK WITH PLASTIC RING 4” X 8”
205905 $5.99
Ordered: 1 Shipped: 1 $5.99
30 MM DIAMOND COATED GLASS DRILL BIT
203000 $16.99
Ordered: 1 Shipped: 1 $16.99
1/2” BULKHEAD ABS SLIP X SLIP
202940 $4.99
Ordered: 2 Shipped: 2 $9.98
SYNCRA SILENT 1.5 PUMP (357 GPH) - SICCE
207733 $70.99
Ordered: 1 Shipped: 1 $70.99

 

[Brian Kracht]

Does the lighting and power heads combo with the hydor controller seem like it will work well enough for most reef tank options?

 

[Big G]

So is your overflow box (4 sides and a bottom) a complete box or is it one of those that you have to glue/silicone to the glass because the back is open?

 

[Big G]

One of these?

 

[Big G]

On the Bulk Reef Supply website, they have a series of videos called 52 weeks of reefing. On the week 5 video, they discuss various overflow boxes and their application near the beginning of the video. Maybe this would help a bit.

 

[Brian Kracht]

On the Bulk Reef Supply website, they have a series of videos called 52 weeks of reefing. On the week 5 video, they discuss various overflow boxes and their application near the beginning of the video. Maybe this would help a bit.

It is a complete box so I do not have to silicone it in. I watched that video is what made me want the complete box not the open back.

 

[Brian Kracht]

It is a complete box so I do not have to silicone it in. I watched that video is what made me want the complete box not the open back.

But unfortunately I still don't fully feel like I have the exact set up right. I'll draw up a picture or rough sketch now of what's in my head

 

[Brian Kracht]

 

[Brian Kracht]

Hopefully those wonderful drawings showed up. That was difficult to add I know I need unions somewhere and not sure about any extra plumbing.

 

[Big G]

Yeah, use threaded unions wherever you can. Your plan looks solid. Lots of LFS use a similar plumbing setup. I use these inside my overflow to keep critters out and keep them from blocking the lines and causing a flood. Check out "Loc-Line" for a nozzle/return. Here's a pic of mine. I like it creates a nice flow.

 

[Brian Kracht]

Ok so what I have going so far doesn't seem to be off very much? Do you know if the local line return will fit into any of the bulkheads that BRS sells.? I have the half inch slip x slip bulkhead. And will I be fine with just keeping it simple with half inch for return and drain?

Sorry for so many questions. If you happened to see the other stuff I listed for the tank for overall flow and lighting should I be able to support a good variety of coral? I don't want to be limited, yet I know I probably won't be able to keep literally any coral I want. I have a book coming from Amazon on corals and I have a reef tank book I'm reading in my spare time in addition to what I am learning online and on forums. This is the first forum I have joined for reef tanks so I'm excited to see what else is here.

For a 29-30 gallon tank, do most people here go with skipping a skimmer and just doing water changes or still get a skimmer for that sized tank. I was checking the used equipment and might try to buy this one that is being sold here, but I haven't learned everything about them yet.

 

[Brian Kracht]

And I really appreciate your help and time answering the millions of questions I'm asking

 

[Big G]

And I really appreciate your help and time answering the millions of questions I'm asking

No worries on the return/pump line. It will work. The "Loc-Line" comes in both 3/4" and 1/2" sizes. There are people growing very difficult to grow coral in little 6 gal nano tanks. If you are new to corals suggest, for your sanity, to take a long hard look at non-difficult to grow, very hardy corals. Nothing worse than watching a coral slowly dissolve. But for starters, your lighting should be great. Here's a list of easy, reliable corals: Zonathids, Leather Corals, Blastomussas, Elegance or Hammer or Duncans, and lastly Montiporas. That's going from easy to more challenging, but doable types. Might want to google "corals to avoid" to hear from folks disappointments. Keeping fish and coral happy is really about water quality and for the latter, water, water flow and lighting especially. You will do well. Just keep asking questions. And while you are at it, start a "build thread" here on R2R. There are so many knowledgable, friendly and experienced people here it amazes me everyday. Lastly you asked about skimmers. That is a popular topic. Some go without them and do frequent water changes; some use them with great enthusiasm. I don't use a skimmer. I have a sump with chaeto, marine pure blocks, copepods, and keep a low bio-load in my tank. But that is a very individual decision. Have you read "Saltwater Aquarium for Dummies"? I did before I got into the "salty side" and it really helped give me a basic knowledge of terminology and practices. I like it and still refer to it from time to time. You will do well. Keep up the great questions.

 

[Brian Kracht]

No worries on the return/pump line. It will work. The "Loc-Line" comes in both 3/4" and 1/2" sizes. There are people growing very difficult to grow coral in little 6 gal nano tanks. If you are new to corals suggest, for your sanity, to take a long hard look at non-difficult to grow, very hardy corals. Nothing worse than watching a coral slowly dissolve. But for starters, your lighting should be great. Here's a list of easy, reliable corals: Zonathids, Leather Corals, Blastomussas, Elegance or Hammer or Duncans, and lastly Montiporas. That's going from easy to more challenging, but doable types. Might want to google "corals to avoid" to hear from folks disappointments. Keeping fish and coral happy is really about water quality and for the latter, water, water flow and lighting especially. You will do well. Just keep asking questions. And while you are at it, start a "build thread" here on R2R. There are so many knowledgable, friendly and experienced people here it amazes me everyday. Lastly you asked about skimmers. That is a popular topic. Some go without them and do frequent water changes; some use them with great enthusiasm. I don't use a skimmer. I have a sump with chaeto, marine pure blocks, copepods, and keep a low bio-load in my tank. But that is a very individual decision. Have you read "Saltwater Aquarium for Dummies"? I did before I got into the "salty side" and it really helped give me a basic knowledge of terminology and practices. I like it and still refer to it from time to time. You will do well. Keep up the great questions.

Thanks! And I have not read that. I'll probably throw it in the list. I like taking books and reading in spare time. I will have to start one of those build threads. I'm also going to scower the used equipment section since I can't just buy the best of the best right now. Thanks for the coral list. When I start my coral book I'll bookmark or keep and eye out for those types to pay attention to. Hopefully I'll see you around on here and when I get home I'll try to get that build threads up and running

 

[Big G]

Lots of great deals on Craigslist. People have to move, etc. Lots of deals. And then there is Amazon. Check out their "open box" items. Sometimes a great deal or two there. Lastly, buy a "used" copy of Dummies. Save those bucks for equipment