Starting a 28g bowfront

Adam Schindler · May 16, 2020

Howdy everyone. Yesterday I picked up a 28g bow front with stand off craigslist. (Thanks to the local Maryland Deadhead for the hookup!!) Filled it today and testing for leaks. This will be my first saltwater build. I have a 90g saltwater tank but it was given to me after it’s cycle and it was pretty well established. So now I’m trying to decide on equipment. Its not drilled, and I’m debating doing it myself. It came with various pieces of equipment. I guess now I’m just looking at options for everything

BighohoReef · May 16, 2020

Hey Adam congrats on getting another tank! Had a similar thing happen to us a few years back. We Inherited my brothers 30g bow front it had been established for a few years. The tank came with a essentials but definitely not how I’ve setup the new 100g.

Ultimately I decided to not make major gear upgrades to the smaller tank. The things I did add we’re XR30 Gen1, MP10QD, Tunze ATO and had a classic apex on it but that’s been moved. We kept the in filter media basket (only did that because the clowns made their home behind it). With how well established the tank was and being newbies we took our time. Now being in the hobby for a while I definitely would go down the route of adding an overflow and a hanging skimmer beyond that though since the tank was well established I wouldn’t change much.

Have you drilled before? Make sure you use lots of water in the process and go slow. I shattered one of free tanks a few months back when I was trying to make a frag tank

BRS has a great video which talks about the glass types and where you should drill for the different types of overflows.

It was a lot of trial and error and thankfully we hadn’t lost many corals. Interested to see where you end up! Keep the posts coming.