Sump/ skimmer questions.

[Spoons896]

Hello all! I am new to the site and failry new to saltwater tanks, I have had aquiaums for most of my life and decied to just in to SW a few months ago.
So Petco is having their 1$ gal sale now and i went and jumped on a 55Gal tank and am goin to spend the next few months setting it up. I have been trying to get a sump design and i am stuck on one main place and that is i only will have enough room for a 10gal sump. I am goin to put a protein skimmer in it and i would like to have a fug as well but with the sump being so small i know it will not be big enough, so my thought was to get a HOB Skimmer so my first chamber can be pretty small. Then i can have a big enough chamber for a fug. Is this a good plan or should i just forget the fug and get a in-sump skimmer? Thanks for the help and cant wait to get to know everyone here.

 

[Cmcnair663]

Hey spoons, I'm in the same situation as you. I set up a 56 gal aquarium 2 weeks ago. My cabinet is only 28 inch wide (27 inside measurement). So I bought a 10 gal tank and put on a hob seaclone 100 skimmer. My first section in sump is 5 inches wide. Refug. Is about 8 inches, 2 inches for the bubble trap and 5 for the return pump. I bought 10 lbs of miracle mud and some chaeto and a nano hang-on led light. I'm not saying its the best setup but its the best I can do FTM.

Here's a pic of the sump empty.

A pic of my homemade drying rack.

I painted all my pvc fittings black so they don't stand out.

I'll post another pic tonight with it setup.


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[dwolson2]

I would re look at you sump area. Also could you run two tanks under there? I've seen guys have a separate tank just for a fuge.

As for your posted question, hob and fuge. Fuges are great if you fill them with macro algea.

Also look into a custom sump. Don't skimp out now if at all possible, years down the road you will regret it. Anyway to go back and get a 75? Then you could use the 55 underneath for a sump.

 

[Spoons896]

That is pretty much what i am looking at doing. Your set up is almost identical to the plans i have for mine.

 

[Spoons896]

Yea i can fit 2 tanks under the stand, but i all have plans to put my QT under there since I am starting to run out of room for all my tanks. lol
I am trying not to skimp to much but I am on a budget and i love DIY Projects so i planned on making the sump my self. and i wanted a 75 but the sale is only for 10g,20g l, 40g b and 55G.
What MA would you recommend and where is a good online source for it, none of the LFS sell it.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Use the FUGE, and get outside sump Skimmer.

 

[Cmcnair663]

I'm getting chaeto to put in my fuge. I bought it from an r2r member steelerfan747. You can post on here for some or you can look for a reef club in your local area. From what I understand a lot of people will just give it away because it grows so fast or sell for around 10$.


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