Gearing up a HOB overflow

[carriej]

Hi folks,

Need some help. I am 100% female and therefor I have no handy dandy nifty building/assembling skills of any kind. My pappy was a carpenter and always tried to teach me growing up, boy I wish I paid attention now.

Anyway, I have no talent at it. I ordered an eshopps overflow for my 125 reef and I have some questions. If they appear stupid - bear with me. I live in the middle of nowhere and I do not have an LFS, or even anyone that I can go look at their overflow. I do have some salty friends but none of them use overflows.

OK - So I ordered a bubble magus skimmer, 30 gal sump and an eshopps 1200gph overflow with a mag 9.5 pump. I hope I did the right thing else I will be cranky. I ordered everything from a small store about 3 hours away and this is what they recommended.

OK - problem. What do I need to connect everything, LOL.. I am praying my husband can figure it out but he's all like "this is your thing!" and well, I dont even know what I'm supposed to be looking for. I just want my fish and corals darnit!

Also, does my skimmer come with it's own internal pump? Am I missing something? Is that mag 9.5 powerful enough?

May seem dumb - but I am a high tech planted freshwater keeper jumping on the reef bandwagon. Nothing like being in the hobby almost 10 years and thinking you know what you're doing, only to have something like this knock you on your rearend.

I wish people didn't live so far away so someone could come help me... lol

[Douglas]

Good Morning on the east coast, and welcome to canreef. I can help a bit. The Bubble Magnus skimmer will have it's own pump.(plug and play, with some minor tuning) The Mag 9.5 should be ok for your overflow. I have a mag 12 on my 72 gal, and have to turn it down a bit, using a gate valve. Any/most plumbing parts can be found a Home Depot, or Rona. Unfortunatly my set up has a built in overflow, and i don't have a lot of experience with external overflows, but quite a few people on this board, have had great success with external oveflows. Good Luck, and have fun with it. It's a great hobby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVGwdRVHU4

This may help with the overflow.

[carriej]

No Rona or HomeDepot in these parts unfortunately. Lets hope Canadian tire has what I seek!

Thanks for the info. I am wishing I ordered a reef ready tank, I would have had I have known I was going salt. When I purchased the tank in June I was planning on a Discus set up. One thing lead to another and got roped into the salt side.

Ohwell. Gonna make it work!

[Bob]

The upside with your overflow is...if you move up or down in tank size...you always have your overflow
I have used them for more than 20 years...and still use one...on a 72 bow
Set it upthe way you would even if it was buit in....with your sump...even if power go's out they are self priming.....they work great

[carriej]

Thanks. I hope I have enough flow.

I've got two 1400gph Powerheads in the tank now. It's a 6 foot 125.

Two lonely little chromis and some snail/crab stragglers.

[lastlight]

I am 100% female and therefor I have no handy dandy nifty building/assembling skills of any kind.

Hopefully self-defense is your forte then because there's a few 100% female members here who are going to rip you a knew one (DIY style) :lol:

[carriej]

Lol!

I mean no offense, but Carrie is a unisex name and I didn't want anyone thinking I was some useless dude with no handyman skills.

I can make a mean DIY yarn spawning mop if that helps. Lol

[Coralgurl]

I don't think us girls would flame ya!! I'm not so good at the DIY stuff either, but am lucky my guy will help me out if I ask him enough times, even though he says the same thing, its my thing, figure it out....lol

Maybe posting some pics of your set up and equipment will help get some clear direction on what you should be looking for.

Welcome to Canreef!!

[carriej]

Thanks!

Will have to post some pics... Right now everything is still in boxes. Hoping to get some time between Christmas and New Years to set it all up.

[lastlight]

Women! I come to their collective defense and they side with you lol. Btw I'm sure nobody here would get offended I was just kidding :)

[carriej]

Women! I come to their collective defense and they side with you lol. Btw I'm sure nobody here would get offended I was just kidding :)

Women will always stick together.. You best remember that LOL