Newbie Help

[md14]

Hi,

So I got an existing 55gallon freshwater setup, that i'm looking to convert to a SW setup.

It's not drilled and does not have a sump system of any kind. I know it is possible to do SW without a sump but in the long run am I going to regret this decision?

I have a R/O DI system, a Coralife Skimmer rated @ 125 currently as they were donated to me from a good friend. I know I need power heads good lighting, LR and i'm not going to be going with a DSB.

So aside from the lighting, LR, powerheads, and sand am I good equipment wise? (already heaters, and a refracto)

I also have a rena xp2 canister filter that I had for my FW setup I could also use..

But my main concern is just should I not even bother trying to use this 55gallon and just buy a new tank with a sump system?

Thanks alot

(i'm so confused)

[xtreme]

You could look into getting a diamond hole saw and drilling your tank. They are fairly inexpensive. I drilled my tank and it ended up being easier than anticipated. I would say having a sump adds many benefits and would be well worth it.

[tgoeujon]

ive been running pretty much the same set up for about two years. you will probably regret it most 55 gallons arent deep enough so its hard to find good lights that fit without buiding your own. as well as space gets taken up so quickly with salt compare to fresh. bigger is better IMO.

[scuglass]

I would never run that skimmer without it being in sump.... It has overflowed way too many times to count... I would have water all over my basement lol.

Id drill it if i were you or get another tank and use the 55 as a sump.

Research alot before you make things wet... especially purchases. Trust me

[tgoeujon]

yeah i tried that skimmer its pretty much asking for a flood

[truperc]

I would definately drill the tank. It is not hard to do just do a bit of reasearch and go SLOW. I have drilled many tanks down to ten gallons. The thin glass is a bit trickier.

The sump has so many benifits. The water in the main tank is always right full, there is more water volume so the tank is more stable, there is place to store the eqipment(skimmer, heater, etc) so the tank looks cleaner. You can also turn part of the sump into a refugium. IMHO you will never regret drilling the tank.

You could also get a glass company to drill the tank for you if you are inclined.

Have fun!

[Hairytank]

Welcome,

I did the same thing a long time ago and kept SW fish only with Live rock for about 10 years in my current 46 gal bow and it is pretty good, but I am in the process of looking for a larger (110gal) system as I want to move into corals. The 55 will likely be good to start with and see if Saltwater is something you want to stick with, but you have to ask yourself what do you want to be keeping in the tank? If it is fish and liverock, then as long as you stick with the right sized fish and stock levels (Imperator Angels would not be good. Up to15") you will be good, but if you want to try your hand at the more difficult corals then a larger system will be desirable, as this increases stability.

By the way, I initially tried to run the tank with canister filters and no sump. This worked OK, but in the long run you will kick yourself for not having a sump as it is less work overall. I found that canisters can be a pain to maintain properly and therefore can cause elevated nitrate levels and therefore algae issues. Just look up information regarding canisters and nitrate on the web for more info.

I am using a LifeReef Overflow box and had some very good success (no floods), but again in the long run it is better to have the tank drilled. This will prevent some of the potential problems involving flooding.

The Coralife Skimmers are notorious for overflowing if they don't have 1) constant water levels 2) the air intake nozzle cleaned every month/week. In fact, I cleaned up a total of two floods due to my CL SS 65, my wife was not happy...This was when I was using it as a hang off the back. If you have a sump, you can hang them on the inside of the sump, therefore removing any flooding issues. They are OK skimmers, in terms of pulling gunk, but again in the long run you will likely switch over to an in sum skimmer.. Having said all that, "don't look a gift skimmer in the collection cup" it is a good start, just keep it clean and maybe even a safety bucket underneath.

Well, those are my long winded thoughts...

[Lance]

I ran a 90 gal. for a couple of months with no sump. (only had a few fish, softies, and LPS at the time) I used a large canister filter and cleaned it twice a week, along with weekly 20% water changes. It worked fairly well but was a pain in the a$$. A lot of work to keep water parameters decent.
When I finally got the overflow, sump and skimmer installed the tank water was much clearer, (no scum on the surface), and the maintenance is much easier. Fewer water changes; less algae; equipment is easier to get at in the sump; dosing is easier, etc. etc. I would never go sumpless again. Not even for a short period of time. I would rather wait if I had to than set up a tank without a sump.

[md14]

Hey thanks alot guys, I really appreciate it..

I dont know if it's just going to be easier to to buy a tank with a corneroverflow.. or do it all my self.. seems like a pain to drill and construct an overflow.

I'll look into it I guess, if anybody sees anything in calgary in terms of a tank let me know!

Thanks!

(Wow this completley just went over my head... what about an overflow box? like a Lifereef are they any good?)

[Midknight]

One important thing is to check the glass on the tank first.
If it is a Hagen Tank the bottom is going to be tempered and can not be drilled. So you have to drill the back.
Also being a freshwater tank for so long you have to be careful because if you have use copper based medical treatments in the past the residue could be toxic to your corals.

I am using that skimmer and I have a 10g tank right below it... just in case it over flows... again.