Im here charlie

[alvy85]

i have been looking into t-5 lights and i think thats what i will go with. I don't know exactly which ones yet i have to look in town to see who even has them, if not i will have to buy them online. But what i wanted to talk about was the sump tank. I don't know which one is good and if i can put all my other equipement into it (ie skimmer, heater) which i hope i can. and i know my tank isn't drilled because it doesn't have any kind of hole or anything on the bottom.

[charlie]

Hey welcome to town!!!!!!!



What size sump were you looking at again? You are probably looking at something like this for an overflow.

CPR Overflow Box

The size of your sump is gonna determine whether or not you are going to fit everything in there. I would almost suggest a hang on back skimmer to get rid of that problem.

HTH

[alvy85]

yes i want it to be an overflow too. so will i be able to put all my stuff in there. I don't know what size exactly i need. i want one that will do the job for my tank and hopefully have enough space to put all of it inside my sump as well.

[charlie]

So, if I am understanding you correctly, you don't want a hang on the back of the tank skimmer like this??

AquaC Remora Pro Hang-On Protein Skimmer

I have one of these Remora Pro skimmers on my 80 gallon tank and it really does a number on things.

[alvy85]

no the only thing i want to hang on the back of my tank is my powerheads and the tubes to my sump tank. do you know of any sump tanks that are good and maybe a skimmer that can go inside of it? are all heaters capable of being inside of the sump as well? how does a drilled tank differ from a non drilled tank like the one i have?

[charlie]

A drilled tank usually has all the returns and drains internal. Do a search on drilled tanks for more info. Try looking thru the galleries here for pictures of drilled tanks. The size of your sump will determine whether your skimmer can go in the sump. Check some of our sponsors here, and take a look at the skimmers they offer, they will usually tell you if they can be run in the sump or externally.
A good link to check out would be:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...Jp73VC1QWVZ5jg

There is alot of good info there.

[Sarmo]

the skimmer charlie suggested is a good one. you can hang it on you sump.... it doesn't have to hang on the display tank. AquaC makes good skimmers too.

your sump size is determined by the space you plan on putting it into. where is the sump going and how big is that space? do you want the return pump be an internal powerhead type or an external pump? these things determine the sump size. you can custom build a sump or custom order one too. try Barr Aquatic Systems - Custom Sumps - Beckett Protein Skimmers - Kalk (Nilson) Reactors - Calcium Reactors - Waste Collectors - Reef Systems - Salt Water Systems for a custom sump.
good luck

[tehfeer]

My aqua remora pro is ok. I have a few issues with it one being the rubber band broke so I can no longer adjust the cup properly. Right now I have a plastic spoon shoved in the side holding the cup up. Also if you decide on the remora dont buy the RIO pump they have been known to fail. Most people are suggesting the octopus HOB skimmers now over the remoras since they do not require a huge pump placed in your tank. Having a huge mag3 hanging in your tank doesnt look all that great! If you are planning on having a sump I highly suggest you purchase a standard skimmer over a HOB skimmer. They seem to work alot better. Again most people are currently suggesting the octopus skimmers or if you want to spent a little more you could go with a euro reef.

I decided to go with a t-5 6 bulb tek light for my tank. So far everything I have put in it looks really awesome. The only thing you really miss out on is the shimmer that you get with MHs.

If you have the option to drill your tank I would suggest you go ahead and get it done. I will defiantly be drilling my next tank

[alvy85]

i think i want to go t-5 as well and im looking into getting a euro reef. i haven't read any bad reviews on them and you can get them with sump tanks which i think will be good. do you know where i can get one? there isn't a dealer in MT.

[charlie]

i think i want to go t-5 as well and im looking into getting a euro reef. i haven't read any bad reviews on them and you can get them with sump tanks which i think will be good. do you know where i can get one? there isn't a dealer in MT.

Call Kevin Pockell over at Aquatic Dreams in Spokane, I will just wager he could help you out. You need the number?

[tehfeer]

I believe Keven does have a decent selection of t-5 lights but if you cannot make it over to Spokane I purchased my t-5 tek light from ReefGeek > Aquarium Supplies for Marine, Reef, and Saltwater Aquariums.

Shipping was free and only took 3 days I highly suggest them as they have a wide varity of bulbs and sell the lights with a full set of your choice of bulbs. If you already have a hood you may think about going with a icecap retrofit kit. There are a few t-5 specialists over on reefcentral you can tell them what coral you would like to grow and they will suggest the correct bulb count and selection for your tank.