Hey Brandon, welcome to TR.
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Originally Posted by UMichAA So, as much as I hate to start a thread that is essentially the same as one we have running (Noobeef's 29 gallon...), that is exactly what I'm going to do... |
That's quite alright, Brandon. We "old timers" know that every reef set up is different, every "newbie" has different questions. Well mostly there the same but, we understand it's a process, a learning curve.
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| I just ordered an AGA 54 gallon megaflow tank from my LFS... for $10 more, the guy offered to hook me up with a T5 single bulb reflector, which I did (knowing this won't be nearly enough light in the long run, but seemed stupid not to)... I won't have it for another 2 weeks, so I still have plenty of time for more planning... |
Please, excuse my laughter! That two weeks is going to fly by. The 54 corner is a nice size to start off with. Our resident 54 corner expert, Carmie, has already responded. She is a great source of info. A
T5 single bulb reflector for $10 was a steal. Even if it's not enough, you will find uses for it later on.
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| I plan on buying the biggest sump that will fit in the stand... at my LFS, this was a Sea Life(I think...?) rated for a 75 gallon... I think this should work fine, and the fit was like a glove... if anyone does know of a better sump setup that will fit in a 54 gallon corner stand, input here would be appreciated.... |
I'm a firm believer in BIG
sumps. When considering the total system volume, having a big
sump adds water volume and a margin of safety.
BUT BE CAREFUL!!! Many people squeeze themselves right out of room in their cabinet stands. You need to have room for pumps, UV Sterilizer,
skimmer, plumbing, electrical stuff...be mindful of that when you "design" your out of sight area.
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In the long run, I'm going for a full blown reef, so for a 54 gallon aquarium, which protein skimmer(s) would you all recommend (specific make and model would be great  )... |
There's a wide selection of
skimmers to choose from. In recent years I have used several, Red Sea Berlin, Top Fathom, and Bermuda brands. Of those, I think the Red Sea model would fit your needs well. I really liked mine. I used it on a 75 gallon. Not only did it kick butt (ie, skim mate) but it dismantled easily for cleaning. There are many others and someone else will chime in.
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| no price limit (not trying to spend $10k on a 54 gallon, but planning on dropping whatever it takes to have this thing with the best setup possible)... |
Sorry, can't help myself. I'll bet you come closer than you think.
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| As far as substrate, what are the essential differences between DSB and SSB? I had figured on throwing a mix of 20 lbs live sand and 30 pounds dry sand... any ideas how deep this would put my sand bed in a 54 gallon corner tank, and would this be the right amount? |
There are several important differences between a
DSB and a
SSB. First, the
DSB is a minimum of 4" and a
SSB is anything less, usually an inch or two. Second, the purpose of the
DSB is to provide an anaerobic (lacking in oxygen) area for the conversion of
Nitrate to Nitrogen gas. Here is a link to an article by Dr. Ron Shimek (considered to be the Guru of
DSBs) -
Sand Bed Secrets Click on the thumbnail pic of the book, it's a short, informative read. Consider it your first assignment.
Aragonite sand is the preferred medium for
DSBs and
SSBs. Getting it at a reasonable price has become as impossible as cheap gas. I have it at a reasonable price BUT, shipping it is costly. Plus I haven't found the right container to ship it in. Sorry. I am working on it though. Avoid crushed coral!!!
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My plan...
Dry sand in the tank, fill it (will have my own RO system will be setup within a few days, set parameters and warm, add live sand, set up filter, add live rock... go from there... |
Any sand you buy, dry or wet, you are going to want to rinse to get the dust out. If you don't, you will be fighting the "dust storm" in your tank for quite some time.
When you buy your water system do not stop at an
RO system. Get an
RO/DI system of 100 gal per day capacity.
DO NOT spend over $100 plus shipping for the unit. Here is a link to Aqua Safe Systems unit on e-bay -
Aqua Safe System RO/DI You might question, why 100 gpd??? Trust me you will be glad after you own it. Besides the cost difference between that and a 50 gpd is negligible.
Looking forward to your tank build thread.
Dick
