I am new, don't make fun

[montanafofana]

Okay, so I have a 12 gallon salt water tank. It has a condy anenome, 2 firefish, 3 or 4 snails, a starfish, and a bunch of seaweed. I also have a few button polyps. It is cute, but it just isn't that pretty. I have had it since last december. But anyways, now that you know my background in saltwater, I have a question - I want to convert my 55 gallon tank into a saltwater tank. I have cleaned it, it is ready to go. I have planned to make 2 sumps/refugiums from two ten gallon tanks. My problem: How do I get the water from the big tank to the 2 smaller ones. I have thought maybe to let it siphon, but I don't think that will be good enough. Please help!

[StephenA]

Use an overflow box (http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CR1511) or have the tank drilled and install built-in overflows. Click here for a search of OverFlow post on this site. (http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=search&mode=results)

Also,

Welcome to MAAST

[Yano]

Welcome to MAAST, don't worry no one will make fun of you here, we are nice :D

[wkopplin]

First of all, welcome to MAAST. Nobody here will make fun of you.

I think that a 10 gallon tank as a sump is going to be too small for a 55, even with two of them. You might be a little better served going with a single 20 or possible even a little larger and then using one of the 10's as a separate refugium. The reason is that it can be difficult (not impossible) to combine and plumb two 10's. If you have to use the two 10's, this is how I would do it:

1) Drain the 55 into the first 10 gallon tank. This tank should sit higher than your second 10 gallon tank. This one should be the primary refugium.

2) Gravity drain the first 10 into the second 10 gallon tank and then have a pump that returns the water to the 55.

Only problem with the design is that if you get a power failure, the two 10 gallon tanks might not be able to handle the overflow and you could have a flood. You would have to set the drain on the 55 pretty high so if the power fails, not much water would drain out. This also means you will have to have a system in place to keep your water topped off.

Hope that helps. If you have more questions, ask away, you will get answers.

[StephenA]

I think that a 10 gallon tank as a sump is going to be too small


Good point, it will have to handle about 2" of water from the 55. I'd look at a 20 or 30.

[GaryP]

Hello montanafofana,

First, welcome to MAAST. There are no dumb questions here. Someone else can usually benefit from your questions.

Besides the overflow issue, you'll just barely be able to fit a protein skimmer in a 10 gal. and it could be hard to get it out to service it. I would highly recommend a skimmer for a tank of that size.

Gary

[Instar]

My next system will have more than a siphon break for safety and for times when they don't help at all. You will only have one flood because your siphon break was covered by bubble algae, a snail or tunicate and you too will plan for more than just the anti-siphon hole. My current tanks don't depend on that method at all because it doesn't work 100% of the time. I get about 6 to 7 gallons of pour over from my 125 if the power goes out. You will have to test for the full marks in your sump no matter what size tank you use, during a time when the power is off.

Something to think about: The lower your return is under the water without a break, the more will back siphon into the sump when the pumps are off. I saw one tank with returns about 6 inches under the surface. If the siphon break holes fail, that turns into a mess unless there is a catching and return method devised for such times. It could also mean higher levels of animals in the tank will be exposed during pump and power failures. I keep return nozzels high, with or without siphon break holes to limit back siphoning into the sump. Check valves don't work in salt enviroments either because of things growing inside the pipes. I'm not saying not to use siphon break holes, simply posing that you think about what would happen if you don't clean that area all the time to be sure the holes aren't or can't plug up. If you have snails in the tank, they can plug anytime one crawls over the hole. When it happens, you'll be on a cruise with your brother watching the tank who has no idea what to do to save it.

[montanafofana]

So what if I went with a refugium and a sump on the other side with a built-in protien skimmer, bio balls, all of that? The reason I am "trying" to stay small, but efficient, is that the smaller 10 gallons will fit nicely under the tank and still look nice. And thank you for the welcomes!