Recommended 55 Gallon Setup

[Hotrod32487]

What do all you reefers recommend for a good 55 gallon setup? Not necessarily specific peices of equipment and brands, but general equipment

[emilbus]

have an overflow box that goes down into an wet/dry with bio-balls, LRR, and a grow light over the wet/dry with cheato. then let the water drain into a sump with an in sump skimmer then let the water cycle back up into the tank. its cheap and a great filteration. as for lights i liked the MH but i think im going to go with T5's because they look just as nice but the T5's dont use as much elec. this is the way i have mine setup, but im pretty sure the guys here on maast will help you out a lot more then me.

[hobogato]

if it were me, i would put the largest sump/fuge combo possible in the stand. i would if possible, have the tank drilled and put in a calfo - to avoid using a continuous siphon overflow box. for the sump/fuge, make the fuge as big as possible, leaving just enough room in the sump for an in-sump skimmer and a return section. for a skimmer, there are tons of options for a skimmer, but if you are planning to go bare bottom in the tank, you need one heck of a skimmer.

[Bill S]

I have a 55. If I were doing it over again - and I probably will be moving it, so I might - I'd do as Ace says and drill it with a calfo. I have T5s, and they are OK. I even have some hardy SPS growing with it. I'm still "playing" with the Hiatt carbon thing on my 215g, so I'm not ready yet to commit to that technology - but I might soon...

[LoneStar]

Largest sump/fuge as possible. With my 55 gallon tank, I had ~55 gallons in the sump and fuge. Forget a wet/dry. You do not need those. Get a skimmer that is over rated for the amount of water you will have. In-sump skimmer would work best.

After that, it just depends on what kinda display you are looking for. Reef or FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock). That will determine lighting and flow. Not to mention inhabitants.