Stocking for 55 gallons? one reef + one predator? should i use same sump and system?

Killeriguana · 03/05/2010, 11:29 PM

I have had my first 55 for about 6-7 months with 2 tomato clowns, picasso trigger, and lunar wrasse. Thinking of moving the non reef safe fish to the new 55 gallon that i recently set up just for a large snowflake eel that mananged to escape and die so need some stocking ideas. Thinking of moving the non reef safe fish (trigger and wrasse) to the new 55 and stocking the current tank with more reef safe fish and adding coral. I have a 20 gallon sump connected to the first 55 at the moment with a canister filter, tunze 9010 skimmer, and going to add some cheato. would it be a good idea to connect the 2 55 gals to the same sump and system or would the predator fish mess with the water quality to much? I also have a about 60-65 pounds of live rock between the two and 4 24 inch coralife 65 watt each pc's for the lighting for the reef safe tank and just some regualr strip lights for the the new one with some hob filters. Any help, deals, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as i am new to the hobby.

bertoni · 03/06/2010, 05:56 PM

Sharing the sump would mean sharing some risk between the tanks, but it might save some money and could help keep the system more stable. Hard to say, but I'd likely go with separate systems. The predator tank is liable to get messy.

That lighting should be okay for soft corals.

Killeriguana · 03/06/2010, 08:57 PM

alright but the sump idea is out for now. The power went out while i was gone, everything was fine untill the plexi glass divider that i siliconed in the 20 gallon sump so that the return pump would not suck out the whole tank, busted! came home to a giant mess bc when the power came back on, the return pump pumped out the entire sump into the DT. Mom wont let me have the sump anymore and had to pull up the carpet and tear down both tanks

jriggs1965 · 07/28/2010, 07:57 AM

Since no sump allowed now-for the reef tank I would suggest the Tunze Reefpack. It has the filter and skimmer combined and is in tank setup. They are a little pricey, so you may want to find a used one. As far as the predator tank, as long as you keep up on your maintenance-you can use just a good filter. I would suggest a good canister one, like a Eihem, Marineland, or Fluval. If you cant afford one of those, the only HOB filter I recommend is the Rena Smart Filters. They are HOB but act like a canister. I used one for years on a 55 FOWLR tank. Get the 3 chamber one tho.

03/05/2010, 11:29 PM	#1
Killeriguana Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 66	Stocking for 55 gallons? one reef + one predator? should i use same sump and system? I have had my first 55 for about 6-7 months with 2 tomato clowns, picasso trigger, and lunar wrasse. Thinking of moving the non reef safe fish to the new 55 gallon that i recently set up just for a large snowflake eel that mananged to escape and die so need some stocking ideas. Thinking of moving the non reef safe fish (trigger and wrasse) to the new 55 and stocking the current tank with more reef safe fish and adding coral. I have a 20 gallon sump connected to the first 55 at the moment with a canister filter, tunze 9010 skimmer, and going to add some cheato. would it be a good idea to connect the 2 55 gals to the same sump and system or would the predator fish mess with the water quality to much? I also have a about 60-65 pounds of live rock between the two and 4 24 inch coralife 65 watt each pc's for the lighting for the reef safe tank and just some regualr strip lights for the the new one with some hob filters. Any help, deals, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as i am new to the hobby.

03/06/2010, 05:56 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Sharing the sump would mean sharing some risk between the tanks, but it might save some money and could help keep the system more stable. Hard to say, but I'd likely go with separate systems. The predator tank is liable to get messy. That lighting should be okay for soft corals. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/06/2010, 08:57 PM	#3
Killeriguana Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 66	alright but the sump idea is out for now. The power went out while i was gone, everything was fine untill the plexi glass divider that i siliconed in the 20 gallon sump so that the return pump would not suck out the whole tank, busted! came home to a giant mess bc when the power came back on, the return pump pumped out the entire sump into the DT. Mom wont let me have the sump anymore and had to pull up the carpet and tear down both tanks

07/28/2010, 07:57 AM	#4
jriggs1965 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bessemer City NC Posts: 4	Since no sump allowed now-for the reef tank I would suggest the Tunze Reefpack. It has the filter and skimmer combined and is in tank setup. They are a little pricey, so you may want to find a used one. As far as the predator tank, as long as you keep up on your maintenance-you can use just a good filter. I would suggest a good canister one, like a Eihem, Marineland, or Fluval. If you cant afford one of those, the only HOB filter I recommend is the Rena Smart Filters. They are HOB but act like a canister. I used one for years on a 55 FOWLR tank. Get the 3 chamber one tho.