Newbie has another question!

[boaboi86]

I know i keep changin things, but im going to paint the inside of a garage 2marro and im getting a 65gal saltwater tank. It has two dubble lights?,protiene skimmer, two different filter(dont know what kind) and other misc. stuff. I dont know what exactly comes with it but thats some of it!

My problem i am having is that i want to use my 20gal long as my filter and just wondering if its two big?, how much lower do i have to have it compared to the 65gal as i want the 20gal still visable. My second question is can some one explain how the mangroves work in the sump tank. I found a site yesterday but it just explained that u coud use them in a house hold salt water tank! Do i still have to have all the different parts of the sump or does the mangroves do all the work? Im so confused!!!! Please someone tell me if the mangroves are more of a problem than just keepen the two filters that come with the tank and keepin my 20gal as a seperate. Thanks for your time and u guys are great!

[sberczyk]

That size take would be fine and the mangroves are very easy you plant them in your sump tank and have just the leaves sticking out of the water I recently put 2 plants inside of my tank and the leaves are under water and there still doing great but we'll see. They do need moderate lighting my sump has 2 65w coralife.

[coral reefer]

You mean the 20gal as a sump...right? As far as that goes, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH SURFACE AREA OR GALLONS OF WATER THAT MAKES UP YOUR CLOSED SYSTEM! The more the better for a number of reasons, not limited to decresing the changes in water parameters or dilluting problems due to human error.
You can set up your sump anywhere in relation to your main tank. Do you plan on adding a refugium to your sump? The only thing with the small 20gallon long tank is you won't really be able to have a refugium/sump in it due to space. Once you put the skimmer and heater and the pumps for the return and skimmer, you woun't have the room to successfully and properly implement one in there, IMO.
Because of this you may not want to have your sump visible!!! I have the same size tank for my sump and because I can't have a refugium in it, I decided to set it up under my tank in the stand-with easy access for cleaning and maintenance!!!!!!
I purchased an acrylic hang-on refugium for the benefits and visibility that come with a refugium!
As for the mangroves, don't know that much about them as I always tended to pass on them and go with macroalgae instead as I feel it is more beneficial!!

[boaboi86]

Thanks for posting but what is a refugium? ima go look it up but explain if u could! Like the mangroves i just cant find someone to explain it in simple terms!

[coral reefer]

In simple terms, a refugium is a container(glass or acrylic) which acts as a housing for beneficial bacteria, burrowing organisms, filter feeders macroalgae, pods/plankton(as a food source for the main tank), small organisms that would normally get eaten in your main tank such as baby Peppermint shrimp(holding tank basically), increase surface area and water in your closed system, which allows you to look at an integral part of tank in a different way and closer up.
that is basically it in a nut shell without getting too technical. To get the desired picture, that is all that you need to help you understand the refugium concept!!!!
Hope I helped ya.

[boaboi86]

is there a diagram for how to make a 20gal long into a sump?

[coral reefer]

Aquarium Mangrove Plant Filtration & Care Information
Info about mangroves!!!

[coral reefer]

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sumps, Part I by Greg Taylor - Reefkeeping.com
To help you further about sumps that I covered or didn't cover!!!
Enjoy!!!hope it helps...I know, there is so much to learn and seebut it gets easier once you get familiar and it will become less overwhelming!

[boaboi86]

c.r thanks, lookes like i have some work to do!