Newbie that needs help!

thanks bill! that why i seemed to have settled on this skimmer. bill i hope you don't mind but i have questions to throw in for time to time, its just from reading to forum to youtube its just everyone seems to have their own idea of how it should be. Im taking bits of everyones idea and putting them together.

how about a return pump how strong of a return pump do i need? gph?

 

Asking questions is what this is all about here. Much better to ask now than when your tank is running. You should be looking for a return pump in the 500-700 gallons per hour range. (About 10* the tank volume). Some people may have other recommendations.

 

Make sure your overflow can keep up with the pump. Don't forget to factor in head height also.

 

guys whats you take on this skimmer. (D&D Marine Enterprises Terminator II) ive been reading and it seems to have a pretty decent review on it. the up side is that its for up to 300gal.

im now lookng for a return pump and an overflow.

im not rushing into this but ive started to buy stuff i need and will go slow on the build and everthing else.


http://www.3reef.com/threads/d-d-typhon-skimmer.54814/


heres a video about the skimmer

 

I didn't look up the skimmer you suggested, and I don't know anything about it. However, if you get a skimmer that is too big, it is a waste. The skimmer will only produce skimmate occasionally. There really is no reason to go that big. You'll just waste power running it. A little oversize is a good idea.

 

but it says "up to" cause in the near future i defenitely would want to get a bigger tanks. i was also just planning ahead. il do more reading about this skimmer. thanks bill!

bill i have a question about lights tho,

what do i need! they all are different on forums! im confused

and i think i also need a light on my refugium too right?

 

also i was thinking about the over flow, why wont i just use Aquarium Sump Return Flexible Pumping piping, instead of an overflow. which would also mean i can lessen the gph on the wave makers?

 

The skimmer depends on your situation. Are you planning to stock heavily, moderately or lightly? a skimmer rated for 300 gallons is way over kill. at most I would use one rated for 1.5X your tank volume. So unless you're planning on upgrading to a 200 gallon tank I wouldn't bother. I see you've been looking at some of the cheaper skimmers, just remember cheaper will cost you more in the long run.

Lighting is a very broad topic. My preference is Metal halide > T5 > LEDs. LEDs are still too new IMO were we don't know everything about them,(im sure many will disagree and say otherwise) as opposed to T5 and MH which are tried and true. 4 years ago, very few people ran LEDs, 3 years ago, having 4 different diode colors was considered "top of the line," now there's full spectrum. Who knows what could be next. Lighting is reflective (no pun intended) of what you wish to keep. Typically you can keep anything under MH, and same with T5 if you get the right amount of bulbs. LEDs can vary from stronger than MH to weaker than T5, again depends on the brand, wattage, diodes, etc.

MH runs pretty hot, is expensive, and bulbs need to be replaced every 8-12 months.
T5 runs a bit cooler, cheaper than MH, same timespan for bulbs, however does not produce the shimmer effect of LEDs and MH.
LEDs run cool, can be super cheap to super expensive, depends on what you buy, No need to replace bulbs, typically has a life span of 3-5 years, and uses much less electricity.

You will only need a light on the refugium if you plan to grow algaes, many run the lights counter to the main lights. This is because when the lights are on, the plants photosynthesize and produce oxygen. When lights are out, they preform respiration and release CO2. This will cause pH to drop, which already happens every night in the main tank. So to keep pH stable either run the lights on the refugium for 24 hours, or run them while your main tank lights are off.

You can use just about any light you wish, I find the best growth for me occurred under a 6,500*K incandescent floodlight.

 

+1+1^^. Really a good write up VA. Mad, sounds like you are on a position of either buying a skimmer that is too big for your current aquarium or too small for your future aquarium. Of you are certain you want a bigger aquarium, why don't you just wait and get one? It will be cheaper in the long run. You will find the are many expenses getting this thing going. A 55 gallon is not a bad size as long as you don't get carried away and over stock it. You will find many challenges and a smaller tank is easier to keep up with adjustments. Also, it takes 6 months to a year for a tank to mature. If you plan on getting a bigger tank sooner than a year or two it would make more sense to put your effort into getting the bigger one.

 

thanks guys! i definitely wont be moving to a bigger tank that quick. I want to get the hang of it before i jump in and get a bigger tank. I was just thinking ahead of time. thanks for the info. as for budget, yes i definitely on tight one. I dont want to throw to much money into this hobby i want to go slow and get better at it before i do really spend money. i still lack the knowledge honestly speaking but getting there. I guess for now il settle for the coralife. thats fine tho right?

as for the light yeah there are alot of LEDs out there which are very cheap can even have them right! im in no hurry at all here

i still have lots to do and need to get the parts together before i do.

im now shopping for the return pump.

question about the return pump. do i need a overflow tank or can i use one of them flexible pipe to the aquarium