Sump & Skimmer Recommendations 46G

[PPi]

Hey all you fellow reefers! I am currently setting up my 46G Bow and almost through the cycling process with my 55lbs of LR. I am looking to keep coral (beginner stuff) and a few fish. In reading all the forums it appears that a sump is the way to go for filtration. I would like any recommendations on a retail bought sump (no make your own, I am noob and have money), return pump, overflow, and a skimmer.

I was looking at the Megaflow 2 and Coralife Super Skimmer 65, with a life reef overflow.

Feel free to criticize and make more conscience recommendations for this equipment. I figure I shoot do this now before I do stock it eh...

THANKS FOR ANY RESPONSE AND KEEP UP THE GOOD REEFING...

[mg426]

The coralife skimmer is not one of the better Skimmers available.
Look at a Euro reef, Bubble master, H & S. To name a few. Life reef are a top of the line Overflow. Look here for a sump WWW.melevsreef.com

[msn711]

The coralife skimmers aren't considered top of the line, but they're not junk either. I have the 125. I'll upgrade eventually, but it does do the job in the meantime. I have a 40breeder, and I always think its a good idea to oversize your skimmer, especially if you're not getting a super high end one. You may want to consider the 125. It probably won't even cost you much more. Return pump, I have a mag 5. For a sump, I'm just using a 20L...no modifications or baffles. I've found that the flow is low enough that microbubbles are not a concern. I just have the tubing from the overflow pointed at one end of the sump and my return pump on the other. If you're a noob looking to keep it simple, flexible tubing has to be the easiest thing to work with. I'm not even sure why people use PVC so much.

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10043312#post10043312 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mg426
The coralife skimmer is not one of the better Skimmers available.
Look at a Euro reef, Bubble master, H & S. To name a few. Life reef are a top of the line Overflow. Look here for a sump WWW.melevsreef.com

Quite a difference in price there, lol.

[chrisjet]

I have a coralife ss65 - I would highly reccommed, pulls alot of junk, easy to use and adjust - sure you could spend $600 on another skimmer but why, its for a 46g. You can get a coral life ss65 NIB w/ pump for under $100 if you look around. Cmon mg426 the guy says hes new keeping easy corals and you suggest skimmers from the price range of $400 to $800.

[Herndog]

For the money the Coralife SS is a great deal. I ain't rich. But for anything more than free skip the Megaflow sumps. I replaced my homemade sump with a Megaflow 3 and in two months the crappy thin acrylic has warped so bad that nothing fits right. None of the covers fit right. The sides are starting to break away from the dividersand it leaks a lot at the intake tube rubber seal and the intake sounds like a whitewater rafting video. Piece of crap it is.

Make your own or pay someone to make one.

[kodyboy]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1123116
the above is a link in the used forums for an octopus nw200, a much larger/better skimmer than you seem to want but for around $160 it is a great bargain.
If you do not want a used unit look into an octopus nw150 or aquaeuro classic 135 both would be MUCH better than the clss65!
If you want something cheaper check out a via-aqua 200 or 388 either work really well and can be modded to be beasts.
another good small skimmer is the odyssea (aquatraders) ps160, basically a superskimmer for less but still a good unit.

[reefkrazy]

this is my setup.....
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t172/reefkrazy/DSCN2015.jpg

the sump is a 29g. I modded the stand for it to fit
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t172/reefkrazy/DSCN2024.jpg

I use the CSS 65 with no probs with it

[reefkrazy]

here is my bowfront. Not the most recent photo.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t172/reefkrazy/DSCN2020.jpg

[PPi]

Thanks for the great recommendations. And yes this is my first reef tank and I don't need top of the line for a little ole 46 gallon. I appreciate the replies and will continue to look for suggestions on a sump. I don't want to make a spec mistake or something I should of done that I didn't. I don't have but you guys to rely on and what the LFS wants to sell me, not what I need. I will take a look at that Octopus as well. Thanks again...

[PPi]

Anyone had experience with this sump?

https://www82.safesecureweb.com/webaquatics/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ACM125&Category_Code=WDF

Not bad for the price and it is piped out the side how I would prefer it. I am running it through my wall and housing it with the skimmer in my laundrey room, which is 2 ft from the water supply.

Still looking at options on the skimmer... ASM, Octopus, Corlife, Euroreef, there are too many opinions... Thanks for all of the replies.

[kodyboy]

why not simply buy a 50 gallon breeder or other such tank and use that for your sump? Cheaper, more room, and more water in the system.