New 55 gal System Review
 

Hey guys,

Below is my design for my new system. I am trying something a bit different, but am unsure what forum to post this in so I suppose New to the Hobby it is.

Both the tank and sump are 55 gal longs; I plan to keep local NC syngnathids and other "fragile" animals in the refugium and use the display tank to expirement with different techniques to better care for local LPS and soft coral species including tube worms, sea whips, ivory bush coral, and various other Cnidarians.

I hate HOB overflows so I will have an old Aqueon 1,700 in a overflow box which will be hard piped 3/4in and push water down into the sump at 400 gph~. Once down in the sump it will 45 deg elbow causing cyclonic flow for my K1 bio balls. A screen (like a mesh window screen) will prevent the bio balls from going into the next chamber where my old ASM skimmer will sit. Then, after getting rid of microbubbles, will be pumped into the chamber with my quietone 3,000. It will be hard pumped in a 1" and T into a 3/4" into a refugium at 100-150gph~ with a T and speader bar to ease the flow for the syngnathids. The other 400gph will be pumped back into the system and I'll have a EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40wES Propeller Pump/Controller as my main flow regulator with another powerhead to cover any dead spots.

Let me know what you think, any advice on other cheaper powerheads that provide flow control as well would be great.

Extra Info: I plan to use 1/4in glass baffles, and two heaters, one in sump and one in the "display tank".

Sorry, I don't live in NC, so I don't know what the water temperature is over there. Do you need a permit to collect the syngnathids? So will this be a tank that's filled with NC natives? How do you plan on feeding the syngnathids? Will these be pipefish and seahorses, or something a bit more different? I can't help on the mechanical part...but this does seem interesting!

You will never be able to perfectly balance the pump going down and the pump going up. Any small imbalance will accumulate over time and lead to a flood in either the sump or the display. A gravity drain is the only way to SAFELY get water from the tank into the sump.

First question: Do you already have the tanks? If not I would shy away from 55g at least for the display. They are very tall but narrow which makes working in them a pain. If you went with a 75g which is relatively common and easy to find used, you would be able to drill the tank for an overflow and remove the chance of a flood.

Second question: How do you plan on getting to the screen so you can clean it as stuff grows on it?

Good Luck,

They're a little bit unsightly, and do take up space, but these are mostly reliable, I use them on my 29 gallon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65yVr7DiDls (Uaru Joey's DIY overflow video)

I would advise against those on anything other than a nano tank. They just will not provide enough flow.

I agree with Mrramsey. I ran one for a couple years and had two very close calls. While they look good on paper, they don't work well in real life.