new tank help(long winded version lol)

[frankenbakon]

Hello everyone!

I am looking for help/ideas on the best things to get for my new aquarium.. it is a Marineland 27g cube 20x18x20 with the matching stand (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4449731&lmdn=Fish+Aquariums+%26amp%3B+Bowls">http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4449731&lmdn=Fish+Aquariums+%26amp%3B+Bowls</a>) got a better deal than the sale price.. it came with one of those new marineland LED lights but i havent heard the best reviews on it so i was thinking of getting the Odyssea 24" 346w light..( [IMG]http://www.aquatraders.com/24in-Metal-Halide-HQI-T5-Aquarium-Light-p/54261.htm">http://www.aquatraders.com/24in-Metal-Halide-HQI-T5-Aquarium-Light-p/54261.htm</a>) I want to have a clam as the "main attraction" in the middle front of the tank once things are up and running and my only knowledge of them is that they require a lot of light

I ordered an aquaclear 110 and im going to turn it into one of those DIY Fuge

and i already have a Tunze 9002 skimmer, korelia 4 and a korelia nano

i wondered what the more knowledgable folks had to say on whether i need a sump or not im thinking this will be mainly a wrasse tank maybe a few mccoskers or ?? i dunno yet.. its not a "drilled" tank so i dont know how i would connect it with a sump anyway

this will be a slow "build" im converting my RSM thats gotten away from me cuz i jumped in head first and tried to cut corners now its full of anemones not sure if they are glass or aiptasia.. most are a dull brown color but theres easily 100 of them.. and a question on that was i dont really have the funds to buy a bunch more rock and i want to get rid of the rsm anyway so would it be completly stupid to just take the rock out and let it bake in the sun for a few days them rinse it really good to start over or is there a less time consuming way to get rid of the anemones and still have the benefit of having 2 yr old cured rock?

any help is appreciated!!

and sorry for the long post lol

 

[db366]

You can use a hang on the back overflow to have a sump. There are some nice tanks out there without sumps it's just a preference thing IMO. Your gonna have a lot of equipment in that tank without one though. If you don't want to do a actual sump then maybe think of buying some acrylic and doing a false wall to hide all the equipment.

 

[frankenbakon]

thats a thought to keep things hidden.. i dont really mind the skimmer being in there and the ac110 will hang on the back.. i want to get an MP10 to replace the 2 korelias .. i would love to have a sump but all the ones ive found online are about the same price or higher than the tank and stand together

 

[rugdog65]

you can make a sump out of lots of things. Garage sale 10 gallon tank. even plastic storage boxes like home depot sells to put Christmas decorations etc. in. I ran hang on back overflows in different tanks over the years with no issues.

 

[smallblock]

buy a cheap small glass aquaruim and make a sump. Its the cheapest and you can build around the skimmer footprint. Also a sump would be great for you IMO it adds more water volume and evap is easier on the salinity

 

[frankenbakon]

so if i decided to build or buy a sump would i still need the Aquaclear 110 fuge? dont sumps have a spot that is used as a fuge?

 

[rugdog65]

You could put a fuge in the sump if there is enough room. That would be better,easier, and cheaper than the power filter. I have sectioned off sumps with light grids like people use in frag tanks to isolate cheato in a fuge type fashion. Then just hang a shop light over it with a daylight cf bulb in it.

 

[frankenbakon]

whats the best amount of rock in a 27g cube? is 40lbs too much? im looking at marco rocks

 

[rugdog65]

probably be fine just remember often when adding corals they will be on rocks so leave a little room for that and growth.

 

[jennm]

27g with wrasses and a clam?

You may want to rethink that tank size. The only wrasse I'd put in a tank that small is a 6-line. Others get too big/need more swimming space.

A clam takes up a LOT of calcium and needs a lot of light. In a smaller tank, heat issues can arise from the lighting and it's more difficult to maintain water parameters.

IMO, for your objectives, a larger tank is in order.

Jenn

 

[frankenbakon]

well i had a mccoskers in a 14g biocube before going into my RSM then eventually sold to a friend with a 55g and he seemed pretty happy but he was pretty small.. what types of fish could i put in there? i like the wrasses cuz they are so bright and i like the "flashing" as far as the Clam thats more of a want down the road but good to know that ill need to go bigger for it rather than plan this tank around that only to be disappointed