55 Gallon Tank

Okay I am very very poor money wise... On the count of just starting out living on my own, with my gf and my 4month old son.. soooooooooooooooooo... Just to let you all know all that in advance. I have a 55gallon tank and stand laying around... And currently a 29g SW setup and a 10g FW setup.. I'd like to move my SW to 55g tank, and move the 10FW to 29FW so that way I can use the 10G for my gf... she wants her own tank.. Doh. Anyways.. I can only dedicate ~50$ a month possibly 75$~ if we get 3checks in that month.. but we normally don't get 3 checks but like 2 maybe 3times a year? :O But I'd like to know what I should do.. I have 2 Oscrellia Clowns and 2 blue legged hermits in the 29g. and not much LR or sand, but can I put them in the 55g and let it sit and add LR and sand as I go or should I just leave them in the 29g untill I get enough money to buy it all to set it up? Because I was just going to slowly upgrade, lights, filters, add powerheads, skimmers, ect... I've been doing research for probally about 6 months now.. so thats why I ask. Well thanks for any kind of input you can give to me.

 

well what I would do is start saving up as much as you can for it
then once you have enough for lr, sand, salt, and a couple power heads i would put that in the 55 then let it cycle then as you get money you can add the HOB filter and HOB skimmer and lights
im just guessing you are going to do hang on the back you didnt mention a sump
then once everything is good and fine I would transfer the clowns and hermits to the 55
and the little bit of live rock that was in the 29
you might want to add more hermits over time or some snails (hermits will do a better job on the rock work)

 

Well I already got the HOB filter.. rated for a 100gallon tank that is runnin in the 29gallon tank and my lfs told me to just transfer the water from the 29 gallon+ the filter LR, LS to the 55gallon since I've been running my 29gallon for about 2, 2 1/2months now... said it would help the cycle process be more then halfway threw from the get go. Also I will be adding a sump.. just not sure how its gonna work if you have any DIY plans for a sump w/o drilling the tank.. Thanks again.

 

If you dont want to drill the tank for the sump, you will have to get an overflow box. I got mine on ebay. Its an eshopps overflow (fairly cheap). As far as the sump the cheapest way to go would be a rubbermaid container (not the safest choice) or just a simple 10 gal. aquarium would suffice. You will also need to get a return pump (RIO 2100 will work). I got mine on ebay as well for fairly cheap. You will also have to add in all the little things such as tubing, pvc, etc. I put my sump and overflow together for under $100. Good luck.

 

Well all for under 100$ is very managable... lol. I got a shop near me that will sell me used tanks.. all I have to do is clean them, He sells 55g used for 45$.. and I think 20L for around 25$ Max.. so getting a decent size sump tank won't be hard

 

That works, just make sure it fits under your stand before you bring it home. That includes actually getting it under the stand (might fit dimension wise but maybe not thru the doors). Not sure what kind of stand you have.

 

yes..PLEASE make sure it fits through the doors!! I just measured dimentions and I ended up having to to talke 3/4 of the water out of my tank to move it away from the wall and get it in from behind..could have done without that

 

I have a 55 reef at home and use a 20 long as the sump / fuge. There is more than enough room in there for the skimmer, fuge section and return pump as well as a ghetto carbon reactor.

 

Lol, I am just talking finance problems... Im sure I can get everything in time but right now my 2 clowns and fire goby are all having to be houses in a 10gallon tank while there new home is getting setup.. thats why I was asking if its possible just to start he 55g with 10lbs of lr 10lbs of LS, and just gradually add as time goes on... Otherwise there trapped in a 10g from quiet some time and It makes me feel bad (There 29g home started to leak... Thats why there out of it.)

 

Please someone respond quick.. I am sitting here with a empty 55g tank.. a Clown fish in a 10g tank, and my Angel fish and Pleco in a bucket... (I got another 20H tank Im puttin the FW fish in... Unless I'm told otherwise about the 55 then they will get put in there.)