What to get first?

okay as some of you may know I am going to be setting up a 53g soon, I do not have a sump, proper lighting fixture, or an ATO. What I do have is the powerheads, HOB skimmer, refractometer, heater, testing kits, rock, thermometer and sand. I have some money left over so what is the most important to get right now. here are the choices...

Choice #1...I get the light fixture and ATO first then sump in 6months
Choice #2...I get the light fixture and sump first then ATO in 6 months
Choice #3...I get the Sump and ATO first then light in 6 months (no coral )

Oh and I havent opened the HOB skimmer yet so if everythinks I should get sump first I can return the skimmer and get and in sump one.

 

choice to ato is a option to start with

 

I really want coral and dont wanna wait 6 months so maybe I will do light fixture and ATO then get the sump later. I can use my HOB skimmer in the sump anyway

 

when you say ato you mean an auto top off correct ?

for coral you will want a sump for your reactors and other equipment an ato is not needed many people do not use them at all

 

So I should go with the sump and light first? and yes auto top off

 

Yes, sump and light first if you want coral sooner.

 

I would agree with saltyfresh on this one

and I would do as you suggest in rethinking the skimmer and going for one that fits inside or outside of the sump - might as well get that part as you want it 1st time

Lights - if you want corals, then dont buy a couple of T5s for now and then in 6 months realise you want a 4 or 6 lamp fixture
you could always buy the 6 lamp fixture now, and run it with just 4 lamps in or even just 2 all the time the tank was fish only
that way your extra costs in 6 months are 2 or 4 more tubes and not a full new canopy

Yes take care of sump and lighting now
and later once your corals are starting to build up, consider the ATO then

Steve

 

How much is the "left over money," that we are talking about? Are you going to be building your own sump or buying a premade one? What type of lighting are you going to be getting? Last but not least an ato isn't a necessity more of just a nice thing to have, I don't have one I just top off about a gallon every other day

 

I am getting a 4x54w fixture and making my own sump, but after some measuring I realized that no skimmer will fit under my stand so I am keeping the HOB skimmer and having it on my tank. Under the tank will just be a 10g or 20L sump running carbon with a large fuge.

 

sounds good to me Brennan

Steve