55g frag tank build...

This is what I have so far...

-standard 55g tank w/stand
-heater
-lighting
-glass tops
-crushed coral
-uv sterilizer

This is what I need...

-filtration
-protein skimmer
-live rock
-refugium
-egg crate
-power heads

I am located in the NW suburbs of chicago and am looking to keep my cost down during this build. Please if any of you have recommendations for DIY or items that I might need just let me know. If you guys have anything for sale that would be great too. This setup will be in my heated garage. I will post pics along the way!

 

glass absorbs up to 60 percent of light or light intensity. 400 wt mh would be more like a 175 at 1" depth of water.

 

everything is pretty cheap on craigslist and sites like it. Call your LFS's and ask if they have any used equipment, and check Man. of equipment to see if they have blemished products.
And for the sump, I would make it with a glass fish tank, glass cutters, or the help of a glass shop and try to have in mind the equipment your going to run before you set your sump up. I wish I did
You can make base rock w/cement and arogonite sand from home depot for under ten dollars for 100 lbs.
egg crate is in the lighting section of home depot by their ballast's I think
and sometimes I think a squid or sea swirl would have been a better use of time and energy than my 4 maxi jets, wave timer, and rio hyper flow.
I am still very happy w my circulation.

 

I would skip the UV sterilizer for a frag tank. You are going to kill off good bacteria, and without fish it's not going to be protecting anything from disease.

 

Good point on the UV, I am going to concentrate on heavy flow and lighting, everything else should fall into place!