Ideas or Help with new tank setup

Hi Everyone
I am currently trying to plan out a new tank setup ,it will be FOWLR only at this stage.
My dilemma is I have the perfect space for a 6ft tank(100+gallons) which I need to buy yet,but I already have a 4ft (52 gallon glass tank) which I want to use as a sump.
Is 52 gallons too large for a sump for this setup?
I want to be able to put all the equipment in the sump & keep the tank for fish & live rock only.

I did have a marine fish only tank with 2 blue damsels & a saddleback puffer(hence the 4ft tank) about 10 years ago but gave up in the end as I live in a small country town & there was no real support here then & the closest shop was over 400kms away & it all became to hard.
It has become a fair bit more popular now & things are easier to get here & I have some room now (1 child less ) so I decided it was time to give it another go, this time I intend to plan & do it allot better hence the sump & live rock options.
I'm looking forward to trolling this site for allot more info & ideas before I start.
Cheers
Rick

 

That will be good, The bigger the sump the better imo. Are you going to add a refugium to the sump? Oh and trust me after a while you will want to go reef! ;D GL

 

Make it a sump/fuge!

 

Hi
A refugium sounds like a good idea,so seeing as I should have plenty of room I think I will,not to sure if I want it visible though it will be below the tank so I would rather hide all the bits & pieces.

Rick

 

Rick,

I have a 180 in my family room, I drilled the floor and used a 55 gallon tank for my sump in the basement, next to this I built a 45 gallon refugium – the actual fuge is 15 gallons with 15 gallons to the left and right. All the added space is great for filters/skimmers/ozone ect. The added volume is key – use the large tank as your sump and make sure you use the full capacity as to maximize your displacement.

 

Hi
So I guess this means I'm gonna need to get a Protein Skimmer & a return pump of some sort so I know how big & where to place the baffles in the sump.
Any ideas on what sort of Skimmer & pump will be needed for this setup?
Also what lighting is required for a fuge?

Rick

 

Quick q? are you going to have your tank drilled? if not then your also going to look for a overflow box.

 

Hi
After checking the refugium posts up to about page 19 I have decided I will probably go for a overflow box.
In saying that it all depends on what I can get when I order the 6ft tank if its not too much extra I may go for a glass drilled one.
I've now got a fair idea of how I will make the sump after seeing so many designs.
I will have the skimmer on the end with the overflow going to it,the return pump in the middle & the Refugium on the other end with a regulated flow coming from the overflow.

 

Hi Again
Today I have been able to go through this site very well & pick up alot of valuable information (not bad considering I was at work).
What I have concluded is that I am going to need to know the volume of the 6ft tank to be able to chose the correct pump & overflow & skimmer,my Question is do I take into account the extra possible 52 gallons in the sump IE 100gallons for DT + 52 gallons sump = 152 gallons total ?

Thanks
Rick