Planning On Making The Switch To Saltwater

[Eddie OM-35]

Hi all! My name is Eddie and I am new here. I have kept freshwater fish for several years and am now ready to take on the challenge of marine aquaria. I have done a lot of research so far, but I can't find much on plumbing that makes sense to a new guy. I have a 100 gallon tank with a hole already drilled in the bottom, but have no idea what to do with it. Are there any "Marine plumbing for Dummies" articles out there? I have always just run hang on tank filters and need all the help I can get. This is going to be undergravel, right?

I am in no hurry to get the switch made, I want to take my time and get it right. Also, any recommendations for hardware would be appreciated. I will have to save up for a lot of the stuff. I am getting ready to retire and will have the time to properly care for a marine tank.

Eddie

 

[bobf]

Hi Eddie - I suspect the hole at the bottom of your tank is likely to be there to allow a sump to be used.

Undergravel filters (in the old tropical aquarium, bubles and uplift tube etc) are not a favoured way to filter a marine tank.

Have a look at the pinned topics at the head of the Marine and Reef chit chat here particularly the one on 'starting a new reef/marine tank'

Also do a search and read up on 'sump' design and uses.

Others here be able to add more I'm sure but this should be a good start.

Good luck with it all!

 

[SkiFletch]

Hi Eddie, and to the salty side of life

Drilled tanks are built to use with whats known as a sump. Sumps are fantastic places to put equipment, filtration media, and a great way to keep your tank stable as they increase water volume. Sumps are fantastic pieces of equipment, but will also require some DIY if you don't want to spend a small fortune. The good news though is that anyone can master the skills needed to operate and design a sump. We also have a plumber on hand who can help out . Lemme start by asking you a few questions:

How handy are you and/or how good are you at DIY projects?
US, UK, or other?
How big is the hole and where on the bottom is it located?
Do you have a digital camera and a photobucket.com account?

 

[Eddie OM-35]

Ok, here goes. I am in the US.
I do a LOT of DIY projects.
I have to measure the hole, it is centered and close to the back of the tank.
I do have a digital camera with a Lilypix account and I know how to post pics.

I have a freshwater community in the tank right now. I am in the process of selling the fish, then I can unplug the hole and get measurements. In the meantime, I am gathering info and equipment.

Thanks a LOT for your help so far! I am coming along great with my research, but it seems like a sentence from one of you can go a lot further than some articles!

Eddie

 

[Eddie OM-35]

To add a bit more information, I am active duty military and retiring in a few months. I have always wanted to try saltwater, but all of these deployments kept me from having the time to dedicate to it. now that I will be home, it's time. My 18 month old daughter really loves looking at the fish too!

I was given a 35 gallon satwater setup yesterday that I am learning on. It is already established and contains 2 clowns, a blue damsel, and a hermit crab along with a few pieces of live rock.

Thanks!

Eddie

 

[SkiFletch]

Good to hear Eddie. With a high center drilled tank you're going to want to create what's known as a "Calfo Style" overflow. I'm using a calfo style overflow with my new mantis nano tank so you can go there for some ideas. Obviously mine is scaled way down since its only a 5g but the concept is the same. Also my overflow is in a corner and yours is in the center, but there's no big difference there. If you look at the picture from the rear of the tank you'll notice the T that I fitted to the back and what looks like a cap on the top of the T. I actualy drilled a small hole in the top of the cap so that air can enter the tube and prevent gurgling sounds. So long as the T is taller than the water level, you can have this little hole . Also, were I to do it all over again, I would have remembered to use black acrylic instead of clear since it blends in with the black painted back better... Whoops

Obviously the rest of the tank is not yet done but that's the "business end" of the overflow. You'll obviously want a bigger box and whatever size bulkhead your tank is drilled for. Then once you know that you'll know the capacity of your overflow as far as flowrate is concerned and you can choose a sump pump and return lines.