proposed new system 1

[gobies]

Thoughts and questions about a possible "nano" setup after we move...

 

I'll use the 30g long for the main tank. It's 36" long, 17" tall, and 12" deep. I'm going to be getting a BakPak skimmer for the setup -- the system size is such that I don't want to skip a skimmer.

 

I want to set up a 5.5g tank next to it for a 'fuge. That's the biggest thing that will fit in the available space, which is next to the main tank. They'll be on a big old dresser built of solid pine. I have a fairly large overflow which will get the water from the 30g to the 5.5g, and then I'll use a pump to get it back into the 30g. The overflow is 10" tall, with the bulkhead tube sticking out another 1.5". That's tall enough that I won't need to use any tubing to go from the base of the box to the fuge -- the base of the box will be IN the fuge. Would this work, or am I courting disaster with this setup?

 

The other option is to use sort of a "double-fuge": two 10g tanks on a double stand next to the 30g. The overflow would feed into the lower 10g. Then one pump would send water up to the upper 10g and a second pump would send water back to the 30g. This gives me the advantage of a lot more system water, but requires an additional pump and additional lighting setup.

 

The other advantage to this setup: if a mantis shrimp became available, I could put it in the top tank.

 

What size pumps would I need for these?

[MKramer]

I can't really comment on the pump size, but you should avoid having a pump on the return side of a fuge. It'll slice and dice all the nice little critters you have growing in there. That's why fuges are usually gravity-fed down into a main tank.

[gobies]

Yeah, I know. If the dresser had a hutch, I'd be stylin'. But it doesn't, and the hutch on the desk doesn't have enough clearance for even a 10g tank under its bottom shelf. I'm thinking of a 'fuge more in terms of someplace to keep all the caulerpa aka nutrient sponge.

 

Are there any pumps that are less destructive to the 'pods?

[Bocephous]

I've dont think most water pumps will grind too many cepepods. Most Amphipods make it through them ok even. The impellor is hardly a razor sharp propellor blade. Most should make it through unscaved.