30 gal cube saltwater newby needs advice

[SleepyReef]

My background: I've been messing around with freshwater off and on for the past 15 years. I have been in the freshwater planted tank scene for the past year and a half. I have always been afraid of setting up a saltwater tank, but then it all hit me about a month ago....For all this time/effort/$$$ I put into a planted tank, I could be enjoying a beautiful saltwater tank.

My equipment on hand:
30 gal Oceanic cube w/stand, Rena filstar 3 canister filter, Orbit PC 2X40 lights - one 6500k and 1 dual actinic bulb.

29 gal regular w/stand, Rena filstar 2 canister filter, DIY 2X55 lights - both 9325k

What I want:
To begin with I would like a live rock tank w/a few fish such as clowns, gramas, chromis, and/or a blenny plus some inverts. Not too many fish, just a few happy ones. I would like to eventually add a few corals. I would rather go with the 30 cube because it is much nicer looking than the 29 gal.

What I know:
I know that it takes time to setup and cycle a SW tank. I am in no rush. I have spent a month so far just reading up. I really would like to go with a sump so that I don't clutter up my tank w/equipment and just to make life easier. But I don't want to drill holes in my tank and I'm scared of a HOB overflow box malfunctioning and flooding my floor. Is there a way to prevent a HOB from malfunctioning? If I need to I can use the canister filters and just plumb in the heater, but is this a bad thing over the sump? My canisters are really quiet and I love them and I have this longing feeling to incorporate them into my setup. But this may just be to justify the money that I spent on them.

So for now my 30 gal cube is just sitting there all cleaned out and ready to have sand, water and live rock added. I am just looking for some one on one advice that can help stear me in the right direction. I have been calling around for live rock prices at some LFS around my area. I have come up with $6.99 for premium fiji, $9.99 for Tonga, and $8.99 for marshal islands LR. Can I find it cheaper, but still good quality elsewhere? I guess the advantages of buying at the LFS is that it should be cured and ready to be added to the tank.

Well any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

This post is double posted on the ARC forums.

[chull13]

Alright I guess a lot of your questions are personal preference so I will be willing to throw in my opinions. Me personally, I would go with a sump over canister filters but that may just be because I have always gone that rout. Yes it is possible to make 100% sure that an HOB overflow box will not flood your floor. It is all about leaving enough backwash room in your sump. When the power goes off a reverse siphon occurs. The water flows to your sump from 2 areas: your overflow box and your return. You don't want your overflow box or your return sitting too deep in the display tank. A safe assumption is that your water level is going to drop roughly 3 inches in the event of a power outtage. There is a simple formula that can determine if you have enough backwash space available. If you want help determining let me know and I will be glad to help. I don't want to make this reply too long so I will stop there. Also, I would wait for some live rock from a private seller. There is always rock coming up for sale. Much cheaper than a LFS and most of the time it is cured as well. Hope this helps! And good luck getting started. You seem to be doing it right by taking it slow and asking questions.

[CGill311]

I agree. Buy live rock and live sand from someone off the forums. You'll save yourself a lot of $$$. Good luck!

[kevinwholder]

I can help you out on a good deal with some inverts.. pm me

[SleepyReef]

My tank has a big warning sticker that says no drilling, tempered glass on the bottom of the tank. So drilling may be out of the question.

Kevin, I'll probably give you a call when I get everything setup and going. I may even ask you some invert questions.

[SleepyReef]

The bottom of my tank is tempered glass so I will not be doing any drilling. Overflow boxes scare me and my wife doesn't like the idea of possible flooding of fishwater on our carpet. So I'm going against everyone's advice on a sump and going sumpless. I will try to buy used live rock and try to buy the best skimmer I can with the savings. Does anyone know of a good skimmer around the $150 range that will work for a setup like I'm talking about? Keep in mind it is 30 gallons. If I can't keep the water clean enough for the hardiest of corals, then I guess I will be doing a FOWLR.

Any other sumpless people out there with smaller (30 gal or less) tanks that can help me by telling me what to do and not to do?

[mstintheuscg]

I have a 10 gallon mini reef with no sump. I started with a simple power filter. It worked great until i started adding mushroom corals. I then noticed alot of stuff on the surface. So i took a piece of pvc pipe and cut it in half and made an internal overflow with the power filter intake in it. I do 50% water changes a week (25% twice a week) and have had no problems. I have ~10 lbs live rock, small tomato clown and mushroom corals.

[msnajkowski]

You could get a HOB Refuguim with some macro Algea and LR rubble. That will help with your water without the risk of a flood.

Originally Posted by SleepyReef

The bottom of my tank is tempered glass so I will not be doing any drilling. Overflow boxes scare me and my wife doesn't like the idea of possible flooding of fishwater on our carpet. So I'm going against everyone's advice on a sump and going sumpless. I will try to buy used live rock and try to buy the best skimmer I can with the savings. Does anyone know of a good skimmer around the $150 range that will work for a setup like I'm talking about? Keep in mind it is 30 gallons. If I can't keep the water clean enough for the hardiest of corals, then I guess I will be doing a FOWLR.

Any other sumpless people out there with smaller (30 gal or less) tanks that can help me by telling me what to do and not to do?

[Kullas]

I am running a 29g with no sump. i have a power filter thats on the back with the tube running behind some of the LR and the heater is off to the side. i have PC lighting and have all kinds of softies and some SPS and all is doing well so i guess going sumpless is a option as well. my 125g has a sump and is doing well also so eather way ya go would work its just a matter of what ya like