What size regugium tank.....

[Noc]

Hi all, I've been lurking around here for some time and I think it's time to post a question. This tank has been a saltwater mixed reef for about 2 months. Before it was a freshwater planted tank for a month, that got boring real fast.

I currently have;

72 gallon bowfront (ok for starters)
Rapids pro PS4 wet/dry filter (ok for starters)
2 - aquaclean 70 powerheads (one to flush the back of rock and one for the front)
1 - aquaclean 30 (to blow across my soft coral)
T5 lights - four 65 watt bulbs, 6500k and Blue Actinic
phosban reactor
UV sterilizer
heater
~90lbs of live rock
40lb of live sand

1 - large giant cut mushroom
2 - torch coral
2 - Goniopora
1 - bubbletip anemone
1 - colony of polyps
3 - clams
1 - oyster

4 - turbo snail (I need some more)
1 - cleaner shrimp
1 - sand sifting sea star (6 arms)

1 - sleeperband goby
1 - yellow watchman goby (I hate this guy)
2 - fire fish
2 - clownfish (from petco and they are finally hosting the BTA)
1 - flame angel
1 - royal grandma
1 - juvinile naso tang (I'll get a bigger tank before he outgrows this one)
1 - powder brown tang (I love this guy)

My parameters have been testing great nothing out of the ordinary. My temp might be a bit on the high side 83 degrees but no fluctuations to cause any stress.

My question is I want a sump/refugium to go under the cabinet (bow cabinet) the dimensions on a bow cabinet is tricky b/c it bows out in the middle. The shortest width it 11". So I'd need a tank no wider than that.

What is an ideal size tank for a sump/refugium for my tank?

I want this sump/refugium to put my phosban reactor, my UV stabilizer, by heater (not like I need it now), a future chiller, a calc reactor and raise copepods for a mandarin one day.

Thanks

Noc

[Chris3859]

I will probably start a war with this answer (LOL), but for a 72, I would say a 20 tall or a 29. I started my 75 with a 29. I now use a 40, not for anything more than all my stuff fits in it, mainly my PM Bullet 2 skimmer. Heck, you could make a nice refuge with a 10 to be honest with you. One note, you kinda have a lot of fish for a 72 if you want to do a lot of corals. Just my opinion. The tang police might even serve a warrant on you...LOL!

[Frankie]

Welcome to RS!

[goldenmean]

Howdy hoooo!
Welcome to RS!

The first thing I notice is that you have 10 fish, 3 clams, and an anemone in a tank that is only 2 months old. I am afraid you are asking for a fast disaster. I am not trying to be mean but your tank is no where near ready to handle all that bioload. Clams and nems need a mature tank that is at least 6 months old (many will tell you 1 year). Your Live Rock will not have enough of the nitrifing bacterias needed to keep up with the all those fish.
I am only thinking of the well being of your livestock and I would hate to hear that your tank crashed and everything died. There is a lot of great information here on RS. I suggest that you do a lot of reading starting with the sticky threads on the Just Starting Out (SW Beginners) forum.

Good luck!
please ask any questions you may have?

[Noc]

Thanks for having me.

I'm aware of the Tang issues. I'm trying to convince the wife to allow me to get a 125 gal. Maybe if I do something real nice for Mother's Day she'll let me buy it.

In the mean time I'd like to get a sump/reguium going. I don't feel right having this wet/dry. It almost feels like I am half a**ing the hobby.

[vdituri]

Get HER the 125 for mother's day.
Then all the expenses of the tank will be for her.
Someone posted that on another thread. Platinum idea!

[lcstorc]

Welcome to RS!
Definitely too many fish. General rule is one inch of full grown fish per 5 gallons of water. That is apprix 14 inches of fish. What type of clams do you have? Most require the very high lighting of MH. Also you mention a chiller down the road. You do not want to put it in your stand. Chillers send out a lot of heat shile cooling the tank.
Show us some pics of the tank. We would love to see it.

[BigAl07]

Hello and welcome! You've come to a "Information Rich" environment!

Wow you sure are "quick". Trust me when I say this (with all due respect) this is about the LEAST quick hobby there is. I think Bonzai growing is close to this one. The only things that happen FAST/Quick around here are the crashes!

The GOOD news is you started with a very GOOD size tank. Bigger is always better (regardless what THEY say SIZE does matter). The added water volume will help "hide and soften" newbie mistakes. We all make them and you will to.

Take some time (Yeah a LOT) and read this thread..
Newbies, a little something on cycling/breaking in a new reef tank.

it's almost a "Read Me First" type of thread for Reefing! It's about the Nitrogen Cycle and how it affects your tank. Read it.. learn it.. KNOW IT! There is no way around it and you either understand and work with it or you're gonna FIGHT it each and every day!

As for "Refugium Size" there is no "Rule" except you want as much as you can easily fit in the cabinet. You want the biggest, fatest, Phatest (that means SWEET) tank you can slip in there and still be able to work with. Don't just measure the area and go have one made. You need to measure, make a sample (cardboard works) and see how easy it is to slide into the area. I've heard of people forgetting about a brace of door opening and their new "Custom Made Acrylic Sump/Refugium" wont go into the stand. So take some time to measure that area and then "Mock one up".

Good luck and honestly.... you really DO want to find a local home for some of those fish... you're over loaded even for a mature tank IMHO. We like to Cycle... (takes a few weeks) add clean up crew (crabs, shrimps etc) then after the tank is stable add a couple of fish. Then allow the tank to "colonize" to each addition. Then add another in a few weeks. Also it's a GREAT idea to have a "Quarantine Tank" (QT) that you bring ALL new fish into to watch/inpsect them before putting them into your Display Tank (DT). This way if something does come out in those first few weeks (when it's most like to appear) it's ONLY the 1 or 2 fish in your QT hat have to be treated and not ALL of your previously healthy live stock.

Remember..... slow down... enjoy the ride and reeellllaaaaxxxx Life is GOOD when viewed slowly

[Noc]

Thanks for the replies and the links to the valuable info.

I really got carried away with the fish buying. And I told myself starting out I didn't want ANY fish but clowns let alone tangs. I have a close friend that was like the devil on my shoulder ...buy a tang...you need a tang, then I'd tell him about the forums and what I've been reading . So I got caught up. I am planning for the 125gal and will transfer everything over little by little. I told the wife you guys said I HAD to

I'll post up some pics this weekend.

[SJS]

Welcome to RS... as you can see you will find great info and really great people. Congratulations on admitting your addiction!! It's the first step to having a healthy tank! Now - tell the bad influences to pipe down or you'll make them come over and clean up the mess...

[Jeremy0322]

If you need a tank that is under 11" wide you are going to need to build it, I dont know if there is a tank that size for what you need. I use a 20 long for my sump and it works alright, but i wish it was bigger.