Austin LFSs

[Paul]

As usual, no plan survives contact with reality. Or my family...

It now looks like we will be setting up more of a "mini" reef than a "nano" reef. This is turning into a wonderful family project actually. I am so surprised and pleased it has just made my entire month.

But given that, I now need to go shopping for stuff like return pumps (I have always like the Little Giants, but even the smallest one may be a bit too big for this...), an overflow box, skimmer, plumbing parts, beer, etc.

My immediate tendancy is just to buy these things off the net and be done with it. However, I also like to at least try and support the LFSs in the area. Are any of them open to negotiating ?

Also, we picked up a small 20g long from the Sanfords with the idea of using it as the sump, loaded with some eggcrate to hold a bit of ChemiPure, a skimmer of some variety or another and perhaps some live rock. The more I think of it, the more I think it might be better served as a small 'fuge and just buy something like a ESHOPPS Wet/Dry and dump the bioballs. Anyone have an opinion on that? A 300gph model is selling for just under $150 on the net with the overflow box.

Opinions welcome!

-Paul

P.S. I am also not sure how to plumb a 'fuge in- anyone have any online references for that kind of thing?

[Robb in Austin]

I have yet to find a store that stocks everything. The big three(RCA/Aquatek/Aquadome) will have just about everything you might need/want/can't afford between them. Never hurts to ask about pricing though. I've found that they are all fairly reasonable when you factor in shipping though.

Never seen beer, for sale at least , in any of them. Might try Specs, Grapevine, Twin, or Whip in.

[WesleyB]

I definately wouldn't use bio balls. They're ok for the inital few months of cycling, but eventually they begin to effect your nitrate concentration. In my opinon its best to go with a refugium rubble. Two questions, what type of corals do you plan on housing and what is the size of your tank? Im assuming your tank is atleast in the 55 gal or over range if you're using a 20 gal sump. 300 gph seems a little inadequate, because most overflow boxes for larger aquariums are rated for atleast 700 gph. You have to match your overflow rating with your return pump rating to the amount of water turnover for the type of corals you wish to keep. The last thing you want is a flood in your house because the sump or the tank overflowed. To answer you question vividaquariums.com has some pretty cool filter specs posted on their site.

[Paul]

>I definitely wouldn't use bio balls.

Oh, I agree. I was just going to dump the bioballs and go with a couple packs of Chemi-Pure. The filters look like they would make nice compact little sumps to me.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/237629/product.web

>Two questions, what type of corals do you plan on housing and what is the size of your tank?

Probably a few SPS and a few LPS. Maybe an anemone. Depends upon how stable the tank becomes. Tank size will probably be a 55 we have here, or a new 70. If I get suckered into buying a new 70, it will be reef ready from the start.

>300 gph seems a little inadequate, because most overflow boxes for larger aquariums are rated for atleast 700 gph.

Yeah- that is what seems to be pretty cool with these Eshopps guys - they go down to 300gph sized boxes. Not too worried about using the return from the sum p for flow. That can be easily addressed with a couple powerheads I think.

>To answer you question vividaquariums.com has some pretty cool filter specs posted on their site.

Cool! Thanks!

[GKarshens]

I would go with the RR 70. A 55 is very hard to work in because it is so shallow front to back. Also having a RR tank will make your life much easier and less stressful. I have never trusted the idea of a syphon being the only thing keeping my tank from over flowing.