29 gallon tank testing water

[213chrisp]

as most of you know i have a 12 gallon nano tank on my pc desk in living room.... And i have had a empty 29 gallon tank in the bedroom for some time now as i use for my tv stand :)... and be thinking i want to make this a saltwater reef tank like the nano....

So im starting to consider how much will this cost me to get going and start looking around for ideas and such....

Lighting??? my brother has a unit he got from gerbers a few years ago that he doesnt use anymore i beleive its a t5 setup but ill have to check it out and "borrow" it

Filter system??? i would assume a sump setup is the only way to go and the stand i have a homemade maple wood stand my grandfather made me so i really dont want to destroy it or anything but i beleive the bottom part would hold a 20L tank as its the same deminsions as the 29 just shallower.....
But what all would i need to do when building a sump ....????
--- Don i know you said you would help me when needed for a sump so i may be bugging you once more for some more assistance in the near future :cool:

im sure im missing alot... and i know ill need sand, 40lbs of rock or so... heater for a 55 gallon tank.... a skimmer but i have NO clue what size, or pumps or any kinda of pump plumbing.....

Im all ears thats why im asking here first before i jump into this project and save up.. probably wont do anything till after x mas, hell i may even get half this for xmas :)

[213chrisp]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/chrisp6108/HPIM0629.jpg

before i took it down with my diy led blue lights for freshwater...

[marinelife]

You will need:
overflow box if you want to use a sump.
Live rock
Sand
Heater
Lights

[213chrisp]

Would it not be suggested to drill the bottom or the back and put in fittings and such that way instead of overflow box?

as for lighting im i know sump will need one, what kind of light will it need? i would assume something simple would work?

The main lighting i think i will have lined up but like i said before that... will have to do some recon work to find out if my brother still has his t5 he had used previously if not that will be a big iffy...

Sand/rock is all good there.....

And suggestion on pumps and skimmer for the sump and would the 20L be ok or should i just do a 29 tank for the sump... or just buy a used sump setup from soemone else? i think gerbers has a few right now ill have to go look at.

[213chrisp]

ok so i successfully "reconed" my brothers old lighting , its a Current Satellite 36" 96w 1 lamp 24 hour lighting system.. he got it from gerbers a few years ago and it says 150.00 on the box still... Right now its sitting atop of my 12 gallon nano with the hood up to see what the diffrence is and it is TOTALY different with this light atop of it, and i assume what makes it 24 lighting system is the 1 led it has in the middle of the unit?

[chromiumlux]

:needpics:

[213chrisp]

yea yea yea....

here you go enjoy the messy area around the tank...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/chrisp6108/fish/HPIM1358.jpg

[213chrisp]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/chrisp6108/fish/HPIM1359.jpg

[213chrisp]

here is the famious tank thats sparked all the intersted in growing to a larger setup... now i just need to start getting it items flowing in... I got the light fixture... just need to find me a 20L tank now and use as the sump setup. i hope it would fit in the bottom which i dont see it being a huge issue.

[213chrisp]

would this be too large for my setup?

Coralife Venturi Super Skimmer 220gal

have one lined up for 60.00 pump and everything included just not sure it would work. as can it be a bad thing if you buy a skimmer that is too large would it cause damage or not work properly?