# Almost go time! How is this setup?



## Drwoodchopper (Nov 18, 2012)

Ok I am about crosseyed from all the reading and broke from all the spending. 65g DT. So how is this going to work out? I have fine tuned and scalled back my plans a little. I think I want two 3/4" drains, one in each back corner for optimal surface skimming. I was thinking (2) 750gph powerheads or 1 750 and 1 1050. I originally had planned to go with a large retun pump but after a lot of reading I have scaled that back based on my 20g sump/fuge and my budget. I am leaning twards a Rio plus 2500 which will give me about 450gph at my progected head. Once it goes into the DT I was thinking of using loc-line with a "Y" and two jets I am wondering if I should mayby even go smaller on the pump? Right now most of the coarls my family likes are LPS stuff and mushrooms and then an anemone for the clowns.
Thanks


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

I'd go with 2 1" intakes, not 3/4". The 3/4" are typiccal return line sizes. Or just use 1 1" intake as you only have a 65g tank, you only need 5-6x the turn over of your DT.
As for powerheads, I'd first go with 2 500gph powerheads. One on each end of the tank, pointing in at each other.
As for using Loc Line, thats good stuff, as for splitting it, 450gph isn't enough flow to be splitting up, I'd leave it to one return.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I think you're undersizing your return pump.Unless you don't mind paying to upgrade I would opt for a larger one and use a ball valve(restricter) if necessary.All pumps can be throttled(on return line after pump) to reduce flow, but short of buying a larger one you will not be able to increase flow.
Think 1" holes are better(safer) for your filter feed,anything ;snails,plants, or just crap will slow or clog a smaller feed more easily.


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## Drwoodchopper (Nov 18, 2012)

Thanks for all of the help! I decided to keep the 1" drains as I already had most of the PVC and fittings to do it. As for the return pump I originally was going to go with one much larger but after reading this article Reefkeeping 101 – Sumps! by Marc Levenson - Reefkeeping.com and also spending way mare on this project than I originally thought I decided to tone it down a bunch...hopefully it works! I only have a 20g tank for my sump and refugium and I think with 700-1000 GPH is a bit much... If you go down the page on that article he explains the benefit of not going to big on the pump... Time will tell if I need to go bigger, then I can use that pump for water changes ect. I got my salt, skimmer, some sand and some dry rock today. RODI filter came yesterday. we are all getting excited! We took a drive down to a "live rock and reef" store they just opened about an hour and a half from where I live they had some gorgeous Florida live rock there I will probably buy some once I am up and running.


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