Scared first timer

[SaltwaterCowgirl]

Hello everyone! I am brand new to this "excitement" and am hoping to learn lots from y'all. I have been reading through some old threads but I'm not great at piecing together information, or inferring so please don't get angry for me asking the same things that have been asked before.

I am looking for someone who can basically give me step-by-step instructions on how to set up my new addition, and get it going strong. Here is the information I can give you based on the extreme little I know.

It's 55 gallons.

The canopy has a 660 icecap 3 light ballast with 3 t12vho lights.

There. That's all I can tell you guys about it.

EEK!!

[glarior]

Hello everyone! I am brand new to this "excitement" and am hoping to learn lots from y'all. I have been reading through some old threads but I'm not great at piecing together information, or inferring so please don't get angry for me asking the same things that have been asked before.

I am looking for someone who can basically give me step-by-step instructions on how to set up my new addition, and get it going strong. Here is the information I can give you based on the extreme little I know.

It's 55 gallons.

The canopy has a 660 icecap 3 light ballast with 3 t12vho lights.

There. That's all I can tell you guys about it.

EEK!!

What is your goal for the tank? What kind of fish are you wanting? From there we can always help and point in the right direction. Welcome to AC

[Cliff]

I would suggest reading throught the below article from our salt water blog here on the forum

http://saltwater.aquaticcommunity.co...ne-aquarium-2/

You should be off to a good start if you read through that and the links posted within the article.

There are also a lot of other stuff on our blog that you might find helpful. Reading through some of the tank journals in the SW section here could also help a little

The more your research before setting up you tank, the better your set-up will be. Trust me, it's not all that hard to do

As already stated, make sure you know what type of set-up you want and what you want to keep before you set-up the tank.

[SaltwaterCowgirl]

I will get to reading! Thanks. Here are a few questions that I have right now.

I just talked to the guy that I am buying the aquarium from and this is what I know. Everything he is telling me sounds like gibberish, so can someone explain what he is saying, and how to fix it?

1. It will need a pump for the internal overflow/sump it comes with.
2. It is not a drilled tank.

[Cliff]

Are you sure he did not say "external" overflow

That would make more sense if the tank was not drilled. Some hang on back external overflows used for tanks that are not drilled can have a pump in them. There are pros and cons of using that type of drain. The below might help

http://saltwater.aquaticcommunity.co...e-sump-basics/

http://saltwater.aquaticcommunity.co...umbing-basics/

If you want to use a sump, you might want to get it drilled before setting it up

[SaltwaterCowgirl]

Yes, he said internal, I went back and checked the text message. He was texting it to me while driving :( so maybe he just mistyped? So that leaves me with the question, if it is an external hanging type as you mentioned, will it also work with the holes drilled, or an I looking at having to buy a whole new sump set up?

I'm gonna type out what my brain is saying and you can tell me how wrong it is.

Step 1. Buy Aquarium at least 55 gallons. CHECK
Step 2. Drill holes in aquarium for sump.
Step 3. Install sump, and protein skimmer.
Step 4 -...... NO CLUE

I just know that y'all are thinking "Good lord woman, you are making this so much harder than it has to be." My apologies if I am grating on nerves.