boss thnks for the time and advise appreciate it. your right on the expensive part . expensive doesnt always mean better . but i lv to research and i lv the brand aquael they are poland brand name and i trust them the down side is in kuwait their products are expensive . another brand name i lv and previously owned on my grave tank RIP was the aquac remora skimmer. like i said some time brand names are guaranteed and last plus quality and have spare parts... like fluval for example.

so as for sump vs filter .it wont be novice of me just to plug in a mechanical filter.filter it is . and yes i have the skimmer hanging in the back and the filter tucked in the cabinet . i am a neat person :)

finaly no it wont be a fowlr tank it will hopefully be home to corals and reefs and fish and shrimps and snails and i have to have a lion fish as well there has to be a king there to keep things in natures way .keep the fish in line. hopefully not eat anything ..i read there bad for the corals but in a shop i go to it swims peacfully so will say ...any way looooong way to go before that ever happens but its nice to dream ...thanks boss

Wow alot of money just to get a sump under the tank. A small company out of California Call TRU-VUE Makes Over flow boxes that are fail proof, work on glass or acrillic and does not need to be primed when the power goes out. check them out . a lot less hassel and money. They also make awsome refugium sump filters. Its what I use in my systems. Over flow boxes are a dream for saltwater tanks think about it before you go crazy.

The Seaman

i agree that sumps are the way to go......but not the only way...............I'm not familure with refugiums....I've heard and read that they need to be about the same size as the display to be of much benifeit....but I could be wrong {LOL....that was the understatement of the century}..........Boss

I would almost like to see a refugium as a secondary display as they can be quiet attractive if set up properly .........