New To Reefing

[scottme]

Hi all,

My first post! Yay!

I currently have a 4ft mixed tank which is about 5 months old - nothing too serious as I don't have a proper sump. I'm using bits of a Marisys filter to come up with a pseudo sump with mech filter media and a quite good Marine Sources skimmer. I also run an Aquis 1200 canister and yep, my Nitrates and Cyano are pretty high, but tempered by plenty of flow in the main tank.

Anyhow, having seen the light, I now a have a 6ft tank with a sump system that i am re-assembling before the huge task of transferring tanks.

I'd like some opinions on a better sump arrangement. I have a diagram of a few options attached. I have 2 tanks - 1 main sump, about 760 long currently 2 chambers and the other a 620 curved front Aqua One tank for low flow macro and LR.

The main point is the amount of mech filter space in the main sump tank. I lean more towards less mech filter and instead use more LR and macro (option A). Any opinions on the use of spinning sump spraybars?

The main 6 x 1.5 x 1.5 display tank currently has a single corner box. Do I:
1. Keep the remaining corner overflow as is
2. Undertake the cost / effort of getting the other end drilled for 2 corner boxes
3. Undertake the cost / effort of getting a center overflow and just use the corner hole for tank return

I'd like some advice later on the best method of transferring tanks to minimise stock loss due to stress etc. Also looking to wet run the new system before I set it up in the new space.

I'm very much looking forward to actively participating in this great community with others with a similar reefer affliction :)

Cheers,
Scott Meikle

 

[Lesley]

Hi and welcome to the reefuge.
Look forward to watching you build thread. You will get lots of friendly advise along the way.

I am no expert by any means, and some more experience reefers will chime in for sure.
But I was always told the Skimmer should be in the down-pipe section, take out as much proteins etc it can before entering the live rock/chateau sections, and is best not in the return pump section.
I would also have the reactor as close as possible to the down-pipe section too for similar reasons.

I would also reconsider the use of Bio-Balls & noodles I don't believe they are commonly used in reef tanks, as I have heard they can become ":nitrate factory's"
I used to run those things in freshwater and worked a treat but don't run anything like that now. And have not experienced any nitrate or phos problems.
I would look at alternative media like Matrix or marine pure ?

Personally I would be swapping the whole thing around something like,
Skimmer/ reactor - Media - live rock/ chateau - return.

I know some super experience people will have some great advise for you about the sump so I too will be following along to see if I am even correct. LOL

Advise with regards to moving and upgrading.
Well lots of us on here have moved tanks, so once again will get tons of good advice.
I have a tank journal, we moved our 18 month old tank recently, 4 months ago.

I posted how we did it, and thankfully it went well, you may want to take a look at it, as I posted the whole move along the way, again with help and advise from the reefuge.

( tank journal is entitled "A new beginning "in reef tanks.
Good luck, look forward to seeing lots of pics and answering lots of questions.
Welcome :)

 

[Sam Parker]

I'd go option C, but remove the mechanical filters and fit the skimmer in that section.

 

[Buddy]

I would set it up as a single sump with 3 chambers. Skimmer > Refugium > Return.
If you are intending for pods and other critters to make it to the display tank then there is no point having the skimmer after the refugium. Most of the goodies will just be skimmed out before they make it to the display tank.
I used to have low flow in my refugium but detritus built up too easy. More flow helps keep it suspended and eventually skimmed out. This didn't seem too have any negative effect on the critters going about their business.

 

[jayellul]

IMO those are all very over complicated with unnecessary parts.

 

[jayellul]

Oh, and what Buddy said :)

The best sump IMO is that. With the skimmer and return section just big enough for equipment and the centre section taking up remaining space (Big as possible) Personally i would use this as a cryptic zone but could be used for anything really, DSB, Refugium, Macro or even frag area. Depending on use would determine the return pump flow too.

 

[scottme]

Thanks for the intro. Some great info. I will have to digest and I'll sure to be asking some more questions :)

I could possibly use my current 4ft tank as a 3 chamber sump, but it will be a major pain getting it into the cabinet as it won't fit width wise through the cabinet side panel due to the leg orientation. The split tank solution gives the option of assigning somewhat independent flow rates to the 2 sump tanks, and it also allows easy physical removal of either tank. The 2 tanks also provide more volume than my 4ft tank.

I'd be happy enough keeping critters in the fuge area with some appropriate filter material in the baffles. I could transfer them by doing a LR swap with the DT (but I just know that would be hassle).

I quite like your idea Jay of having the centre chamber of the main sump as a misc area for frags, dosing etc.

The other major point is that do I really want to skim before the centre chamber? Depending what goes in (sponges etc.), wouldn't they need nutrient which would otherwise be skimmed out?

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the intro. Some great info. I will have to digest and I'll sure to be asking some more questions :)

I could possibly use my current 4ft tank as a 3 chamber sump, but it will be a major pain getting it into the cabinet as it won't fit width wise through the cabinet side panel due to the leg orientation. The split tank solution gives the option of assigning somewhat independent flow rates to the 2 sump tanks, and it also allows easy physical removal of either tank. The 2 tanks also provide more volume than my 4ft tank.

I'd be happy enough keeping critters in the fuge area with some appropriate filter material in the baffles. I could transfer them by doing a LR swap with the DT (but I just know that would be hassle).

I quite like your idea Jay of having the centre chamber of the main sump as a misc area for frags, dosing etc.

The other major point is that do I really want to skim before the centre chamber? Depending what goes in (sponges etc.), wouldn't they need nutrient which would otherwise be skimmed out?

I run skimmer 1st chamber, have mushrooms , recovering BTA & banded shrimp in chamber. 3 &. 4. They are all thriving. So I am assuming skimmer takes out crap but water contains enough good stuff to be ok for corals.

 

[jayellul]

ALways skim first so less detritus build up.