Best Filtration for 125 FO Tank

[bassn99]

I recently purchased a 125 gal tank from my LFS that they had as a display tank. The current set up has a sump w/bio balls and live rock in it. The protein skimmer should be installed this week. I have two powerheads currently circulating water inside the tank. One is rated at 600 GPH the other is 800 GPH. My question is, do I need any other filtration for this set up? Seems like their is a lot of sediment that blows around inside the tank out of the sand. The LFS guys says this is all I need. Just wondering.

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

[L and L]

Heya neighbor,

I'm in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Is there any live rock in the 125g? What type of sand is in the 125g? How deep is the sand?

You have a sump. Does it have a return pump?

What kind of skimmer are you getting installed?

It sounds like to me that you have enough circulation. I'll comment more when I hear about the above questions.


cheers,

[drummereef]

If you have at least 1lb/gallon of live rock in the display, I would ditch the bio balls in the sump. Throw some live rock and perhaps some sand in a chamber and use it as a fuge. With a skimmer and proper flow you'll be fine.

[bassn99]

Hey Neighbor from Vicksburg!

Okay, here is the deal. I was having such an issue with ICH, I was advised to just go ahead and dose this display with Coppersafe. Yea, don't even say it, I had NO IDEA and very much replied on My LFS guy. He said we could get it all back to living in the future. Could be up to 6-8 months. But it could be done.
I have over 175 lbs of now Nuetral Rock, also have Bio Balls and Nuetral rock in the sump. I have no idea what the return pump is rated at since he installed this tank. It was from his store. I know there is an 800 gph powerhead and a 600 gph powerhead that are just for circulation.
The skimmer I will have to find out about, he is installing it this evening so maybe I can get some idea as to model, make, etc.

What I'm attempting to get rid of is all of the floating debris that is constantly blowing all over the tank. My nitrates are high but I really address those until the copper has run it's course. They are not life threatning levels. All other parameters are well in line.

I placed some poly filter material above the trickle plate that goes down to the bio balls and rock hoping that would clear some of it. I noticed the powerheads are shooting out bursts of debris that they suck in so I don't think enough of it is actually gerring to the over flow.

Any ideas. And PLEASE no lectures on the copper deal. I have been hammered for that enough on this and other forums.

Thanks in advance.