Getting Back In-Help

[DadOfNine]

I was just given a tank set up that came from a doctor’s office. It consists of three drilled tanks, each with a single overflow, which sit on a single cabinet with a single canopy. The center tank is 48” x 13” x 22” high (55gal.) The two end tanks are 24” x 13” x 22” high (29 gal each.)

The end tanks apparently drained into a single Oceanic model 75 trickle filter, and the center tank into a second Oceanic model 75 trickle filter

I am trying to decide what to do with each tank. I was thinking FOLR for the center tank and reefs on either end?

I would appreciate any ideas anyone might have regarding set-up of these tanks.

Also, I was wondering if there is a way I might turn these two trickle filters into, effectively, a single sump. Could I use one as a resevoir for my skimmer, one as a refugium and, using PVC pipe, tie them both to a center tank with with my return pump? Or should I just throw the bioballs back in and use them like they were used previously?

Any thoughts on protein skimming for this set up. Lights? (I have two new Icecap 660 ballasts new in boxes from my previous foray into salt water which was abruptly halted due to a divorce.)

Anyway, any input would be greatly appreciated

[Sk8r]

I'd ditch the trickle filters and get a nice big sump/fuge for the set. You could do an lps reef on one side and a softie reef on the other, but you'd need to run carbon to keep the softies from annoying the lps. You could indeed modify them. For a combined 100g, I'd recommend at least 20 g of fuge. Keep away from bioballs: they're a pita waiting to happen (high nitrates). Live rock is the only filter you need with such a rig as you say---the corals will be your filter for your fish, along with the live rock.

You could also run some microfishes like blennies and gobies in your reefs.