New tank setup

[mikew351]

Hi, i'm new to the hobby and this forum. i have a tank setup that i purchased from a friend who moved and didn't want to risk the fish. its a 95 gallon tank with under gravel and hanging filter systems. my question is what is this: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8315&pictureid=56728

The system seems to be working but there isn't anything in the tank on the back. as far as i can tell there isn't anything that was in it. my question, is there anything i need to do with it to ensure it is working properly?

[mikew351]

through a bit more research i have found that it is a fluidized bed filter. my question. do i need it or can i remove it from the system and not have any problems. the setup that i have includes an under gravel filter system with 2 1140 marine land power heads and 2 marine land HOT magnum hang on back canisters on a 95 gallon tank. so far my readings are below.

tank readings
PH 8.4
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Temp 78-80
Salinity 1.022-1.023
General hardness 180
Carbonate hardness 240

[Waddleboy]

First off welcome to a hobby or addiction or life depending on who you talk to but a fascinating one at that. You are correct that tube thing on the back is a media reactor of some sort. Typical used to run media like carbo, gfo, biopellets usually. However i think yours is empty so it is not doing anything.

Now the bad news. You are most likely going need to change the filters with a tank that large. Now some people are able to do it fine but i personally have found that they are detritius factories and cause more problems than good unless you keep up almost daily or at most every 3 day maintenance on them. Also i feel as you dot have enough flow in that tank. but I also like more flow so to each his own. Flow is important for the health of the fish and corals though. Hope that helps and enjoy the hobby

[mikew351]

trying to understand, am i going to need buy new filters? if so what size do you recommend for a tank my size? also i was thinking i would drop the media filter completely. though i'm still not completely sure what it does for the tank as a whole. as far as the water flow. with all of the filters running and the bubbles that have come from marine land HOT magnum canisters, it seems to have enough. other indications that i might not have enough, i have green algae build up in the rear wall and a purplish color algae on the skull. the purple algae has started to go away, at one point it covered the whole top of the skull. now its mainly located on the top above the eyes.

[mikew351]

So, I've been reading about sumps and i've been thinking of building on for my 95 G FOWLR. the interior dimensions for the stand 47"x17"x26".
the front openings are 28 1/2" x 21 1/2" with a 12 1/2" divider.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8315&pictureid=56855

initially i was thinking of using 3x 10 gal 20x10x12 (30" in length) side by side. i got one to test out (and needed it for a qt tank) and realized that i can't fit 3 of those tanks in the stand. Because the stand is just shy of being deep enough for the tanks. So, my revised setup will be two of the tanks end to end (40" in length). i was thinking two 2" PVC pipes. the pump will be a mag 12 with overflow to the refug. the DT overflow will be a U-siphon (eshopps EO11010).

The sump setup
In-flow --2x 1" bulkhead drains--> Refug 1 --2x 2" PVC--> refuge 2 ---->
Mag 12 3/4" PVC ----> 4x U-Tube with Directional Return 1/2" or 3/4" ----> DT

the directional returns can accept 1/2" and 3/4"

I was thinking of putting the skimmer next to the inflow chamber with the cleaned water exiting into the refug. the reason i have listed 2 refuge chambers is because i will be using the joined part of both tanks for it. so physically it will be 2. but, intent is that they would be 1 chamber. any ideas?

still deciding on the skimmer thinking of an octo. haven't decided on the model. i was thinking that i would need to include the water from the sump as well as the DT. so i would need on that could process 115 gal rather than 95 gal. let me know if i'm wrong in thinking this.

[RuggerReef]

IMO with a 95g tank you should add an overflow box and go with a sump, make it a 40 gallon or bigger. There two ways you could do the filtration; one is use the sump as a wet/dry filter, use some bio balls, a skimmer and a return pump. Two is you can make a sump/refugium, you would still use the skimmer but you would add a chamber to grow cheato algea to make sure nitrites down. You would be able to get rid of the undergravel and HOB filters. Just add a couple, 2 or 3, circulation pumps for flow.

[Waddleboy]

i am not sure if i completely follow your design. picture or drawing might help in this case. also the rule of thumb that i follow is i want my sump to be a large as possible. it adds water volume so more stable and it allows for more internal equipment. You are correct to add your sump volume to your tank volume to get total volume you should filter. For example, if you do a 30 gallon breeder as a sump you could make the first chamber for the skimmer, second, fuge, 3rd return back to your tank. Your protein skimmer would need to handle a 125 gallons minimum on a light load. I like to go one up so i would get a skimmer rated for around 180-225 gallons is how i would do. hope that helps

[mikew351]

after loosing 2 clown fish and an anemone. :uhoh2: i have finally purchased a tank for the sump. the under gravel filter has been removed from the tank and built the overflow and return lines for the sump. just need a couple more thins to finish the build.

components so far:
30 gallon breeder
mag 12 return pump
cad lights PLS skimmer
2 marine land Maxi jet 400
Eshopps PF-1000 HOB overflow box


The breeder would not fit under my stand even with removing some of the panels and the tank setup with fish. so, i have designed it to set next to the DT kind of in the corner of the room. the over flow box has been set on the left side of the tank. the box says its rated for 150 gl tank and max flow rate of 900 gph. the lines were made from 1" thin wall PVC. using 2 elbows and 2 45 degree.

the sump:
the skimmer will be in the first section, then a refug, then the return pump. skimmer section i was thinking would be about 12" to the first baffle with 1/2" spacing. will be about 5" and the rest of the tank would be refug.

the return line was assembled out of 3/4" nylon re-enforced tubing. with barb fittings and clamp rings. from the Mag 12 the tubing runs to the skimmer section where i have a "T" and 2 ball valves one dropping into the skimmer section and the other feeding the the DT. the DT has four u-tubes with directional return. these came with 1/2" and 3/4" barbs. i cut off the 1/2" barbs to reduce the footprint on the back of the glass. these were connected using 2 elbows and 3 tee connections. as far as i can tell this setup will provide about 670 gph. if this is correct i may remove skimmer ball valve.

i have built most of components. just need to run and get a few more parts.
Plexiglass
2 more 90 degree elbows
10-12 feet of return line tubing.

[mikew351]

Here is a pic of the semi finished sump. Might have to tear it back son because the baffles aren't tall enough...