phosphate and nitrate levels????

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

So I just one a aqueon model 3 Sump on eBay. Couldn't pass up the deal 200 bucks. Someone please help me with equipment choices. What 12 inch refigium light? What type and brand of pump? I already have the skimmer. And my rank is not drilled so what overflow has worked good for others? It will take a few weeks to piece all together but please help on reccomended equipment. Thanks

[kissman]

I would just get a clip on light and 6500k daylight bulb from walmart.

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Won sorry. Wow. Are u saying a standard light bulb or some type of flo. Clamp on meaning like the silver half circle reflector type?

[kissman]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

Won sorry. Wow. Are u saying a standard light bulb or some type of flo. Clamp on meaning like the silver half circle reflector type?

Yep just a 27watt(100 watt) spiral bulb and a clamp on silver half reflector type both for like $15

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Ok someone please explain what I need to put in my refigium and how much please. It should be here in two days

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Does anyone have a link to the proper setup and care of a refugium?

[CeeGee]

throw some chaeto in there and make sure it tumbles and put a light on it in the 6500k range? I don't really keep a fuge but the purpose is to grow pods to help as a natural food source and grow macro algae to keep nitrate and phosphate levels down. It doesn't need to be fancy.

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

What about sand or live rock, also how do you keep it tumbling if water only flows in one direction? Sorry for all the questions I just wanna make sure its right so im sucessful.

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Does Gfo need to be rinsed or anything or just throw it in the reactor?

[kissman]

needs to be rinsed, and you want it at a slight boil to much and it will grind and get in tank, i think BRS has a video

[kissman]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

What about sand or live rock, also how do you keep it tumbling if water only flows in one direction? Sorry for all the questions I just wanna make sure its right so im sucessful.

the water flows down into bottom of reactor and then is forced up through the gfo

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Any ideas how to rinse it its pretty fine so a collander won't work?

[kissman]

I put it in reactor and just pump tank water through it into a bucket and end up doing a water change

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Is it ok to just use r/o water?

[kissman]

Sure

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

My lfs doesn't have chaeto. Where is a good place to get it and what else should I put in Refugium sand etc.

[kissman]

Www.reefcleaners.org john is great to do business with cheapest stuff

[ianjirka]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

Anyone have a link to a good very informative DIY Sump refigium build. I think thats my best route

There should be plenty here in the DIY forum.

You can also start here: http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

I've attached a pic of my sump from before I started the tank... Knowing what I do now, I would have put the return on the end, not the middle... and some other things :-)

Skimmer on the left, fuge on the right -- it used to have a DSB, but took it out, it was too hard to keep clean. Still has LR and cheato in it.
I had a "duplex" refugium on the left (that's what the eggcrate contraption is) with rubble on the top -- took it out because it was too hard to clean, now I have some rubble in a plastic colander. Do you see a theme here? :-) Took out the SSB on top as well, same reason...

Only reason I keep the rubble in the colander now is it has some interesting sponges, and not too hard to clean.

[hillscp]

Originally Posted by ianjirka

I've attached a pic of my sump from before I started the tank... Knowing what I do now, I would have put the return on the end, not the middle... and some other things :-)

Out of curiosity why would you put the return on the end? I like mine in the middle with the fuge on the end; that way I can make the flow through my fuge independent of flow through my sump (flow through fuge = 1200GPH, flow through sump = ~250gph)

Edit: I'm trying to figure out that picture. It it photoshopped? Looks like the fuge was pasted over the stand LOL.

[ianjirka]

Originally Posted by hillscp

Out of curiosity why would you put the return on the end? I like mine in the middle with the fuge on the end; that way I can make the flow through my fuge independent of flow through my sump (flow through fuge = 1200GPH, flow through sump = ~250gph).

Well, I reserve the right to change my mind but two reasons
1) I like this design for the filter socks/drain area more than the BRS hangers I'm using now (3rd pic down) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...&postcount=337. That alone got me thinking about pulling and reworking the sump.
2) I find that with the flow split down two 1.5" drains (I'm using a double-beananimal -- originally thought the left drain would feed a skimmer) it takes a while for the air to clear the lines when I stop the main pump. I really need to throttle the drains back. And in general I don't think I need to worry too much about the specific flow through one chamber vs another. I could make a bypass pretty easily if needed. Also one less set of tubes cluttering up things...

Originally Posted by hillscp

Edit: I'm trying to figure out that picture. It it photoshopped? Looks like the fuge was pasted over the stand LOL.

Heh, no -- I just built the stand to fit the maximum amount of sump. And I mean maximum :-). I think what you're seeing is the baffle on the right which is placed about 3" from the end (dump zone for the right drain)

If ASCII art helps any :-)^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^