Comments on Filtration for new tank...

tx reef

tx reef

Active Member
I would like input from you guys/gals about my filtration for the 54 corner aquarium I am setting up next weekend.
In the display will be the usual live rock and about a 2" sand bed.
All I can fit under the tank is a standard 10 gallon tank. I have been told that an E.T.S.S. Reef Devil is one of the better skimmers out there so I plan on getting one.
If I do get this skimmer, all I can fit inside my sump is the skimmer and skimmer pump, my return pump, heater, and pump for phosphate and carbon reactors. I will have no room for a fuge of any sort.
The corals will be all SPS.
I think that with such overkill on the skimmer (Reef Devil on 54 gallon tank) that I would be good.
Do you more experienced reefers think this would be okay?
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
i guess you could put a hang-on fuge on the sump? as far as the skimmer, what is it rated for? i dont think you can overkill really, it will only skim whats there.
-Justin
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
No matter what size of sump, no matter what equipment is placed in the sump you should get a 2x9w 6500k lamp and mount this over the sump and then toss in some clumps of cheato. A fuge can be a s simple as some running water and a good light with a skimmer right in the middle of it. Chaeto is actually good for reducing microbubbles if you use it the right way.
 
tx reef

tx reef

Active Member
The skimmer is actually rated (realistically) for a medium stocked 180 gallon.
I can probably figure out a way to get a little chaeto in there, but that is it. I know the capabilities of chaeto, but with such a good, big skimmer, a phosphate reactor, a carbon reactor, and 6 gallon water changes every week is there anything left for the chaeto?
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
This is just a my personal thoughts and observations, but sometimes I think we overskim, overclean and sanitize our systems to the point where we start to remove ALL organizims that are beneficial. I have an incredible 120 tank that is healthy, loaded and I mean every square inch of the tank is covered in zoo's, rics, leathers, frogspawns, xenia, colt's, clams, hammers, mushrooms and all I have running this system is a 40g fuge with a skimmer and a huge 24" x 16" blob of cheato between the skimmer and return pump. Every few days I tear a chunk of the cheato off an throw it into the DT and the fish go crazy, I let it float for a few hours and then back into the sump. I spend 2-3 minutes a day on the tank for maintenance and every 5-6 weeks do a water change. People don't believe me, but it's almost a self supporting tank, no additives, no chemicals, no nothing. I've setup all my tanks this way and I never have problems with hair algae, water levels are always perfect etc...Funny thing about the 120 tank, the chaeto never has to be harvested, it got to it's current size and has stayed the same, gotten a little denser and darker, but never harvested and never shrinks. I guess I like to take the simple approach..
 
b-town

b-town

Member
If you have the AGA stand for the 54 corner, like I do, you can fit a 15 gal HIGH running front to back under the stand! The door just does close. The 15 gal high looks alot bigger then the 10 gal.
 
ibew

ibew

Active Member
Originally Posted by B-Town
I got the LFS to order it.
good idea
my LFS carries them for people that want 55 long tanks because a 15 high is still 10 inches wide you can actually fit 2 under the stand of a 55 long
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top