Filtration

[mike22cha]

Well I'm seriously thinking about getting a 270g 6'longx3'widex2'tall. But I talked about it on another site and they are confusing me on filtration.
So here is what I was thinking about:
Red Sea Ocean Clear In-Line Canister Filter model 375
Red Sea Berlin Turbo Protein Skimmer(hang on or XL)
My 6' Coralife PC's for lighting
Wet/Dry converted into a sump(Not sure what kind need help on that)
220lbs of Tropic Isle Tahitian Moon Sand (black)
100lbs of Live Rock (I got 40lbs of live rock and 20lbs at least of some other kind I think limestone)
They said that I need to get a Euro Reef or Aqua C instead of a Red Sea skimmer. Any suggestions on model or brand?
They also said that the Red Sea In-Line Filter was good but required constant cleaning. Any other suggestions on a good low maintence filter? I'd like for it to be around 2000gph at least 1500gph.
Again any suggestions on a wet/dry to convert to sump?
Also the sharks have a sense of electrical fields, would a mag floater hanging on glass to use to clean be alright or a bad idea? Also the tank would be right next to a computer, bad idea?

They didn't suggest a closed loop system with the Red Sea In-Line Filter either. What do you think? Should I get a different filter that is low maintence and do a closed loop? Just keep powerheads at top?
Thanks, Mike

 

[lion_crazz]

Hey Mike, if I was setting this tank up, I would definitely run a closed loop. I love my closed loop on my 210. You do not see any powerheads in the tank and it puts out some very nice flow.
I am not really sure why you are looking to run an extra filter when you will have a wet/dry, so maybe you can chime in on that. A wet/dry will be more than efficient for this tank. I would say ditch the wet/dry and just go with a sump, but you will not have enough live rock for that. Thus, a wet/dry will be needed.
I would also not go with the red sea skimmer. I would go with something that is going to give you some powerful skimming, like an ASM or ETSS. Personally, I do not like Euro Reefs. I think they are way overpriced. ETSS and ASM work just as well if you get the right model for your tank.
If you do like the closed loop idea, we can start talking about good pumps to use as well.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok I like the closed loop system because some people had concern about the electric magnetic field of power heads. On the shark site AC mentioned a store with cheap protein skimmers that are Euro Reef.
I get the concept of the closed loop system but I'm clueless on wet/dry, sump, and protein skimmers. Hang on skimmers sound easy to me.

So I need exact models of the kind you think would be best.
Thanks again, Mike

 

[lion_crazz]

Okay, well as for a skimmer, I would either go with an ETSS 600 or an ASM G-4X. Both of those are excellent.
As for a wet/dry unit, I would go with something in the range of a Precision Marine Wet/Dry T36.
And for your pumps, I would go with a Dolphin Ampmaster as a closed loop pump, and either an Iwaki or GenX for your tank return. Both are external pumps.

 

[mike22cha]

Ok look at the skimmers. The first one didn't seem like it had enough gph, or is it fine? I liked the second one. Do you set it inside the sump and the pump outside? Then is that the outake that is in the pump and I hook up pvc back to the tank? Here's a pic.

 

[lion_crazz]

What kind of skimmer is that?

 

[mike22cha]

THat's the ASM G-4x. Look anything different than what you're talking about?

 

[mike22cha]

Here's a pic of the wet/dry. I'll use lr instead of bio balls.
Does this need to be hooked up to a pump? Can you give a description on how to set this up?

 

[crimzy]

If it were me, I'd just go buy an inexpensive, used 100 gallon tank for the sump. Do some measurements and have Henderson cut you some glass for baffles. Silicone them in an you've got a refugium (after you buy a couple cheap clip on lights from Home Depot). Lion is right, though, that you'd probably want some more liverock for the sump.
I'd also go with a protein skimmer in the sump and not a hang-on or external. Skimmers, or more specifically the pumps that power them, have a tendency to have times of greater and lesser strength. I have experienced many skimmer overflows but if it's in the sump then the water doesn't end up on my floor.
Personally, I've always gone this route and had some powerheads in the display. It's simple and works great.

 

[mike22cha]

Here is a pic of the Dolphin Ampmaster. That thing looks mean! Rated 3579 gph at 0ft/m so I take it it's going to be lower gph, but still a lot.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by crimzy
If it were me, I'd just go buy an inexpensive, used 100 gallon tank for the sump. Do some measurements and have Henderson cut you some glass for baffles. Silicone them in an you've got a refugium (after you buy a couple cheap clip on lights from Home Depot). Lion is right, though, that you'd probably want some more liverock for the sump.
I'd also go with a protein skimmer in the sump and not a hang-on or external. Skimmers, or more specifically the pumps that power them, have a tendency to have times of greater and lesser strength. I have experienced many skimmer overflows but if it's in the sump then the water doesn't end up on my floor.
Personally, I've always gone this route and had some powerheads in the display. It's simple and works great.
I got a 125g that the doctor may/may not buy. The protein skimmer I showed would be inside the sump. Would that sump I showed be big enough? Oh I may trade the doctor so I may get his 75g maybe not. If not how about I get a used 90g?

What does everyone think?

 

[mike22cha]

For Sump AC suggested a CPR CR3000. What do you guys think?

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
I got a 125g that the doctor may/may not buy. The protein skimmer I showed would be inside the sump. Would that sump I showed be big enough? Oh I may trade the doctor so I may get his 75g maybe not. If not how about I get a used 90g?

What does everyone think?
Just like with tanks, the bigger the sump, the more water volume and the healthier the system will be. I can't criticize a closed loop, I'm sure it's a great system but I've always gone the route of the tank converted to sump. This way you can decide how large the chambers will be for your equipment, refugium, liverock, etc.

 

[mike22cha]

Wouldn't if converted a tank into sump I'd have to get two pumps, one intake and other outake?
What about using my 125g? Divide into a chamber for the sump, one for live rock, and what else should I use in another chamber? I'll use that ASM G-4X as skimmer. What should I use as pumps? Should the sump and protein skimmer be hooked up to the closed loop system or seperate. Does the dolphin ampmaster provide any filtration inside there? I was thinking of a canister filter to help filtration wise.

 

[psusocr1]

i agree with crim
i had a high bioload on my tank as you can imagine with a shark, eel, rays, very large tangs and two very large lions.. YET i still never had any levels in my tank..
i credit that to the fact that i had an amazing skimmer coupled with a 45 gallon sump and 55 gallon refugium.. after about 4-6 months the tank basically just took care of itself.. but thats the beauty with larger tanks as well is that i had alot of live rock but it still didnt look like that much due to the fact of the footprint of the tank which gave my animals alot of free swimming room and my 55 gallon refugium was PACKEd with a DSB and liverock as well.. no other filtration, just a skimmer..
my point: if done right all you need is a good skimmer and a good sump/refugium

 

[psusocr1]

Wouldn't if converted a tank into sump I'd have to get two pumps, one intake and other outake?
gravity provides "intake" you only need a pump for return
Divide into a chamber for the sump, one for live rock, and what else should I use in another chamber?
you basically need three chambers.. one for your equiptment the middle one for your macro , sand, rock retc. and the third for your return
I'll use that ASM G-4X as skimmer. What should I use as pumps
depeneds onw hat you want to achieve, also the skimmer comes with pump reccomendations
Should the sump and protein skimmer be hooked up to the closed loop system or seperate
you have to do some reading a a cloose loop i dont think your getting what it really is.. a cloose loop system just drains water from the tank directly into a pump and pumps it right back into the tank in a few outlets.. it only provides flow and has nothing to do with the sump, refugium etc.. its on its own.. ill show you pictures of mine, i think i have some

 

[mike22cha]

Ok so does this sound good then?
A 125g sump/refiguem below the tank? My stand is going to be 7'x4'x3.5' so there will be room under there.
A ASM G-4x skimmer inside sump
A Dolphin Ampmaster closed loop system for water movement.
How many pounds of live rock should I get? How much inside tank and how much inside sump? I got 60lbs.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by MIKE22cha
Wouldn't if converted a tank into sump I'd have to get two pumps, one intake and other outake?
No, you need an overflow to bring the water into the fuge. A built in overflow drilled into the tank upon purchase is the easiest. Gravity will feed the water from the display to the sump and the return pump will bring the water back into the display.
There are hang on overflows but I don't like them. They can be noisy, are difficult to restart after cleaning the tank, and they can be difficult to match with the right return pump, (if the feeds are not the same gph, then either the sump or display will overflow).

 

[psusocr1]

i still say scratch the cloose loop and use some tunzes. assuming your tank is reef ready and it has one drain and one return, what i would do since the tank isnt being customed is use both the return and the drain for drains into your sump then return your water over the top so that you can use a bigger pump size for your return and maximize flow and turnover accordingly.. OR if you are getting a custom tank then tell them you want 2, 2 inch drains which would give you 2400 GPH which you can then pump back up ata round that rate.. i beleive my math is correct, if you dont get this ic an go furthe rinto detail
hey CRIM,, i see we are both working hard at our jobs right now

 

[mike22cha]

Well the tank is not reef ready, I'll asked about it being drilled for the sump. Do I hook up pvc pipe to guide the water to the sump? The sump is going to be under the stand.