S.O.S. sump pump aquarium design HELP !!!!!!!!! Please !!!!

[fabyspanish]

Hi !!

I'm a newbieeeee in saltwater tank. I need your input on what I am about to do. Until now, I see many threads that said wet/dry is bad and it is a nitrate factory. Thanks for any input.
I updated a picture of whatI ampplanning to do, any aadvicewwill beaappreciated
My aquarium is only fish.

 

[fabyspanish]

That's the design I came out after seeing other sump designs on the internet, I don't know if I am doing the right thing but hope you guys can give me some advice on my design. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
I only keep fish.

 

[tthemadd1]

A few questions. Why the ammonia remover? Also personally I would pu the protein skimmer near the input end and not in the output chamber.
Leave a space on the input hose section for some filter floss. I say drop the ammonia remover. Leave the skimmer in the center and nothing on your return section. You can alway add somethig later if needed.

 

[fabyspanish]

I have some ammonia remover at home and I was thinking to use it, no any special reason.
How about the bio-balls ? Should I leave it ? Isn't it a nitrate factory ? Is it okay for my fish tank ?
Do you think my design is good ?
Thanks.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I would put the output pipe directly into a filter sock and keep it cleaned often. I'd also put the skimmer in the first section of the chamber, and the first baffle would be 1" above the bottom, and the second baffle another inch away, siliconed to the bottom of the tank. The middle chamber would be a refugium and the last chamber would be a return pump chamber - that would hold any additional equipment, like phosphate reactors, biopellet reactors, auto top off systems, probes etc.

 

[saxman]

If you're going to run LR in your DT, the bioballs can go. Running a FOWLR is a much better solution, IMHO/IME...at one point, we were running 14 FOWLR setups. We also love to use live macro algae, which helps a lot with water quality, as well as adding motion, and giving a more natural feel for the fishes.

 

[beaslbob]

I would replace the bioballs, zeolite and ceramic stuff with macro algaes like chaetomorphia.

change the two left sections to one by removing the middle baffle.

get rid of the skimmer.

raise the height of the remaining baffle so the left side runs say an inch or two from the top.

and use a plastic storage container for the sump/refugium.

even better use a large storage container for the refugium and a smaller one for the sump.

But that's just my .02