Too Much Filtration Possible?

[txreefer]

Okay, I am not really a newbie, but since I have been deployed to Afghanistan in support of OEF, my wife has had problems with my tank and disassembled it. Therefore, when I get back (hopefully real soon) I will be starting over.
The main thing I want to redo is my filtration setup. I have read numerous threads here and articles on the web about filtration possibilites, but I am still not sure (I do know that what I had didn't work well for me).
Here is what I want to do - is all of this needed, or is it to much?
75 gallon tank - i have this already
4" DSB with SD sand - have already
40 - 50 lbs LR - will buy
Overflow
Wet/dry trickle with bioballs, sump and refugium
Skimmer
Denitrator
For the inhabitants I want a few corals, few fish, and some inverts
(my kids want a "Nemo" tank).
I am wanting to try and make this tank as easy as possible so that if(when) I am deployed again my wife will not have the same problems.
Any help on this would be greatly apprecieated.

 

[aarone]

sounds like a good setup. If you want the best possible bio filtration i would suggest double your tank size in lr#'s. Also what is a de-nitrator?
aaron

 

[searcher]

txreefer,
If you want to keep it simple don't bother with the bio-balls or the denitrator. The dsb and refugium should be able to handle the nitrates. Adding more live rock would make up for any loss in biological filtration from not using bioballs. Bioballs work well but they require more maintenance than simple live rock.
Of course if you're already using bio-balls then you need to be careful about removing them.
If you want to go real simple and low maintenance, skip the refugium and protein skimmer. Then understock your aquarium. That is, go way below the recommeded amount of fish for your size tank. Without the protein skimmer, you really have to be diligent about water changes though.

 

[txreefer]

From what I can tell, a denitrator is a device that forces water through a filter media to remove excess nitrates. I think it works on the same principle as the wet/dry. I may rethink the denitrator though.

 

[sebae0]

definately do not count out the protein skimmer, but remove bioballs and let the dsb and liverock do the filtration for you. its a simple as it gets, keep good circulation and keep the sump and refuge and i think your tank will be fine. hth

 

[dreeves]

Keep your bio-balls...scrap the denitrator...increase your DSB to about 5.5-6 inches...ensure you have adequate flow in the tank...add macro algeas to your refuge...
Stay safe while there....

 

[txreefer]

bump

 

[txreefer]

bump

 

[jlem]

With 75-100 lbs of live rock, a skimmer and moderate stocking level you could skip the DSB and go with a nice looking 1-2 inch sand bed. I don't really like the DSB look because it takes up so much space in the tank and unless your tank is heavily fed or stocked I don't think that a DSB really benifits the system immensly. The bioballs are not going to hurt anything as long as you use a prefilter and the refugium will negate the need for a DSB. The refugium will also let you run carbon which I feel is beneficial during the first few months to help keep the water quality up until the system matures a good amount. I think that your setup is great minus the DSB and denitrater.

 

[dburr]

Well you got alot of opionions.
What would be easy for your wife? Thats what we need to know.
Can she do daily maintiance? Top off, check pumps, remove macro from the refuge, ect...
Simple easy stuff to me would be,
DSB, lots of LR and understocked. Also a good flow rate. A FO system. You could aways put in some shrooms.
All she would have to do is feed and top off.
A couple colorful small fish in a 75 gallon would not need a protein skimmer,IMO, and your wife and kids would enjoy the tank.
Good luck, Dan

 

[jlem]

If you understock your tank which I highly recommend then the DSB will serve no real purpose besides taking up space. Live rock though not as effective will reduce your nitrates with a small bioload. In my 125 gallon I have a Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Clown fish, and Yellow Tail Damsel. I have only a light dusting of Sand with about 100lbs of live rock. I have a Seaclone 150 and I show no detectab;e readings of Nitrates of anything else. I have deployed with the3 military for 3 months at a time numerous times and my wife has had no problems with the tank. She doews Biweekly 10 gallon water changes and buffeers the tank 3 times a week when she tops the tank off. I have no sump or other external filtration besides the Seaclone. If you do a search I have picts posted somewhere on the board of my reef.