Too much filtration?

snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I personally think that bioballs are completely unnecessary in a reef tank that has enough live rock and a decent flow rate.
14 foot is GREAT! Two pumps are not needed. Look into getting your 150g drilled for an external pump. External pumps are much better at pushing water up long verticle pipes. A Mag 24 or 36 may also be a good alternative if you don't want to go with an external pump. (a mag 24 or 36 I think can also operate as an external pump.)
A bubble trap, though, is a nice idea. You could use the bubble trap to run some chemical filtration media like some carbon and GFO pillows and some filter floss to chemically and mechanically filter your water before it even gets to your sump. That's how I would do it.
 
J

jstone

Guest
Thanks for all of your input. Im really just dreaming right now but I want to make sure Im not being unrealistic. Anything else come to mind that Im overlooking?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I thought you may find this diagram helpful. I just did it up in paint. I'm not good on all this updated technology with google sketch and what-not like everyone else is. lol

You'll need a water line in your basement... or access to one. You'll need an RO Unit and a couple of containers for water storage and saltwater mixing. You will want to mix your saltwater in your basement and pump it to your tank instead of carrying water down to your basement for water changes. It makes it all much easier. Also, you'll find that having a sink in your fish room is absolutely invaluable. Most people have a sink installed and then install the RO Unit and water storage off of the waterline for the sink. Sinks need drains too - so it is really convenient to pump saltwater out of your tank into the drain and then fill the tank/sump back up with freshly mixed saltwater from your water storage/mixing container. I included a mirror in the fish room because you never know if something happens you may need a mirror. The medicine cabinet behind the mirror... (I would use) I would keep medicines and vitamins and extra little things that I don't want to get lost. Another thing that many people do is have a quarantine aquarium in their basement as well. So, maybe that is something to consider adding in one of the storage places. I included an algae scrubber and a skimmer on the same system, because, like you, I also believe in overfiltration.
The electrical panel is mounted on plywood above all the water lines etc. and hosts all your electrical equipment ... monitors, controllers, and powerstrips/plugins. Your CA reactor pump can be mounted inside your sump, pretty much anywhere, as well as any other pumps that you need to run. The two un-named canisters that are mounted on the wall as well are your basic GFO and Carbon reactors.
Depending on how hot it gets in your basement certain times of the year, you may have to think about some kind of ventilation system to keep moisture from building up too much. Or I guess you could consider a dehumidifier. Either way, you need to consider moisture build up. What a lot of people do is build a room in their basement and then completely finishes that part of the basement and put down a moisture barrier, etc. etc. to prevent moisture from becoming a problem to their wood/foundations.
 
J

jstone

Guest
Thanks again. I had thought of some of what you mentioned. My sump will be located near my laundry room. In there I have a sink, and plenty of room for two barrels of water as well as my RO/DI unit. Its still concrete so clean up will be easy. That is also near where the water lines enter the house. And I had thought of a QT. How big? And I had read somewhere that these have no sand? Can you explain their setup a little? Can you explain what and how an algae scrubber does?
 
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