180 what should i use to filter

[Mrbeachbum2]

Im thinking about getting a 180 gallon tank what should i use a a filter and how many lbs of live rock should i order

[Aqua_expert19]

well id go with a sump with a lot of bio balls and maybe you could turn the sump into a fuge and have a deep sand bed like 6 inches and then you can get any where from 150- 200+ how ever much you want. is it going to be a reef of a fo

[Pete]

Dont bother with the bio-balls, do a search and everything you hear will be negative. Like stated above, sump, fuge, and largest skimmer you can afford.

[Aqua_expert19]

i dont like simmers had bad experience damn things he he ya if you get a nice one its worth it

[Pete]

Like 'em or not, they work.

[sherm71tank]

My last tank I went with the berlin sock style filtration and love it. The socks are reusable ( wash them in your washing machine) and are cheap if you order online. PLEASE get a nice skimmer, save lots of trouble. No bio balls, they just cause nitrates. Rely on your live rock for biological filtration.

[Mrbeachbum2]

maybe a school of blue tangs or yellow tangs , maybe one blue 1 yellow and a sulfin clownfish 2-5, chromis and maybe some anthis and bagi carnil

[teog]

Im also setting up this tank. I would dump the bio balls! I built a 55g sump/ refugium for my old 315g and im doing the same for the 180g.

I used a 55 aga tank, went to HD and bought some acrylic and siliconed 4 baffels in the 55g tank. This allowed for no bubbles and a nice sized area for a refugium. Depending on your return pump will depend if you have to drill a tank or not. I always use Mag pumps so i never had to drill my sump. If you have to drill it make sure the glass is tempered.:eek2:


I also plan on using about 225-250lbs of LR, Ive decided not to do a DSB on this tank but just use my refugium to grow out chaetomorpha. Good luck

[mbort]

No bio balls!

Best option is powerful skimmer+largest fuge you have space for.

Running a 55 g refugium between my 180 main tank and 70 gal sump. Using a DSB + LR in the fuge as extra biological filtration, also growing macroalgae. Have a baffle to keep sand from blowing around, but all water filters through the fuge before reaching the sump.

Also running an Aerofoamer 830.

This combo has made my tank really stable with extremely fast coral growth.

Probably using ~250-275 lbs LR between the main tank and fuge.

[JAH]

Mbort,

What kind of light do you have on the fuge? And does it run opposite the display lights? Also How deep do you keep the water in the fuge, and what kind of flow goes through it (residence time)? Sorry for so many questions, just getting a feel for how to set up one of these systems, planning ahead for next year.

Thanks for any info.

Jodey

[nine9d]

Originally posted by teog
If you have to drill it make sure the glass is tempered.:eek2:
This is a not a good comment. Tempered glass will shatter to pieces. You want to make sure it is not tempered! Not knockin' you teog, just helpin out. Thanks.

[gwrulzmylife]

must be not tempered!

[mbort]

Running a 96W PC 50/50 on the fuge on reverse daylight. Fuge runs in line between my main display tank overflows and my sump .. so all water drains into fuge, and is then siphoned into the sump by two overflow boxes. I have a large baffle in the fuge where the water enters one side of the 55. The baffle keeps the sand, algae, rock, and critters in place (running DSB in fuge for good denitrification .. and will be easy to change out later). The top of the water column moves fairly quickly, but the bottom get some recirculation, hence the water gets cleaned pretty well. Pushing about 900-1000 gph through the system. I get about 4x turnover per hour, but most of my main display tank circulation comes from Tunze 6100 streams. Water fills the fuge to tht top, it is drained with a Lifereef and Amiracle U-tube overflows

Originally posted by JAH
Mbort,

What kind of light do you have on the fuge? And does it run opposite the display lights? Also How deep do you keep the water in the fuge, and what kind of flow goes through it (residence time)? Sorry for so many questions, just getting a feel for how to set up one of these systems, planning ahead for next year.

Thanks for any info.

Jodey

[teog]

This is a not a good comment. Tempered glass will shatter to pieces. You want to make sure it is not tempered! Not knockin' you teog, just helpin out. Thanks.


Your absolutly right!!!! I meant to write NOT tempered....good catch. If you drill tempered glass it will shatter into millions of pieces!