is this ok for filtration???????????

[rainingshots]

hi all,
after about 2 months of reading and planning, I ordered a 65 gallon tank drilled with stand and overflow because it fit my budget well. I just ordered a Euroreef skimmer and a Mag 9.5 pump for my return. I am thinking of getting a simple tank as my sump about 15-20 gallons. The water will come down from the tank adn be skimmed, heated and returned back up. In the tank I plan on putting in a large amount of live rock (not all at once becuase it costs way too much to buy all at once) for biological filtering. Once in a while I heard it is good to through in some activated carbon in the sump. I also heard about this micron felt bag that is attached to the hose where the water comes from the tank to catch any large pieces, is this a good product or will this also contribute to the nitrate like th bio balls and bio wheels?
So is this method good, ok or bad and should I use any thing before the water is skimmed in the sump?
thanks

[Reeftropicals]

Your intended filtration methods look good to me. Just remember not to stock your tank to quickly with fish and corals as the nitrifying bacteria need a few weeks after ech addition to populate and stabilize.

Use a minimum of 1# per gallon of live rock and you should be just fine.

[rainingshots]

thanks, any other suggestions?

[drock59]

i think that you will not have any problem with the filter sock as long as you clean it on a regular basis. Also, make sure you get/have a good skimmer. i am getting a Euro Reef 8-1 for mine after wasting hundreds on crappy cheap skimmers. The carbon every once in a while is a good thing IMO. This setup sounds pretty good to me and you seem to have done a good job researching! If i were you i would think of making part of your sump a refugium to help export excess nutrients and to harbor good little critter. Just my two cents

[rainingshots]

thanks so much for the information.
The skimmer I am planning ot get is a Euroreef ES5-3 and due to so many people having bad experiences with cheap skimmers this is what I am deciding on. I a planning on just using a regular tank as my sump, How can I get the inlet line from the tank connected to it? also where would I be able to find the filter sock and how can I attach it to the tank? how would I be able to incorporate a little refugium?
thanks again

[drock59]

http://marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=BSAMK

http://marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=BS1123

Sounds like you need an overflow box and a return pump. you can look at www.marinedepot.com for both.
to incorperate the little refugium you will need to get a peice of glass and glue it into the tank to create a small refugium. its not hard at all.

[rainingshots]

thats perfect, thanks.

For the return pump I'm thinking of a MAG-DRIVE 9.5 because there is about 4 feet of height it will owrk out to about 700 GPH (is this ok?). The tank has an overflow and I got it drilled so I don't need an external overflow. It is a 65 gallon tank, so for lighting I am thinking of ordereing this VHO retro fixture to mount to my canopy, it has 4 lights each 95 watts, I think this is more then enough lighting. Any suggestions on lighting?
thanks

[Fishtale7]

What size is the bulk head? I have an overflow with 1" BH and is rated a 700 gph, return pump is Mag 9.5 . Had to use ball valve on return line because pump was to powerful. I guess it is better to have to powereful than not powerful enough.

[rainingshots]

yeah I guess, but the line I think is 1 1/4 i think its ok.

[steve68]

u can allways use both holes as drains im asuming u got 2 holes in ur overflow & come up the back with a SCWD to have some nice flow u should be fine with that pump but it does create heat
i have been useing mag drives for a long time but if u run a fan on
ur sump u will be ok in the hot weather
if u want to keep softies & some LPS u should be fine with that light u can even grow some SPS with that light some not alot :)

[rainingshots]

yeah I got 2 holes from the overflow but I don't wanna do too much I think i will just keep them as inlet and return. for the VHO retro if the back of my canopy is open is that good enough to let out heat or should I put some fans? I also have a glass top to keep water from splashing.
thanks

[steve68]

u can leave the back open but i think u should have 2 fans blowing out the back it helps as for the glass cover i would leave it open so u dont have heat issues u can use egg crate if u like there wont be much water splasing in the tank i have 3 250 w MH & 2 70 inch VHO super atinics with no glass top & it's fine. :)