New setup filtration question

[Lonesomme]

I have been reading about sumps and filtration methods and I think I am making this harder than it needs to be. I am building a 65gal reef with a 20 gallon sump. I am confused about filtration. I am going to put the skimmer, thermometer, heater and return pump in the sump. I am going to add apprx. 80lbs of live rock and a little more than 1lb per gallon live sand. I am confused about mechanical and chemical filtration, I have read to remove the filter sock from the overflow and some people dont use the sponge between the skimmer and the return pump. So what do you do to get floaties out of the aquarium? Do you use carbon in the sump? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
TF

[tmz]

I use carbon in the sump and in an old canister filter without sponges or biomedia. I let the floaties float and feed the system or be removed by the skimmer. During heavy cleaning I use a sock.

You can use any mechanincal filtration you choose as long as you keep it very clean. ( at lest once a week)What it traps won't go to the skimmer and will breakdown producing nutrients untill you remove it.
I don't ,personally think you need all of that live sand. Bare bottom tanks with adequate rock work quite well. I prefer a beach but use only an inch or two of fine sand for aesthetics. I rely on the rock for denitrification.
If you choose a deep sand bed approach it needs to be at least 4 inches deep.Do not use crushed coral but coral sand. It doesn't all need to be the more expensive live sand. The rock alone will probalby seed any reef safe dry sand you choose to use or you can seed it with a small amount ( perhaps 10% of live sand) .

Good luck

[Lonesomme]

Thank you very much for your reply, I have kept FOWLR tanks in the past but I never had a sump everything was hang on. Now I would like to have a small reef and I want to make sure I get as close to right the first time as I can. I think I will go with an inch or two of CaribSea Aragamax Select sand on the bottom and let the rock take care of it. I like the idea of using the canister filter with only media, I think I will give that a try.

Thanks again,
Tony

[Sk8r]

If you have softies or lps, they don't mind floaties.
If you have sps [not what I'd recommend for a first reef] you want the water cleaner than that and a sock does help.

My feelings about socks are similar to those re sponges: ultimately they collect crud, as they're designed to do, and unless changed and cleaned fanatically, where there's crud, they're going to have nitrate piling up---not as much as a filter, but they're still choke-points for undigested crud. The problem additionally, if you run a fuge, you're killing a lot of pods. I prefer them to go to my fish. [They can cycle through the whole system, impellers and all; and if they stop at a filter sock or sponge, they're lost. I've paid for bottled pods, and I am incredibly cheap, in that regard.

They are good to have on hand if you need them temporarily need a cleanup due to disaster. If you own a cannister, a 1-micron filter cartridge, kept in its package, is a good thing to have on hand for emergencies.

[tmz]

Re sand . there is an agramix sand refferred to a sugar grain. This works great for shallow beds and looks great too. Check Foster and Smith's that's where I got mine.

[Lonesomme]

Thank you both for the input. I am going to start putting everything together tommorrow night. I have all the equipment except for the protien skimmer, I just cant make up my mind which one I want to invest in.

Thanks
Tony

[tmz]

I use an ASM skimmer and I am happy with it.

[Cope]

Get the largest skimmer you can afford
JMO

[Lonesomme]

TMZ I have been reading a little about these skimmers since your recomdation, they look pretty easy to use. I guess you just put it in the sump turn it on and make nasty. How hard are they to get adjusted? I am also thinking about purchasing two of the Phosban Reactor 150's, one for phosphate and one for carbon. Any thoughts on that.

Thanks
Tony

[Lonesomme]

By the way I was thinking about getting the ASM G-1 or the ASM G-1X, or maybe the 1X is over kill.

Tony

[Lonesomme]

Or maybe even the ASM G-2, I think I will have room. Is there usch thing as to much skimmer?

[tmz]

To answer your queustions.
Size and adjustment. I use an Asm 4x on a 500g system. I believe it's at the top of what it is rated for and it covers it well. Just put it in the sump and plug it in. There is a sliding exit pipe which you pull up or push down to regulate water hieght in the skimmer for wet or dry tune ups which is easy to use.

Overskimming. There have been discussions on this in earlier threads. If you are keeping fish with your corals you are likely meeting their needs for nutrients such as nitrate and phosphorous through food and fish waste. Some corls like and may need "dirtier " water than others to supplement photosynthesis, SPS need very low nutrient water while xenia,balstomossa and others seem to do better when their is more dissoved organic material present.

Phosban reactors. I have no experience with these. I've heard positives about them from others. I use an old fluval canister filter in a closed loop to meet these needs.

[Lonesomme]

Thank you for your time and input.

Tony