filteration

[SpEeDhOrN]

im going to combine an external power filter with a home made wet/dry sump filter. what power filter would you recomment and would it be better to run it with or without the wet/dry filter ? im running a nano tank its 35 uk gal. Fish only with no live rock what would you recommend ?

 

[ste2k3]

I would recamend a large eheim professional filled with efisubstrat or bio blox from kent and a small eheim canister with floss carbon and phosphate remover. you will not need live rock or a trickle filter with this. what you will need is a good skimmer such as the aquamedic biostar flotter which has a pinwheel skimmer and a biowheel built in. or you could go for a deltec mc500.

ste

 

[bgraber]

That config sounds pretty solid Ste.. That what you are using?

 

[ste2k3]

I use a sump with a bio bed in it and a large deltec skimmer ap600. also I use a fluidised rowaphos reactor to remove phosphate. the whole tank volume is pushed through the bio bed in the sump about 18 times an hour. with this combination, there is no algae whars so ever. I also have about 50 hawian hermits , a couple of blue legged hermist, one blue nuckle hermit, 2 sand sifting conches and one red brittle star to clean up. the tank only has 3 fish in so theres very little mess. I have alsdo just added a refugium to remove some nitrates and balance the pH. I recamend this system but it is quite loud because of the large sump pumps and the floew of water. most people can't have this type of system for that reason so the two externals is the next best way. anything over 100 gallon realy is best run using a sump as you just can't get the turnover with externals but for smaller tanks, there fine.

P.S. I left the tank for about 8 weeks with no light and just live rock to mature, then about 2 weeks with just hermits and no light and ten over the next 2 weeks brought the light up to 120 hours a day gradually.

ste

 

[SpEeDhOrN]

well iv never had a marine tank before so what would you recommend for a beginner. also would my tank be better if i ran all my equipment form a sump tank rather than putting it all into my actual tank ?

 

[ste2k3]

It all depends how complicated you want to go. Yes, a sump is much better but externals will work well. its up to you. also, it looks neater if you have a sump as you don't see any equipment.

ste

 

[Hazmat]

and one red brittle star to clean up.

Hey ste2k3 Do you have any pic's of your brittle star??? I just got one last week but mine is a dark green. Actually, do you have any pic's of you tank in general? It sounds like you got a nice setup and I'd like to take a look at it.