Wet/dry Filter Or Refugium/sump

tapwater · 07/03/2008, 10:25 AM

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?WHICH IS BETTER?WHY?

I WANT TO RUN MY 55 GAL WITH SOME FISH AND SOME CORALS JUST TO MAKE IT LOOK DESCENT.I DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWWEN LPS AND SPS WITH THEIR NEEDED PRIAMETERS OR ANYTHING.

DOES SAND BEDS HOLD NITRATES?SOMEONE TOLD ME TO VACUUM THE SAND BUT DON'T PICK THE SAND UP THIS SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE TO ME?

ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
THANKS LOU

Sk8r · 07/03/2008, 10:44 AM

Oh, boy, you've been getting some really iffy advice.
first, get 40 more pounds of live rock. Or get base rock and put your live rock atop it, and wait a couple months for your tank to cycle.
I'm hoping your sand is aragonite: you need 55 pounds total, plain aragonite is great for the purpose; so are some others. Crushed coral is a future problem, because it WILL collect detritus.
We can walk you through this---don't panic.

Your tank size is great for what you want to keep. You won't need a filter: you will need circulation pump(s). About a Mag 9.5 will serve a 55 gallon tank quite well. I take it the tank does not have a sump and is not drilled for one: that can be fixed. You can use a Hang On Back (HOB) downflow to a sump, where your return pump (circulation) will be, plus a skimmer---
Very first step, go to the top of this lNEW TO THE HOBBY board and read the files marked with * (meaning sticky-file: permanent file). They're long, but they're condensed info of every sort about how to set up a tank, what your options are, what you can keep and how to take care of it. You'll come back from that with a thousand questions, but people here will be happy to answer them.

D to the P · 07/03/2008, 11:58 AM

Hey Lou,
There is a lot of info on RC. Take your time and check out the threads that were mentioned above. I cannot stress the TAKE YOUR TIME part enough. If you rush this tank, you will probably
1. Waste money
2. run into many problems
3. kill some animals
4. become very frustrated.
So, we need to tap into one of the hardest virtues to follow, Patience. We all know how exciting it is to start up a tank, you can't wait to get fish in there and get the whole thing going. These are very hard urges to fight, but it is necessary that if you start having an "I just want to add something to the tank" episode, that you go sit down, take a few deep breaths, and remember that you are bigger than this.

A sump with a refugium is definitely the way to go. The sump and refugium should be as big as you can afford, and fit into where ever you are putting it (which is usually under the tank in the stand).
One thing I would really recommend for you is buying at least one book: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M Fenner
It will cover just about all questions that beginners usually have, you don't need to be a chemist or Rhode scholar to understand it, and it has nice tables in it that you can reference later on. (parameters)
Otherwise I would recommend looking into getting these books as well:
Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-to-know Aquarium Species by Scott Micheal
Marine Inverts: by the same author

Corals by Eric Borneman, or the one by Julian Sprung

http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-...5107607&sr=8-3
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-G...5107529&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-G...5107529&sr=8-2
http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movie...ric%20Borneman
http://www.amazon.com/Corals-Quick-R...5107650&sr=1-1
respectively

These books could be one of the most important pieces of equipment that you get. Knowledge will help keep you from making common mistakes, and will help guide you through things you've never planed for. Of course we will be here to help, but sometimes you need quick answers, especially if you are about to buy a new animal for the aquarium.
Good luck,
Jeff

tapwater · 07/03/2008, 08:33 PM

thank you guys for answering. I had this tank for ten months now and I just jumped in like you said and didn't study the hobby first my fault. But I do have some troopers swimming around in there that are 3 damsels and a clown.I am going to ease back and just read what I can on this hobby like you guys suggested.The only problem I have w/ a sump is I only have 10" under my stand.Thats why I have been running 2 hang on filters.But before I address that I have research to do.I really appreciate you guys stepping up for me.
thanks
LOU

D to the P · 07/03/2008, 09:58 PM

No problem Lou. We'll always be here to help.

07/03/2008, 10:25 AM	#1
tapwater Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: delaware Posts: 113	Wet/dry Filter Or Refugium/sump WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?WHICH IS BETTER?WHY? I WANT TO RUN MY 55 GAL WITH SOME FISH AND SOME CORALS JUST TO MAKE IT LOOK DESCENT.I DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWWEN LPS AND SPS WITH THEIR NEEDED PRIAMETERS OR ANYTHING. DOES SAND BEDS HOLD NITRATES?SOMEONE TOLD ME TO VACUUM THE SAND BUT DON'T PICK THE SAND UP THIS SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE TO ME? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS LOU

07/03/2008, 10:44 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Oh, boy, you've been getting some really iffy advice. first, get 40 more pounds of live rock. Or get base rock and put your live rock atop it, and wait a couple months for your tank to cycle. I'm hoping your sand is aragonite: you need 55 pounds total, plain aragonite is great for the purpose; so are some others. Crushed coral is a future problem, because it WILL collect detritus. We can walk you through this---don't panic. Your tank size is great for what you want to keep. You won't need a filter: you will need circulation pump(s). About a Mag 9.5 will serve a 55 gallon tank quite well. I take it the tank does not have a sump and is not drilled for one: that can be fixed. You can use a Hang On Back (HOB) downflow to a sump, where your return pump (circulation) will be, plus a skimmer--- Very first step, go to the top of this lNEW TO THE HOBBY board and read the files marked with * (meaning sticky-file: permanent file). They're long, but they're condensed info of every sort about how to set up a tank, what your options are, what you can keep and how to take care of it. You'll come back from that with a thousand questions, but people here will be happy to answer them. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/03/2008, 11:58 AM	#3
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	Hey Lou, There is a lot of info on RC. Take your time and check out the threads that were mentioned above. I cannot stress the TAKE YOUR TIME part enough. If you rush this tank, you will probably 1. Waste money 2. run into many problems 3. kill some animals 4. become very frustrated. So, we need to tap into one of the hardest virtues to follow, Patience. We all know how exciting it is to start up a tank, you can't wait to get fish in there and get the whole thing going. These are very hard urges to fight, but it is necessary that if you start having an "I just want to add something to the tank" episode, that you go sit down, take a few deep breaths, and remember that you are bigger than this. A sump with a refugium is definitely the way to go. The sump and refugium should be as big as you can afford, and fit into where ever you are putting it (which is usually under the tank in the stand). One thing I would really recommend for you is buying at least one book: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert M Fenner It will cover just about all questions that beginners usually have, you don't need to be a chemist or Rhode scholar to understand it, and it has nice tables in it that you can reference later on. (parameters) Otherwise I would recommend looking into getting these books as well: Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-to-know Aquarium Species by Scott Micheal Marine Inverts: by the same author Corals by Eric Borneman, or the one by Julian Sprung http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-...5107607&sr=8-3 http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-G...5107529&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-G...5107529&sr=8-2 http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movie...ric%20Borneman http://www.amazon.com/Corals-Quick-R...5107650&sr=1-1 respectively These books could be one of the most important pieces of equipment that you get. Knowledge will help keep you from making common mistakes, and will help guide you through things you've never planed for. Of course we will be here to help, but sometimes you need quick answers, especially if you are about to buy a new animal for the aquarium. Good luck, Jeff __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

07/03/2008, 09:58 PM	#5
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	No problem Lou. We'll always be here to help. __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

07/03/2008, 08:33 PM	#4
tapwater Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: delaware Posts: 113	thank you guys for answering. I had this tank for ten months now and I just jumped in like you said and didn't study the hobby first my fault. But I do have some troopers swimming around in there that are 3 damsels and a clown.I am going to ease back and just read what I can on this hobby like you guys suggested.The only problem I have w/ a sump is I only have 10" under my stand.Thats why I have been running 2 hang on filters.But before I address that I have research to do.I really appreciate you guys stepping up for me. thanks LOU