New Tank

AGM1 · 09/02/2009, 09:33 AM

Hi,

I have been a freshwater hobbyist for a very long time, but would like to make the jump to saltwater now. Currently I have a 125 gallon tank that I would like to convert.

It has a built-in wet/dry filter that occupies that occupies nearly the entire back wall. Water overflows to the chamber, then go through three different chambers. The first has heaters, the second has mechanical and bioballs, and the last has the return pump.

I want to keep fish and soft corals, so what modifications would I need to do to the filtration?
I believe I have three options, but personally I prefer the first. I would like to know which is the best though. (all of these options assume LR is added to the tank)

1) Add a hang on skimmer to the 1st chamber, seaweed to the 3rd. Add a nitrate reductor

2) drill a hole in the last chamber, add a sump

3) use a hang on overflow, add a sump.

My tank has high nitrates as a freshwater tank, and I know that it will cause more problems as a saltwater tank. However, by adding seaweed, and more importantly a nitrate reductor, my system would grow bacteria in a high oxygen envornomnet to breakdown ammonia and nitrite, then use the nitrate reductor envirnoment to grow bacteria that would breakdown nitrate to nitrogen.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be thorough with my description. Thank you

firstsalt · 09/02/2009, 09:47 AM

sounds good i gonna tag along

Sugar Magnolia · 09/02/2009, 10:30 AM

That sounds good. If you haven't already done so, read through here - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1031074

Two things that come to mind for me is...has the tank ever been treated with copper while it was running fresh? And...the bioballs will not be needed and are actually detrimental in a reef tank. Your LR acts as your biological filtration breaking down the nitrogen cycle naturally. Bioballs also tend to trap alot of detritus which causes high nitrates.

To Reef Central

RealReef7 · 09/02/2009, 10:45 AM

If it were me I would go FOWLR for a year then slowly move into softys until you get the hang of it. A FOWLR is alot easier too maintain and alot more forgiving.

droberts · 09/02/2009, 11:44 AM

you will need a protein skimmer also

arredondojason · 09/02/2009, 11:51 AM

if your looking at a hang-on skimmer i would recommend the aquac urchin pro i have heard nothing but good things about them.

Sugar Magnolia · 09/02/2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by arredondojason
if your looking at a hang-on skimmer i would recommend the aquac urchin pro i have heard nothing but good things about them.

You mean Aqua C Remora Pro. The urchin line are in-sump skimmers.

arredondojason · 09/02/2009, 01:14 PM

ya my bad i am deployed to afganistan so give me a break

AGM1 · 09/02/2009, 01:32 PM

Thanks for all the advice. So just to be clear, it is ok to have a fish and soft coral tank without a sump?

Also, what kind of bacteria grow on Live Rock vs Bio Balls?

Ideally I would want anerobic and aerobic, so im just wondering what each media grows.

In the wet/dry filter chamber, which media would I want?

Thanks

AGM1 · 09/02/2009, 01:35 PM

Oh and to clarify, each of those options mentioned in the OP were either/or, so I would only do one of them. And as mentioned before, I would like to do the first option mentioned as I dont have to do any expensive/damaging modifications to the tank. thnx

wooden_reefer · 09/02/2009, 01:36 PM

The wet-dry system is highly aroebic so as such denitrification is highly supressed. If a system does not also have other less aerobic sites for denifrification, nitrate is going to be high.

Wet-dry is the setup of choice in QT where high nitrification per unit volume of medium is needed, and where denitrification is not an objective.

The difference between wet-dry and totally submerged is like lung vs gills. Wet-dry is very efficient in oxygenation, too much so in some situations.

arredondojason · 09/02/2009, 01:59 PM

bio balls are like a nitrate factory and you will have to do water changes more often to keep them in check also if you are going to be keeping softys then you may want to look into getting a few t5 lights for the corals it will bring out more color in the corals.

EnglishRebel · 09/02/2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by arredondojason
ya my bad i am deployed to afganistan so give me a break

Hey -- stay safe man and give those Taliban hell.

AGM1 · 09/02/2009, 10:16 PM

So would bio balls plus a nitrate remover be a good way to go

The bioballs (or LR) in the wet dry would take the ammonia to nitrite, and the nitrate filter (external canister types that i have seen) would break down the nitrate to nitrogen. In theory the two cancel each other out in terms of oxygen use. thnx

PRDubois · 09/02/2009, 10:27 PM

Option 1 will work fine. Look at the Octopus 800 HOB skimmer.
Replace the bio balls with live rock rubble.
Make sure you get a good light. A 6 bulb T5HO will do

judgedread · 09/03/2009, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AGM1
Thanks for all the advice. So just to be clear, it is ok to have a fish and soft coral tank without a sump?

Also, what kind of bacteria grow on Live Rock vs Bio Balls?

Ideally I would want anerobic and aerobic, so im just wondering what each media grows.

In the wet/dry filter chamber, which media would I want?

Thanks

porus live rock is better than bio balls.

09/02/2009, 09:33 AM	#1
AGM1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 141	New Tank Hi, I have been a freshwater hobbyist for a very long time, but would like to make the jump to saltwater now. Currently I have a 125 gallon tank that I would like to convert. It has a built-in wet/dry filter that occupies that occupies nearly the entire back wall. Water overflows to the chamber, then go through three different chambers. The first has heaters, the second has mechanical and bioballs, and the last has the return pump. I want to keep fish and soft corals, so what modifications would I need to do to the filtration? I believe I have three options, but personally I prefer the first. I would like to know which is the best though. (all of these options assume LR is added to the tank) 1) Add a hang on skimmer to the 1st chamber, seaweed to the 3rd. Add a nitrate reductor 2) drill a hole in the last chamber, add a sump 3) use a hang on overflow, add a sump. My tank has high nitrates as a freshwater tank, and I know that it will cause more problems as a saltwater tank. However, by adding seaweed, and more importantly a nitrate reductor, my system would grow bacteria in a high oxygen envornomnet to breakdown ammonia and nitrite, then use the nitrate reductor envirnoment to grow bacteria that would breakdown nitrate to nitrogen. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be thorough with my description. Thank you

09/02/2009, 09:47 AM	#2
firstsalt Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rye, NY Posts: 438	sounds good i gonna tag along __________________ -Peter D. "Fish are friends not food"

09/02/2009, 10:30 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	That sounds good. If you haven't already done so, read through here - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1031074 Two things that come to mind for me is...has the tank ever been treated with copper while it was running fresh? And...the bioballs will not be needed and are actually detrimental in a reef tank. Your LR acts as your biological filtration breaking down the nitrogen cycle naturally. Bioballs also tend to trap alot of detritus which causes high nitrates. *To Reef Central* __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

09/02/2009, 11:44 AM	#5
droberts Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: stow ohio Posts: 1,277	you will need a protein skimmer also __________________ only one who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible Current Tank Info: Quart mason jar

09/02/2009, 10:27 PM	#15
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	Option 1 will work fine. Look at the Octopus 800 HOB skimmer. Replace the bio balls with live rock rubble. Make sure you get a good light. A 6 bulb T5HO will do __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

09/02/2009, 10:45 AM	#4
RealReef7 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: bikini island Posts: 954	If it were me I would go FOWLR for a year then slowly move into softys until you get the hang of it. A FOWLR is alot easier too maintain and alot more forgiving.

09/02/2009, 11:51 AM	#6
arredondojason Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 988	if your looking at a hang-on skimmer i would recommend the aquac urchin pro i have heard nothing but good things about them.

09/02/2009, 01:14 PM	#8
arredondojason Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 988	ya my bad i am deployed to afganistan so give me a break

09/02/2009, 01:32 PM	#9
AGM1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 141	Thanks for all the advice. So just to be clear, it is ok to have a fish and soft coral tank without a sump? Also, what kind of bacteria grow on Live Rock vs Bio Balls? Ideally I would want anerobic and aerobic, so im just wondering what each media grows. In the wet/dry filter chamber, which media would I want? Thanks

09/02/2009, 01:35 PM	#10
AGM1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 141	Oh and to clarify, each of those options mentioned in the OP were either/or, so I would only do one of them. And as mentioned before, I would like to do the first option mentioned as I dont have to do any expensive/damaging modifications to the tank. thnx

09/02/2009, 01:36 PM	#11
wooden_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4,670	The wet-dry system is highly aroebic so as such denitrification is highly supressed. If a system does not also have other less aerobic sites for denifrification, nitrate is going to be high. Wet-dry is the setup of choice in QT where high nitrification per unit volume of medium is needed, and where denitrification is not an objective. The difference between wet-dry and totally submerged is like lung vs gills. Wet-dry is very efficient in oxygenation, too much so in some situations.

09/02/2009, 01:59 PM	#12
arredondojason Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 988	bio balls are like a nitrate factory and you will have to do water changes more often to keep them in check also if you are going to be keeping softys then you may want to look into getting a few t5 lights for the corals it will bring out more color in the corals.

09/02/2009, 10:16 PM	#14
AGM1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 141	So would bio balls plus a nitrate remover be a good way to go The bioballs (or LR) in the wet dry would take the ammonia to nitrite, and the nitrate filter (external canister types that i have seen) would break down the nitrate to nitrogen. In theory the two cancel each other out in terms of oxygen use. thnx