Best method for switching to sump/fuge

[Crash]

I am running a Marineland 360 cannister filter for my 60 gal tank. I have 2-2.5 inch fine live sand substrate with about 32 lbs of live rock currently in the tank. I Just built a huge side cabinet to hold: 2x 20gal tall, 10 gal spare (not sure how to use this yet), and a 30 gallon additional display tank(for seahorses, anemone maybe?).

I guess my original question was how to best switch to a sump/fuge system without breaking my current bio filters by removing a established media and introducing a non-established set up. Not to mention I have about 8lbs of new live rock and 20lbs of live sand to introduce to the system as well. lol so confused with all the mixed information I get, so any clarity would be much appreciated

 

[uh.oh...]

Are you planning on plumbing everything together?

 

[Crash]

yeah I am, I ran a mock set up with the sump connected to 10 gal to test everything out and take this chance to throw the live rock in to start the cycling for the initial die off

 

[Crash]

so everything has been running good for a hour now, no leaks on the overflow and the pump is nice and powerful After I drain the water on the mock set up and remove the live rock Ill move everything intoplace and make any final pvc welds for a custom fit. Just not sure If i Should leave any substrate i buy and live rock running in the mock set up before I make the final water change and connect it to my main display tank

 

[uh.oh...]

Its a thoughy. On one hand a substantial addition of water volume to the main display could be a good thing, but remember that the new set up isn't cycled, so you might cause an algae bloom in the display. I'd imagine that the new set up would cycle faster if connected to an already established tank. Whatever you decide my advice is go slow, probably connect a ball valve to the line attached to the established tank and limit the flow between them for a few weeks.

 

[Rutrag]

I really don't think you'll have any isssues since it sounds like you have an established tank already with sand and live rock. You'll basically just be adding volume when you plumb everythting together. the only caveat would be if you added a bunch of unseasoned rock that experienced die off in the established system. The safest route would be to leave the canister up and running for a few weeks in addition to your sump and then take the canister offline, but that may not even be necessary.

As an aside, if you don't have a quarantine tank already, use one of those other tanks as one. It will need to be segregated from the rest of the system. If you ever have an ich or velvet outbreak in an established tank because of a new introduction to your display, you'll be kicking yourself for not quarantining.

Also, I would not do anemones and seahorses together. I'd be afraid they seahorses would end up trying to hang on to the anemne nad regretting it. Some photosynthetic gorgonians would be nice with them though.

 

[Crash]

Thanks for all the input BTW I meant either a seahorse tank or a nem tank in which i cnould split them, ect. I ran into a snag though... Even though the 8-10lbs i designated to the sump is readining low levels of amonia, i bought it from a lfs, but i am unsure as to cycle the rock completly before switching to the sump as a main filtration source

 

[uh.oh...]

I would cycle fully in your shoes

 

[Dav3]

Since you aren't adding any bio load then plumb the 60 with the sump but cycle the new 30 separately. You can run the canister for maybe two weeks after connecting the sump to the 60 and then remove it. You can then plumb in the 30 once it's cycling is complete.

 

[Crash]

well the only reason im switching so fast is because my livestock is slowly dying! ah, i just woke up to my fire shrimp being eating by a pom pom crab. I have lost 2 fish, 1 sally crab, 2 snails and now the shrimp. Thats big $$$ i have flushed in the past week. Im not sure what is doing these guys in... I assumed my filter was insufficient. I'm not too sure anymore, all my amonia, nitrite and nitrate levels read zero. Do you think they are being done in by another fish or maybe the lemon drop BTA i have in there? Im looking for anything that might point to the cause of death. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for? I have had brown algae show up on the live sand in the past couple days as well. Something that might point to high nitrates my testing kit isnt showing? corals I have are flourishing, not sure anymore...

 

[Dav3]

How often do you clean the canister filter?

 

[uh.oh...]

And how old are your test kits? Think it's possible they've gone bad?

 

[Crash]

I have been cleaning the mechanical filter in the canister once a week, I have cleaned the 2 bio filter compartments once a month to keep the colony intact. I also replace the carbon once a month as well. As for the test kits.. I bought them 3 weeks ago, i assume they are still good. Update: 2 more invertabrates died, a blue leg hermit, and a zebra hermit. So far the death toll is: 6 invertabrates and 2 fish. My guess is high nitrates as invertabrates are more sensitive to it and the sudden brown algae bloom?

 

[Dav3]

Have you tested phosphates? In either case if you are experiencing algae bloom then they are high and being consumed by the algae causing them to not register or register very low. Are you sure the inverts aren't being killed by other inverts?

 

[Dav3]

And are you running a protein skimmer?

 

[Crash]

I am running a protein skimmer in the sump. Also i'm not sure which other inerts would be doing them in? I'm finding the bodies uneaten, the sally Lightfoot and the cleaner shrimp were my biggest inverts besides the bta. They were just dead one morning, the night before when I went to bed everyone was acting healthy and normal. The only inverts I have left now are some various snails, blue and red leg hermits, zebra hermits, and 3 pom pom crabs.

Also when I found some hermit crabs dead, they were without shell and still intact. Which the hermit crabs more than likely were done in by other hermits for their shells, but who knows?

 

[Crash]

After doing some more digging up on the current tank inhabbitants... I read that my dottyback may be killing them or any new addition to my tank(confirmed after watching him ram 3 different fish within the 15min of me watching him
). When I first got him about 3 months ago, he was a good tank mate. Just recently started showing aggression. So after some effort I caught this guy and put him in the sump for now. Until I can decide on what to do with him. Put him in the 125 gal? buy a seperate 20gal tank just for him? let him live in the fuge section of the sump forever? take him back to the lfs? ahhh so many choices

 

[Ingy]

Or post him on Craigslist in exchange for some good corals or something.

 

[Crash]

Or post him on Craigslist in exchange for some good corals or something.

Million dollar idea! Thanks, I don't know why I never think to post on there. Took your advice and posted a ad asking for trades or a money offer. If no-one is interested in the next week, I guess I will just buy a 20gal just for him (and maybe the damsel). I feel too bad leaving him in my 20gal sump, especially since the fuge section is smaller than normal. Not his fault that aggression is in his nature

Thats what I get for getting my livestock care facts from the employee at the LFS playing his Nintendo