How does this sound

[OceanMist]

in a month or so I should have everything needed to start my cycle on my 85 gallon setup:

- (3' x 2.5' x 18", 10mm) all glass tank (currently freshwater),

- 40kg / 88lbs uncured liverock, + around 20kg base rock

- TMC V2 1500 skimmer ...
http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/v2skim.html

- 750 ltr/hr seachem canister filter with sponge/ceramic rings

- red sea salt

- 150 watt Halide fixture with new bulb

- (4x) 55 watt compact fluorescents

- (1x) 30 watt moon light fluorescent

- playsand (standard, cannot find the aragonite based stuff)

- for movement i'm looking for an external pond pump to avoid PH's.

will this work and is there anything i'm forgetting ?? TIA

 

[melosu58]

Everything looks good. I`m not much of a canister fan. IMO LR and skimmer is all the filtration needs you will need. It`s all I`ve ever had for 9 yrs.

 

[seaham358]

If you use the canister toss the bio material not needed with the rock
pond pump instead of power head?? not sure I follow what you will do with this..

 

[OceanMist]

cool, I only thought I would use the canister because I have it anyway, is it really not needed?
I thought I would use it because the skimmer I have ordered is the best I can afford at the moment and is reccomended for tanks over 300 gallons more than mine but i'm sure it's somewhat over-rated and I can't find any reviews on it so i'm not 100% sure how effective it will be,

I thought using an external pond pump woud be cheaper and look nicer than PH's but looking at the prices of them i've changend my mind and will just go with PH's

... would it be a better idea to scrap the filter and go with a 15 gallon or so refuge with macro's and a DSB ??

thanks for the help

 

[melosu58]

Sounds like a plan to me

 

[OceanMist]

great, and the refuge idea will work ??

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

refugiums are always a good idea. btw, as far as pumps you want to check the head volume. it will greatly decide on which one to go for. ( a pump thats rated 400 gph might only have a head that goes 2-3 ft, if you need it to go 5 ft that might make it only perform 2-300 gph)

 

[melosu58]

Any time you have a sump or refuge it will always enhance your tank because of the added water volume. If you have macro it will lower nitrates and other excess nutrients.