Newbie.... Help!!!!

[ff.rice]

Hello all, I am getting ready to start up a 30 gallon salt water tank..... I'm new to salt water so I had a few questions.... I bought the whole set up from somebody, it has a 10 gallon sump tank..... The first question I had is; is there some kind of filter that goes in the first section of the sump tank? It has 3 sections and the middle section has bio balls in it. Also, I have a light set up and not sure what each light is called or how they need to be set up to come on...... It has 3 small led lights that are like moon light, tube lights that are blue colored, and tube lights that are bright white fluorescent color........ Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Ingy]

pics will help.
You can put filter socks on the drain into the sump. Personally I don't as I believe is detracts from the skimmer. A protein skimmer should go in the first section as well. If you don't have one, consider getting one, but you have to make sure it fits in there.
Second section. remove the bio balls and use them to practice your golf swing in the back yard. Puting (not putting) rocks and more importantly macro algae in the second section will be what keeps your nitrate levels at or close to 0.
Light. Sounds like a standard T5HO fixture with very narrow (5/8") bulbs. The blue bulbs are actinic bulbs and concentrate their light energy in the wavelength perferred by the bacteria that keep out corals alive. The whites help, but also make the tank look nicer for our eyes to enjoy.
Read lots before you start stocking your tank. Read the stickies in the getting started thread for basic info. Fishless cycle.

 

[ff.rice]

Ok...... If I put live rocks and live sand in the second section will I also have to have light for it?!?! This is what I have as far as my set up so far..... I do have plans to get a protein skimmer from a buddy but I'm not sure if it will fit under or not...... Would it be ok above on the big tank? Or would I be better off building another stand?!?!

 

[tonedogz]

If your talking about the sump why would you put sand in there. You could put rock in place of the bioballs and no you don't need a light. You can get a hang on back skimmer that doesn't need to go in the sump.

 

[ff.rice]

Ok..... So I need to just put live rock in there?!?!

 

[tonedogz]

Well you don't have to put rock in there if you don't want, you could leave the bioballs in there but they tend to cause high nitrates. I removed mine years ago and replaced them with the rock.

 

[ff.rice]

Yeah that seems to be a common thing with everybody on the bio balls..... I was actually considering maybe doing a refugium in there...... Refugium.... Or just live rock?!?! And how much rock do I need to put in there?

 

[tonedogz]

Well its only a ten gal. tank so maybe a couple of pounds. Don't forget the bacteria will be growing elsewhere also on the rock in your main tank and in the filter media, sand, glass etc.

 

[ff.rice]

Thanx for your help!!!! What kind of filter media are you talking about? And where does it go? This is the first sump set up I've ever even seen...... I also have a HOB filter in the main tank that I'm planning to use that has a replaceable carbon filter cartridge.... That can only help right?!?!

 

[tonedogz]

Thats the filter media I'm talking about the one in your hob filter

 

[ff.rice]

Cool..... That's what I was thinking.... Thanx!!! Would it be better in the big tank or one of the three sections of the sump?

 

[Kristy3693]

Try to get as much of your equipment as your can in the sump. Makes you DT look better and easier to clean.

 

[tonedogz]

just in the main tank. Bacteria grows on everything so don't worry about it.

 

[ff.rice]

Thanx again you all..... Kristy..... If you look at my pictures of my sump..... The bio balls will be replaced by live rock...... With that being said, in your opinion which section of the sump tank would be better for the HOB filter to go in?!?!

 

[Ingy]

If you can, I'd recommend you put a macro algae in the middle section. I have chaeto and it grows great with a simple and cheap clip on desk lamp from home depot with a 17 watt cfl bulb.

Why are you planning on running a filter? The whole concept of a sump is to replace the filter. Mind you if you have build up problems of things like silicate or phosphate, you could add a filter later just for the media additions.

 

[ff.rice]

Thanx Ingy.... That's actually y I was asking..... Ive never done salt water before..... Nor have I ever done a sump before....... Do your saying tgat the sump will go all of the filtering that needs to be done?!?! There's actually not any filter media at all in the sump.

 

[Ingy]

That's right. Some run filter socks on the drain and some don't.

 

[Kristy3693]

Like Ingy said, you don't need the HOB filter. There are ways to add filter media without it.

 

[ff.rice]

If you can, I'd recommend you put a macro algae in the middle section. I have chaeto and it grows great with a simple and cheap clip on desk lamp from home depot with a 17 watt cfl bulb.

Why are you planning on running a filter? The whole concept of a sump is to replace the filter. Mind you if you have build up problems of things like silicate or phosphate, you could add a filter later just for the media additions.

Ingy..... Where might I find some chaeto?!?! I assume it grows fairly rapidly so I wouldn't need much..... Or would I?!?! I just don't know where to get it?

 

[Ingy]

Most LFS carry it. It grows rapidly and a baseball sized amount will grow in no time. I throw about a football sized amount out every 2 months or so.