Newbie Questions - Sump Setup, Fish/Invert Stocking

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maporsche

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
70
Location
Phoenix
A couple of questions I need answers to please...

Current setup: 2 Cascade 1500 canister filters, 120gal tank, FO setup, no LR, CC substrate

Future Plans: Add small amount of LR within 1 month (10lbs)...I'm hoping this will turn my dead rock into LR. Still debating the DSB idea. If I can get inverts in this tank, I will not do a DSB.

No plans for a reef system.



1) I just bought the ASM G3 Protein Skimmer today, so that should be in the mail in 4-7 days. Do I need a sump for the protein skimmer or could I use a small tank for that? What is a good economical way to go?

If I decide to go with a sump (or if I need too with this skimmer) then my next question is about the sump setup. I'm really clueless with this setup or what is needed, so any suggestions would be helpful. Heck, if anyone want's to tell me EXACTLY what to do I'm down for that too.

2) How large of a sump setup do I need for my size tank? I'm limited to about 15in in width).
3) What size HOB Overflow box do I need? (I'm looking at the CPR CS150, because I assume that bigger is better, please tell me if this is wrong)
4) What return pump should I use? I will be sending the water up about 5 feet max.
5) Will my canister filters then be worthless, or should I still use them for water flow.
6) I currently have bio balls in the canisters, should I transfer these to the sump?
7) Is a sump/refugium the optimal setup.

My next questions are about stocking the tank.

8) I would like some inverts (crabs, shimp, snails). Can I stock these inverts in a fish only system (eventually live rock, but not for a while).
9) Would my snowflake eel harm LR or inverts? It's currently only 6in long.
10) If I cannot stock inverts to clean up the substrate, are there any fish I can stock to help me do this?
11) If I decide to go with a DSB, would my snowflake eel disturb it badly?

I appreciate all of your guy's help. Thanks.
 
I think the snowflake would like the dsb. It would most likely eat any invert, you can try some small hermits for clean-up. The have a shell so it a little hard for them to get eaten. Same with snails. And no there is no way it can harm the lr unless it digs unferneath it and knocks it over.
 
If your setting up the sump purely for the G3 I would recommend not going with more then the amount of flow it needs to be most effective (that being 500gph) the CPR CS90 Overflow Box would be the largest I would go with in this instance..
pumps are a personal preference.. some people like mag's and others will not go with anything unless its a Iwaki.. good flow caclulator to give you an idea wich pump will do the trick.. http://reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php
The Quiet One 3000 pump at 5 foot head loss with 1' pipe gives you ~507gph..
The Eheim 1260 Pump may come close.. (its not one of the listed pumps on the calculator)
Im pretty sure it will take a good long while to seed 90% of your total rock to LR... you might want a better opinion on that but I would venture a guess of at least 6-9 months if not longer..
I would use the canisters for closed circulation.. do keep debis in suspension so it can be taken in by your overflow and skimmed.. :p
no matter how much your inverts eat they still leave behind PO4 and that can and will build up eventurally if not completely removed from the system.. in a well skimmed great water flow tank that maybe 10 years.. in worse setups it may be much sooner..
you will eventually want to replace your bio-balls with LR.. the end result of arobic filtration is NO3.. If you want to build your system up into a reef down the road you will not want bio-balls or seditary sponges or any other filtration medium that would collect arobic bacteria IMO.
as far as known popular filtration tecniques are concerned the sump with refugium is optimal.. IMO
 
and one more note.. if you get a overflow box that is too large for the amount of flow that you are delivering with your pump it will have a tendency to louse syphon... not a good thing at all..
 
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