Advice on what to do first.

[Vehl]

Alright, I have a 125 gallon reef without about 150lbs of live rock.
The tank has been up and running for about 18 months with out any major fiasco's. All fish and corals seem to be very healthy and happy. (and my water tests back this up) I know someone will ask so I have 2 percs, a longnose hawkfish, flame angel, lubbock's fairy wrasse, and a hippo tang(still small like 2 inches). I also have numerous corals such as frogspawn, toadstool, shrooms, zoas, trumpet, star polyps, etc..

I want to make this the best tank I can however, and I do have a problem with protein film on the surface of the water and brown algae grows mighty fast on my sand up front of the tank and on the glass. I think part of the problem is I am using tap water do to my dogs breaking my RO/DI filter (long story). I recently ordered pre-skimmers to put on my protein skimmer to help with the film on the surface, they should arrive near the end of the week.

Now I also want to add a refugium to help lower phosphates as well as Nitrates and provide a safe place for pods. I am also looking at adding a sump to the tank to increase the amount of LR I have. I guess my question is should I go with a H.O.B fuge and just fill my sump with LR? Or just make a large refugium under the tank with loads of macro's and LR?

Any help would be appreciated on the subject!!

[abnmojo]

You didn't tell us all your equipment so it is hard to really say what you should do. A lot of 'what you should do' is based on personal preferance, anyway.

I take it that you don't have an overflow and sump, but if you did, that would clear up your surface scum instantly. I also like sumps because the skimmer, heater, UV, and fish poop end up down here, and not in the tank.

If I were you, I would add a sump like I descriped above, and if you want a fuge, get one. Pods will grow in your tank anyway, but you can get more of them with the fuge.

Good Luck,
David

[Vehl]

I was going to include all that info in the post, but it looked really long and I did not want to scare people away from reading it! I have the bak-pak 2r skimmer, the large on with 2 chamber and collection cups. I also have these lights http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/...863&pcid1=1843

I also have 3 powerheads in the main tank for circulation. I have a basic cleanup crew, snails and hermits. I also feed every other day with the main lights on for 8 hours a day at most.

Any more info that you all need just give a hollar.

[melosu58]

For the surface shoot your PH to the surface for some surface aggitation. This will take care of the film. As far as the sump do a refugium.

[roka64]

You can put your tank size/equipment/critters in "my info" so you won't have to repeat all that stuff again....

[FishFrik]

I would get a fuge before a sump. A sump helps hiding ur equipments in ur main tank and also helps keeping the water more stable. IMO, that's no match for a fuge's greatest use: removing nitrate and phosphate.