quick questions on cc, and skimmer info

[fishman]

soory in advance for being so lengthy....
I have a 125 gallon tank. Right now I have 2 damsels cycling the tank. I have about 2-3 inches of CC as a base. I have ordered a skimmer from captivereefs.com and is on its way (Aqua C Urchin Pro with mag 3). I am going with FOWLR. At this time I have no LR but will be getting some soon. I have a 125 Sealife System wet/dry with a mag 12 for return. Also my tank is drilled with a overflow built in. I currently have 1 PH down on the side of the wall towards the bottom of the bottom and another about middle ways up on the same wall....not pretty but want to make sure I have good water circulation....My questions are:

1) I have seen numerous people say that CC isnt as good as a deep sand bed because the debris gets trapped below the CC. How do you clean CC bed? Do you vacumn it like you do a FW tank?

2) On the skimmer, I am putting it in the same sump area as my mag 12 for the return. On the sump it has a "water level" that I usually stay above now with only 1 mag in there. However I have to add about 3 glasses of water a day to bring the level back up so that the pump isnt sucking air. How much over the water line do most people keep theirs? If I am adding 3 glasses of water a day now with 1 pump, I assume I will have to add more once I put the other mag 3 in there with it due to evaporation/heat??? Is it ok to have the sump a little fuller than the water line? I assume so but how much?
Im not that concerned with a power failure and it overilling my sump as I have drilled a siphon hole on the return elbow leading back up to the tank.

3) Also do you think I have to much water circulation with the 2 small via aqu pumps (like 350 gph). Its not like there is a hurricane going on in the tank AND its a long lengthy tank as well.

sorry so long

 

[reefrunner69]

How do you clean CC bed? Do you vacumn it like you do a FW tank?

Yes and do it often.

I have seen numerous people say that CC isnt as good as a deep sand bed

It's different, with different maintenance requirements, most prefer the use of sand to prevent too much detritus from settling and to me it is more astheticly pleasing than cc. Before setting up a DSB, make sure you have researched fully and make an informed decision, there is alot of controversy around the deep sand bed.

Is it ok to have the sump a little fuller than the water line? I assume so but how much?

Shut off your return pump, once all the water has drained that's going to, add SW to a level a few inches from the top of the wet/dry, then turn the pump back on. Mark the level of the water with a mark, marker or piece of tape etc... This is your new water level

Also do you think I have to much water circulation with the 2 small via aqu pumps (like 350 gph). Its not like there is a hurricane going on in the tank AND its a long lengthy tank as well.

No, not to much.

 

[fishman]

thanks for the quick reply. If anyone else has any more suggestions/opinions please feel free to post. Im open to all at this point. I have learned a lot from reading the different posts. Seems everyone knows a little and or sometimes a lot about so many things.
Thanks