Fluval 400 vs. Emperor 400 BioWheel

[Buffy]

Hi all

Sorry so long, A little history.........I've read and read and read. Sites upon sites, compared and compared and I'm STILL lost.

Waiting for additional adapter for RO. Bought new faucet for bath so I have hot/cold handles, Gotta install that yet and replace piping under with flex. Gotta take out toilet and cover hole for RO containers to sit on and I work 12 hour shifts this week. I'm making progress BUT

Been researching powerheads and pumps, but can't figure out the differences and what I need to add. Turning over water ...is that mean taking out of tank and returning or just moving around. I have the Emperor 400 BioWheel, does this count towards that turning over of water. When I first got my tank (literally just the tank), The salesperson was talking with me bout various equipment. She recommended the Fluval 400. I didn't have money at the time so didn't get it just bought the tank with hood/light.

Then I got my stand....All anyone had was black, I wanted oak with shelves.........Ugh, more research says sump UNDER tank. Oh well

I should say dealer name but I am going to because I rely on this stores knowledge. Went to Foster and Smith up north (an hour + drive each way mind you), got live rock, live sand (dry) and ended up walking out with a 550.00 dent in my "purse". In this purchase, because of Dealer Rep, I believed the guy and purchased the Emperor 400 BioWheel and an additional 4-pack box of filters that I'm supposed to replace month and a 25' syphon vacuum hose that I had to take back and get 50' (which still flooded my bathroom). Said I could use tap water. I had no idea bout chlorine and stuff. He never mentioned treating tap water or RO.

This has been a nightmare. I don't want to keep RE-DOing.

All this research has me confused. I don't want to toss out my Emperor (be like burning my money).

But now I'm not sure which way I should have gone..Emperor or Fluval or none. Any help because I'm reading bout people not using carbon, people putting live rock in, people using sponges, man I'm now lost.

and

I plan on having a sump EVENTUALLY, (due to research, chatting here, no clue how or what only that I need one) in a cabinet next to dt but then i read no filters cause that's the job of the sump. So should I be trying to do an overflow and sump and just be throwing my Emperor in the trash anyway, grrrrrrrrrr.

I want to get power heads or pumps or whatever the heck I need BEFORE I add more water and rock.

I plan on automating eventually too, with a controller of sorts (for water, lights etc) so whatever I do need, it should be capable of those functions. Am trying to buy what I need as I go along, but I'm looking ahead and trying to buy for the END result, not upgrade every 2 months.

Sorry I vented and rambled, but I don't know how to explain the loss I'm in, and right now I want to get the flows down which means I don't know where the fluval or emperor fit in or how.

Thanks for any help. While I wait for your responses, I'm gonna go try replacing the faucet/piping. I hate plumbing. **** I wish my dog would do the plumbing for me

[Fishguy2727]

Sorry if I missed it, is this fresh or salt? If it is salt is it going to be a reef?

[Gti_Leo]

mostlikely salt, i'd stick with the emperor.

they are used mainly for mechanical filtration anyways, while the live rock is for bio filtration.

do you mean fluva 405? if so its a canister and they tend to be nitrate factories, as they collect alot of debris which needs to be cleaned out

[Buffy]

Tank is 75Gal and is saltwater and will be reef. Thanks guys, sorry just am frustrated. Heading to store to get plumbers putty for the sink drain, grrr. While I'm there I'd like to get a pump or two for flow/turn over.

Do I look at pump or powerhead? Still can't figure out difference.

Store is expensive so I'm looking for a small one that will be able to take water from my container into tank and then use it in the tank for flow til needed again or til I can get more.

I know the store carries maxi-jet, all sizes (even if they do only have 1 of each lol) and I'm not sure what else. Any suggestions?

Thanks all

[Fishguy2727]

If you are going with a reef I would just use a sump with a refugium in it, skimmer, and a lot of live rock. Obviously you will still need a lot of flow. A powerhead usually refers to a compact water pump that is in the display for extra flow or may be used to power some sort of filter (like a HOB UV sterilizer). It will be a lot easier and better to go for a sump from the start.

What you need for extra flow in the DT will depend on the flow rate of the return from the sump. I would have at least one strong one pointed behind the live rock, without a lot of flow around it all live rock can't do its job of filtration.

[Buffy]

Thanks guys, Going back to my build thread now for more questions. I'd like to keep everything in one thread but that's not working out very well and don't wanna keep starting threads. LOL

Anyone wanna follow please do. I appreciate all the help I can get.