Newbie from Michigan!!!!

Hello everyone!!!!

This is a great site and am really happy that I found it. Its nice to have a community to turn to other then the local fish store.
A little back round on me - I have tried a saltwater tank before but rushed into it with out really researching as much as I should have. I recently bought a house last year and looking to put my old set up back up in my living room. I plan on using the old setup and upgrading later on once I get more experience.
Current setup will be.
40 gallon glass tank
Marineland Canister filter (220GPH)
Instant Ocean 100 SeaClone Protein Skimmer 100-Gallon
96 watt Coralife strip lighting.
I was planing on do a shallow sand bed with mainly just fish, 2 clown's and some chromis's or Yellowtail Damselfish and a goby.
Is it possible to add Polyp's /Mushrooms/ Feather Dusters with out all the fancy sumps filters? Do I need to get a powerhead for water movement?
With a canister filter how often should I clean the filter?once a month every water change?

Thanks for reading
Chris

Chris

Glad you found us I'll try to answer some of your questions first.

Is it possible to add Polyp's /Mushrooms/ Feather Dusters with out all the fancy sumps filters?

Polyps and mushrooms are pretty easy to keep. They are forgiving of water quality and can do well in most lighting so i would say they are a great start. Feather dusters are filter feeders and can be a little harder but as long as your feeding your fish regularly you should be fine.

Do I need to get a powerhead for water movement?

I would suggest it. Water flow is just as if not more important then lighting to corals.

With a canister filter how often should I clean the filter?once a month every water change?

Clean it as often as you can. This is the main problem with canister filters for ref tanks. Canister filters trap particles from the water but they dont remove them from the system. Those particles are still in contact with the water and will continue to break down and add nutrients to the water. Your going to need to clean it at least once a week if not twice a week to keep water quality good.

welcome to the club Chris!!!

I ran a 40 gallon with a caster filter for a while, but then changed it over to a HOB Refugium, and it was bulletproof!! You don't have to clean refugiums which is a huge plus!!

After it all, all I really saw the canister filter as useful for was circulation, which a cheapo maxijet1200 pump can do without you needing to clean it all the time.

I did some searching around online and came across this filter setup. Is this is what I should be looking at? It looks like it has the protein skimmer included.
http://www.amazon.com/ProClear-Aquat...ref=pd_sbs_k_3

with this for a overflow
http://www.amazon.com/CPR-CS50-Overf...9574627&sr=1-2

I want to get it right the first time and not have to fumble around with filters down the line.

That filter is whats called a wet dry filter and it also has bioballs which you dont need or want. This is more like what you want Saltwater Aquarium Refugiums - Wet Dry Sump Filter

I know its more then the other one but if you can do a little DIY you can make one just like this with a glass tank, maybe a 30g long for around $100

That type of overflow is what you want but you need to make sure its rated for handle the flow your return pump is going to have.

Welcome to the site!!!!

I have the same skimmer as you. There's a few mods you can do to it so it works better. It's just not the best skimmer out there. I wish I would have known more before I bought it lol.

I ran a canister filter on my 100 for a little while. You really do need to clean it at least every week. They get so much crap in them. All it's doing is add nutrients to your tank.

the softies are great to keep and really easy! You can use moderate light and a little flow and you're good. The powerheads are a great addition to any tank. If you can get those that you can program for waves it would be even better.

Good luck. I can't wait to see this build take off!

Good to have you with us! I agree with Chris - polyps and mushrooms are super hardy and good coral to have in all reef tanks. I also think Joanne (estanoche) has a great suggestion with the HOB fuge. I would personally go with one over a canister, because I *still* have a canister on one of my tanks, and it is a major PITA to keep on top of cleaning!

well HELLO there chris and welcome to reef-geeks!....so 'ya just couldn't stay away from this hobby eh?! ...once bitten you're sucked in for good!

the advice you're getting so far is GREAT!!! especially the advice on the pumps and filters

when you're ready to get started on this, will you be sure to start a new build thread for us?

Chris

I ran a canister on my old 180 for months, it was a PITA. I had to clean it EVERY week to keep it from killing my numbers. It also seemed to make phosphate after running for 7 days, I would clean it every Saturday morning, and that helped.

I did however run that same filter on my current 180 and my 75 for a few days after I rescape, it cleans the floating crap out of the water.

with the others about the power heads. I run 2 koralia evolution 1400s in my 75, and 3 of them in my 180 with an MP-40. Also each tank has a 1000gph return pump from the sump/fuge.

ohhh, so, here is the HOB fuge I was talking about - Aquafuge Medium HOB Refugium With Pump or this one, seems to be on clearance - Aquafuge Large HOB Refugium W/ Pump

if you use coupon code reefgeeks ya get $5 off too hahaha

I say take this, and use the skimmer you have and call it good! A perfectly stable 1st tank

So I visited my local pet store last night and talked to them at lengths about refugiums and sumps. They had quoted me a price on just the refugium for $268 and a smaller one for $213 ( prices do not include protein skimmers or pumps, and sorry for got what size tanks they quoted) . As I was going over the tank with them and how things flow and run, I began to think... I could probably build this myself. After watching some youtube videos when I got home I got a little more confident in trying to tackley this project.

Some questions that I can't seams to track down are how big of a sump do I want to make? I was leaning towards a 20-30 gallon depending on prices of the tank. How big of a protein skimmer do I need to get? How big of a pump do I need to get the water back into the tank, how many GPH? I have seen all different sorts of different setups... Some had pre-filters.... some had bio-balls.... some didn't either and just rocks and plants between stages.

It doesn't look like a complicated project. water comes in.... gets filtered... gets pumped back out. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Or if there is a site that has some good plans and specs.

Thanks again

Sump size is easy... The biggest tank you can fit in the stand. Remember you need clearance to remove any equipment that may be malfunctioning.

After that you get a skimmer rated for twice the total tank volume plus sump tank volume, unless you get an SWC their sizing seems to be spot on.... but I am biased toward them anyway.

Return pump should be about 10 times the GPH as your tank volume, for a 90 gal tank you want a 900 GPH return pump. But you will need power heads in your tank to increase flow in the tank.

Originally Posted by clauwers

... I could probably build this myself....

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! most of us geeks here build our own sumps and fuges and some go even further!!!

we've already got lots of threads on how-to's for sumps/fuges - - look under DIY forum and GEEK FILES forum....then start your own thread and we'll help 'ya every step of the way!

Pat gave some great advice too

Originally Posted by clauwers

So I visited my local pet store last night and talked to them at lengths about refugiums and sumps. They had quoted me a price on just the refugium for $268 and a smaller one for $213 ( prices do not include protein skimmers or pumps, and sorry for got what size tanks they quoted) . As I was going over the tank with them and how things flow and run, I began to think... I could probably build this myself. After watching some youtube videos when I got home I got a little more confident in trying to tackley this project.

Some questions that I can't seams to track down are how big of a sump do I want to make?

It can be any size you want. You want to make sure its small enough to fit where you want to put it but big enough to hold all your equipment and the extra water that will fill it when the power gos out.

They are really easy to make so go for it. Any questions on how to make them just ask.

I was leaning towards a 20-30 gallon depending on prices of the tank. How big of a protein skimmer do I need to get?

Skimmer size will depend on total system water volume. 40g tank with 20/30 sump your looking at 70g total so a skimmer like this is what you want. CV-XP-1000SSS Premium Aquatics - CV-XP-1000SSS Aquarium Supplies

What ever skimmers your looking at please ask before you buy. There are a lot of junk skimmers out there and i would hate to see you buy one of them.

How big of a pump do I need to get the water back into the tank, how many GPH?

A return pump like this will fit you well. EHEIM1262 Premium Aquatics - EHEIM1262 Aquarium Supplies

It will give you around 5x system volume turnover even after head loss.

I have seen all different sorts of different setups... Some had pre-filters.... some had bio-balls.... some didn't either and just rocks and plants between stages.

It doesn't look like a complicated project. water comes in.... gets filtered... gets pumped back out. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Or if there is a site that has some good plans and specs.

Thanks again

Sounds like you have the idea. They are not complected if you dont make them so.

Originally Posted by chris&barb

Clean it as often as you can. This is the main problem with canister filters for ref tanks. Canister filters trap particles from the water but they dont remove them from the system. Those particles are still in contact with the water and will continue to break down and add nutrients to the water. Your going to need to clean it at least once a week if not twice a week to keep water quality good.

Wow you're nice- I was going to recomend he chuck it! I haven't read the whole thread I only chimed in to agree with Chris- well, that's if you don't just toss it.

But to echo him, food breaks down after 24 hours and is pretty rotten after 36. You can leave what the cannister will suck up in the tank and your clean up crew will metabolize it to a virtually undetectable protein.

Oh anyway, congrats on your house buy!! Seems you had good credit at a great time!!

on top of this site there's a ton of info here Melevsreef.com - Welcome!

Hey Everyone,
Sorry for waiting so long for a update , been pretty busy at work latley :/
Attached are some pics of my tank so far.
I added the Toadstool Leather on Tuesday and haven't seen much activity from it sense. I moved the wavermaker seen in the picture directly on him and it seams that the polpys have opened up a bit more. Any thought on the placement? to high? to much waterflow? Is the Leather just getting used to the tank?

The other corals in the tank are doing fine.

Sorry the post lacks info... posting at work because I never have time at home lol

The aquascape looks great! I'm a big fan of arches and caves ^_^

So when I had a toadstool, I found it did best when it wasn't directly under light, sitting at the bottom of my tank, in medium flow. However another reefer friend of mine has his toadstools at the surface of his tank - granted his light hangs about a foot above the water surface.

I think it all depends on the type of lighting you are using, and how close it is to the surface. Toads are also kinda touch-and-go sometimes. Mine would shrink up for 2, 3 days sometimes with no polyp extension. I would swear it was dead. But, the next day it would be open and flowy. Go figure!

Thanks for catching us up on your tank!

I have a t5 6 bulb 54w Aquaticlife lamp. It sits right at the top of the tank inside the cover.

I just put the wavemaker on directly on it last night after the lights shutoff. If it dosent open up at its current spot I'll just have to move it to another area of the tank and try there.

Originally Posted by clauwers

...If it dosent open up at its current spot I'll just have to move it to another area of the tank and try there...

Yeah, in most cases with coral, that's what you end up having to do - a trial-and-error and lots of moving around the tank before you find just the right spot