New 125 gallon setup from scratch

andysgirl8800

andysgirl8800

Blenny Badlands
Hello everyone and thank you in advance for any and ALL helpful advice. I am in the very VERY beginning stages of setting up a 125 reef-ready tank. I am still very wet behind the ears in terms of marine aquariums, but have run several FW ones for many years. Unfortunately, I am getting some very conflicting information when it comes to some of my key decisions.

This tank is currently plumbed to run with a canister filter. I currently have a Magnum 350 canister filter designed to run with 2 bio wheels (powered by the same filter). I know many of you would say SUMP SUMP SUMP!!! To be honest, I am very intimidated by the entire sump setup and operation, since this is my first SW tank. I have been informed that if I add 2 additional bio wheels with their own pumps, connect the canister filter as planned, use my protien skimmer and the two (maybe more) powerheads that I have, this should be more than enough filtration for my planned system. Is this true??

I also intend to utilize live rock and live sand and intend to hold off for a while on any corals/polyps/anemonies, etc. I will also plan carefully for appropriate sand sifters and detris cleaner livestock and intend to begin with some "hardy" species.

I am struggling with the conflicting advice I've received for the filtration. I understand water changes may be more frequent and a canister filter will require more maintenance, but I'm not sure I am prepared for a sump setup and my tank would need different plumbing and connections if I try to go the sump route.

I don't want to run a Marine Nazi Death Camp here, but also need a system that I can operate and understand, without the risk of flooding my living room. Obviously, I need to make this decision soon, as I really can't put anything (including water) in this tank until I have planned out the filtration system. Any advice would be incredibly welcomed, even if you write to tell me I am being stupid for not doing a sump. :o)
 
Sumps are easy. I understand the fear of sumps, but if designed correctly they won't overflow. I tried the canister filter route and just had too much nitrates. I run 2 sumps ( 1 sump and 1 refugium) and have great water quality. Sumps give you the opportunity to raise macro algae, run a dsb, and hide your skimmer + heaters. Short version= sumps are great!
 
I really can't get any clear directions on how to set one up and how to avoid floods! It's sorta like hearing everyone's horror story of how they gave birth and never hearing about how cool it was to become a parent. I also keep reading about refugiums and I'm all the more confused. Thank you for your valuable feedback.
 
simpleman said:
Sumps are easy. I understand the fear of sumps, but if designed correctly they won't overflow. I tried the canister filter route and just had too much nitrates. I run 2 sumps ( 1 sump and 1 refugium) and have great water quality. Sumps give you the opportunity to raise macro algae, run a dsb, and hide your skimmer + heaters. Short version= sumps are great!
Click to expand...

Indeed they are! Sumps make everything much much better. I got one with a sump with the tank that got dropped on me. I had dealt with FW before, and I think the sump makes it easier..


In other news I learn that I can put my heaters in the sump.. there's another cord I don't need to run up the side of my tank! Thanks.
 
Andysgirl,

First and foremost, you don't NEED a sump. Yes, sumps make hiding equipment and maintenance much better, but its NOT required for filtration.

There are two types of filtration in SW Aquaria, biological & mechanical.

Live Rock & Live Sand are biological filtration systems.
Biowheels and canisters are mechanical filtration systems.

In a typical SW setup, the recommended method is biological. The mechanical filters are not designed for the viscosity of saltwater and will cause many problems over time (nitrate traps, need a lot of attention, etc).

If you are starting from scratch and are not ready for a sump :
1.) Use live rock
2.) Use live sand
3.) Aerate the water with powerheads rippling the water's surface
4.) Generate flow with powerheads pointed in different directions in your tank.
5.) Get a tank heater, preferably (2).
6.) Get a skimmer (don't skimp here....go with a nice HOB Hang-On-Back skimmer)

If you decide to go the sump route later on, you can put in overflows and add it.
The only drawback is you will already own a HOB skimmer and you will replace it with an in-sump style skimmer (if you want).

For a tank your size, you should have at least 4 Koralia style #4s in your tank for flow....more would be better.

A nice skimmer I can recommend is the OCTOPUS HB 800S.

Start off right, in my opinion, and ditch the canister and biowheels.
They will do you a disservice in a SW tank.

Keep up your water change maintenance and you will be OK.

Good Luck
 
Thank you so much for the advice. You are making me lean more towards a sump. Can you tell me more about a refugium? Do I need two seperate tanks (a refugium AND a sump), or are these one in the same? I was looking at a "refugium kit" on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/200-Gallon-Aqua...ryZ46310QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Would this be appropriate for the system I am planning? Is there such a thing as TOO much filtration? How can I prevent an accidental overflow? How does GPH figure into it all?? Getting a little turned around with all the information out there. Thank you all again!
 
I do believe a refugium is another biological filter, things that would normally get eaten or killed in the main tank are grown/raised there.

I'm sure a kit for a 200 gallon aquarium would be more than enough for your tank, but I don't think that one can have water that's TOO clean.

Now on the topic of accidental overflow.. I have no idea how to prevent it, after all, accidents will happen.

I've read a tank should be filtered at a rate of five times an hour or somewhere around that.. so for your 125 gallon tank, it should be 625 GPH,, according to what I've read.

I'm still a newbie and am probably wrong about something somewhere in this post, but I hope it helps at least a bit.
 
First off,welcome to the site.
You dont really have to have 2 different sumps.You can run the refugium right in the one sump.Just do a search on here and find all kinds of designs for sumps/refugiums.And the actual design comes down to personal choice.
 
Welcome to the site. A sump is very easy to make. All you need is a empty aquarium(size that will fit into stand) and some baffles. Baffles are cut pieces of glass or plexi glass in a squares/retangle shape. Plus you'll need silicon be sure it's drinking water safe or get the type for aquariums.

1. Split the aquarium into three sections. the first section will be for the skimmer the second refurgium, the last for return pump. You can reveres the last two if you choose.

2. Take your baffles. Place the first one where you want the middle section to start. This one will be silicon in to the bottom and both sides. The second baffle will be placed a inch from the first one. This one will be silicon a inch from the bottom. The next one goes an inch from the second one silicon to the bottom and sides.This is what you call a bubble trap. Then the forth baffle is silicon in place where the middle section ends. Very easy to do. Sump made. Let set for 48 hours before use.

I'll see if I can find my pic and post them.
 
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This will give you a idea of what the outcome will look like.

Sump.jpg
 
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Very easy to do. I was just like you when I started. Had no clue what a sump was or even how to start. But once I found this site and someone explained it I gave it a try and it works great. Still using the same one today.
 
Thanks for the encouragement. What size would be best for a 125 tank? Should it be glass or acrylic? Am I correct in assuming that the panels should be watertight at the seams? Sorry to ask, but does anyone have a step by step (maybe even with diagrams/images) that I can use?
 
I went with a 30 long for my 120. I also went with glass it's cheaper. Yes the panels need to be water tight. As for step by step I didn't take any pics when I built mine but maybe someone else on here.
 
Ok, oh boy. So......here's what I came up with (first attachment):

I constructed this sump refugium starting with custom cut .25" glass pieces and dividing walls with silicone. The first chamber on the right side is where the 1" overflow deposits the surface skim water from the show tank into the skimmer chamber. The water then goes under the first wall of the bubble trap and travels up the 1" chamber and falls over the middle wall and then back down the second 1" chamber eliminating almost all skimmer chamber bubbles. Water then travels under the 3rd wall and enters the refugium chamber a short angled divider keeps the water from churning up the sandbed while directing water up to the macro algae refugium area. The water then falls over the 4th divider and enters a passive media shelf area constructed from light grid plastic where I put bagged media or floss if required and then passes over the stainless steel 300 watt heater in the bottom of the chamber then the water goes under the 5th divider and enters the pump pickup area to be returned to the show tank.

It measures 36" long, 16.5" high, and 16" deep, with an apporximate 40 gallon volume. I designed it based on the setup pictured in my second attachment. Hopefully, I've done it right. Will be testing for leaks in 48 hours, after the silicone cures. Thoughts?
 

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Promise! Never even heard the word "refugium" until 2 weeks ago. So you think this one will work for my size of tank? The overflow walls are 8" high, about half the volume of the tank. Figured that would allow enough room for the excess show tank water if the pump fails, until suction is lost.
 

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