New sump/refug help

Jaydog · 05-13-2008, 11:02 PM

I was wondering if someone could please help me figure out what I'm doing, or what to do next. I am new to saltwater and have a FOWLR tank. I would really like to slowly work my way into a reef setup.

I have a 55 gal tank with about 90lbs of live rock. The tank is about a year old, and when I bought the rocks I got about 40lbs of actual live rock and another 50lbs of nonliving. I have around 80lbs of Agra alive white caribbean sand. I am using a Penn Plax Cascade 1000 canister filter, with an Aqua C Remora skimmer. I am using a Coralife Aqualight with 4 - 65 watt bulbs, with lunar LED's. Two are 10000K sunlight, and the other two are True Blue Actinic. I just got my RO/DI filter up and running. I changed out about 75% of my old, yucky, Nitrate filled water, and replaced it with RO/DI ( I really hope this wasn't too much).

I have not yet turned my canister on because I fear I will only dump ungodly amounts of Nitrate back into the tank.

Should I: clean to canister out and use it until I get the sump/refuge made,(maybe two weeks or so).
OR
Leave the canister dirty, and turn it on anyway
OR
Remove the canister and wait for the refuge/sump to be built, (two weeks or so)
I thought I would ask you guys. You seem to have a wealth of priceless knowlege at your finger tips, (no pun intended).

Thanks so much!! My fish thank you too!

lcstorc · 05-14-2008, 01:26 PM

Deinitely either remove and clean the canister or remove it completely. There is a lot os detrius in there that is slowly decomposing and causing nitrates. The skimmer and your LR should provide enough filtration. If the tank is stocked then you will want to monitor for a mini cycle.

nikkipigtails · 05-14-2008, 01:31 PM

definately clean out the canister filter really well and hook it back up until you can get a sump if a sump is the way you want to go. you can build your own sump for super cheap if that's the way you want to go. we built one for our tank using a used 75 gallon tank, acrylic sheets we got at Lowes and aquarium silicone.

Jaydog · 05-15-2008, 12:22 PM

Thank you so much. I am so confused about building a sump/refug. I have seen pictures and spent hours reading, how to's, and diy's and still have questions. At any rate, thanks you both for such a fast response.

05-13-2008, 11:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jaydog Tubeworm Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 25 View Gallery Karma Komment	New sump/refug help I was wondering if someone could please help me figure out what I'm doing, or what to do next. I am new to saltwater and have a FOWLR tank. I would really like to slowly work my way into a reef setup. I have a 55 gal tank with about 90lbs of live rock. The tank is about a year old, and when I bought the rocks I got about 40lbs of actual live rock and another 50lbs of nonliving. I have around 80lbs of Agra alive white caribbean sand. I am using a Penn Plax Cascade 1000 canister filter, with an Aqua C Remora skimmer. I am using a Coralife Aqualight with 4 - 65 watt bulbs, with lunar LED's. Two are 10000K sunlight, and the other two are True Blue Actinic. I just got my RO/DI filter up and running. I changed out about 75% of my old, yucky, Nitrate filled water, and replaced it with RO/DI ( I really hope this wasn't too much). I have not yet turned my canister on because I fear I will only dump ungodly amounts of Nitrate back into the tank. Should I: clean to canister out and use it until I get the sump/refuge made,(maybe two weeks or so). OR Leave the canister dirty, and turn it on anyway OR Remove the canister and wait for the refuge/sump to be built, (two weeks or so) I thought I would ask you guys. You seem to have a wealth of priceless knowlege at your finger tips, (no pun intended). Thanks so much!! My fish thank you too!

05-14-2008, 01:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,473 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New sump/refug help Deinitely either remove and clean the canister or remove it completely. There is a lot os detrius in there that is slowly decomposing and causing nitrates. The skimmer and your LR should provide enough filtration. If the tank is stocked then you will want to monitor for a mini cycle. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

05-14-2008, 01:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
nikkipigtails Acropora Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hillbilly Hell, AL Posts: 1,969 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New sump/refug help definately clean out the canister filter really well and hook it back up until you can get a sump if a sump is the way you want to go. you can build your own sump for super cheap if that's the way you want to go. we built one for our tank using a used 75 gallon tank, acrylic sheets we got at Lowes and aquarium silicone. __________________ Our 180 Gallon Family Project

05-15-2008, 12:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jaydog Tubeworm Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 25 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New sump/refug help Thank you so much. I am so confused about building a sump/refug. I have seen pictures and spent hours reading, how to's, and diy's and still have questions. At any rate, thanks you both for such a fast response.

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