600 gallon import coral holding system questions

[JenDub]

Hello to all,

We are in the process of setting up a 600g import coral holding system and need some advice on filtration.

The system will have 100lbs of rock rubble in the sump baffle and will be otherwise barebottom. My concern is aggressively removing any organics released by stressed and dying corals that we may receive before they can harm the other corals (lps and zoanthus).

Approximately 300 colonies will be added at one time; twice a month or so.

We have a 200 mg ozotech and an ev400 with a mag24 to potentially use...any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Nanook]

I would run a large amount of carbon when you add the corals....run the water actively through a large filter at the time...use the ozone and perhaps a large macroalgae bed for further filtering.

 

[JenDub]

Hi Dave,

We have a 50lb bag of carbon so I will definitely use it heavily. Do you think running it in one of these deltec FR616 ( http://www.deltecusa.us/fluidizedreactors/fr616.php ) will be good or should I soak a large bag in each stock tank also?

Good idea on the macro filter, I remember reefer madness has a massive macro tank on each system =)

 

[Nanook]

I think running it through a chamber like the Deltec would be more than good enough and it would give you the most bang for your buck on the carbon. Running it passively just won't do much and it is a very slow way of getting the junk out.

 

[JenDub]

cool deal, thanks for the input =)

 

[Nanook]

Just one person's opinion.

 

[GMFett]

A Few Ideas as I have a 600 gallon tank- 800 gallon system.

First: Overskim. WHen you are adding sliming corals and knowing some will die it is important to remove as much gunk as you can.

Second: Definnitely fluidize carbon in some sort of reactor. I prefer a deltec but there are many options out there.

Third: Consider running a granulated ferric oxide phosphate removal media such as: PhosBan or RowaPhos in another fluidized reactor.

Regular water changes will also be necesary.

HTH

Marcus

 

[purebullet417]

i would get a huge skimmer pm spazz or look up a thread to check out his skimmers or get a huge skimmer deltec euroreef

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I agree too. Overskim with a large skimmer injected with ozone. Lots of carbon in a active filter, not a passive bag in the sump.

As for the skimmer, and I see this often, make sure it is not just sitting in a sump. To make it the most efficent, which is what you will want for this setup, insure that it is in it's own area being fed water directly from the tank. The outflow of the skimmer should go to the next chamber in the sump and not back into the same area that the skimmer is getting it's input water from. If it is, then you wind up with the chance of just circulating skimed water and the dirty stuff from the system goes right back in.

I've seen way to many systems setup with the output of the skimmer dumping right back in next to the suction on the intake pump. My skimmer actually sets in it's own sump. The output of the skimmer dumps into the next sump. There is a connection between the two sumps for any excess water that the skimmer just can't handle but it is minimum. This seems to work best as you can never exactly match your skimmer process water requirments to your tank overflow volume and sump return pump flow.

HTH.

 

[JenDub]

Cool deal,

I was looking into a custom orca but the needle wheels just don't pull like the beckett/downdraft skimmers. A large bermuda looks nice (I will only have to run a massive pump when the corals come in and for 5 hours a day once they cure =) )

 

[JenDub]

Blown63- I agree, definitely need to dischargwe the skimmer into a different chamber- great idea!

I will be using 3 4X4' stock tanks with the back half of the middle one as a sump

 

[raskal311]

Re: 600 gallon import coral holding system questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10395478#post10395478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JenDub
Hello to all,

We are in the process of setting up a 600g import coral holding system and need some advice on filtration.

The system will have 100lbs of rock rubble in the sump baffle and will be otherwise barebottom. My concern is aggressively removing any organics released by stressed and dying corals that we may receive before they can harm the other corals (lps and zoanthus).

Approximately 300 colonies will be added at one time; twice a month or so.

We have a 200 mg ozotech and an ev400 with a mag24 to potentially use...any tips or advice would be much appreciated!

Be very careful with freshly shipped zoo, one of my systems crashed a few months ago after adding 50 large colonies of zoos at one time.