Clarity Plus 125 Reboot

[Tin Man]

I have a Clarity Plus 125 that has to be 20+ years old and it has been dry for the last 7 years. The stand is actually a sump. I just measured the holding capacity as follows - 6' tank holds 100 gallons to water level and the sump holds another 100+ gallons. Originally, the tank sat on the stand, but I had the tank built into a wall in the basement and raised a few feet above the stand with a 7' return tube/pipe. I had moderate success in keeping fish without live rock. This time I am planning a FOWLR. Here is the plan. Comments welcome.

1. Little Giant pump died. Replacing w/ Iwaki MD-30RXT (Japanese) from BRS.
2. Upgrading heater to Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm 2x100 watts
3. BRS Reef saver dry rock 150 pounds with about half going in sump. Remove bioballs.
4. Original Grade Ocean Direct Live Reef Sand - 40 lbs
5. BRS 4 stage Value Plus RO/DI System 75gpd
6. Use old tube lighting for now. Upgrade to LEDs later maybe
7. I have an ETSS Skimmer that I bought towards "the end", but had trouble getting it calibrated. Thoughts on trying again or replacing with?

Stocking thoughts;
1. Schooling fish: either chromis or yellow tail damsels 6-8-10?
2. Hide in the rock fish: Royal grama and/or gobbie and/or blenny
3. Hawkfish and/or small wrasse
4. Tangs - Kole and Regal (add together), Powder Blue (add last)
5. Angels - 1 dwarf - Flame/lemonpeel/etc. and maybe 1 large - Queen or the like

 

[Tin Man]

After exploring the forums some more, I am thinking to upgrade the skimmer to a LifeReef SV3-36 In-sump. Thoughts?

 

[Tin Man]

Thought I might have some replies by now. Maybe a few questions to get a discussion going?

1. After reading about using some live rock to seed dead rock, will live sand seed the BRS Reef Saver Rock? It seems to me live sand would do the job, no?

2. My sump is divided into 6 sections 11x24x19deep. Will a large skimmer work well in one of the sections?

3. The other sections will have live rock. Do I need to light up all of the live rock?

4. When is a good time to add chaeto type algae to the sump, after fish are introduced? How much light for the algae section of the sump?

5. Is my fish selection above realistic for my planned filtration?

 

[whiteshark]

The sand will seed the rock with bacteria. It won't seed it with coralline. That said, if you plan to get any corals coralline will hitchhike in.

As long as the skimmer has a footprint small enough to fit where you want it to go it will work.

You don't have to light up any of the rock. Just know that anything that needs light to survive will not survive in the dark.

I wouldn't add any macro algae until you have some nutrient input to support it. I.E. fish.

Something like this would be sufficient for the fuge: http://m.homedepot.com/p/Philips-10...mmable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-435016/205213868/

 

[Tin Man]

The sand will seed the rock with bacteria. It won't seed it with coralline. That said, if you plan to get any corals coralline will hitchhike in.

As long as the skimmer has a footprint small enough to fit where you want it to go it will work.

You don't have to light up any of the rock. Just know that anything that needs light to survive will not survive in the dark.

I wouldn't add any macro algae until you have some nutrient input to support it. I.E. fish.

Something like this would be sufficient for the fuge: http://m.homedepot.com/p/Philips-10...mmable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-435016/205213868/

Thanks!

I was concerned about the Skimmer placement, because the sump is divided into 11x25 sections with each section flowing through to the next with slots in the bottom of each section. Being so narrow, I was afraid there could be more flow than it could handle and create an interesting cavitation or whatever.