doing it right this time, new setup questions

[LekicINC]

my current tank is outdated and needs work. Now that i have done some research I think im a going to make some modifications.

Current tank:
75 gallons
75 lbs of live rock
3" bed of puka rock
Wet Dry Filter w/ bioballs
Remora skimmer
950 gph return.
96 watt quad pc's
UV sterilizor( not sure which kind...had it installed for me).
JBJ Chiller (it is actually working fine for me, keeps the tank at 78)
200 watt heater
Livestock
tomato clown
pink spotted goby
Kole Tang
RBTA (not sure how its made it so long)
Trates are always between 40 ppm and 80 ppm.

New Plan for tank:
Custom 2 part acrylic sump and refugium with miracle mud and various macro and lighting. MTC HSA 250 skimmer w. the mag 9.5 pump (suggestions on a different skimmer?)
MY Reef Creations fluidized reactor with media and pump (neccessary?)
4 cases of aragonite live sand (grain size rec?)
Add a HD30X Water Pump 960gph for my return pump.
Keep the lights, chiller and uv

Does this sound liek a better setup? Any suggestions as I am very new at picking out good stuff, as the alst time around most of it was picked out and set up for me.

 

[shag26272]

how many powerquads do you have? I think the Aqua C urchin would work good on your tank. You could probabally trade your remora for one

 

[ledford1]

I would think about getting a beefier skimmer. I don't know anything about MTC though. The Remora is rated up to 75g, so it wouldn't hurt to go over that number. You could go with another HOB skimmer, perhaps a CSS125 or even the 220 to go all out. The skimmers are pretty reasonably priced. By adding a sump, you give yourself a new location for a skimmer. You could put in a nice ASM or EuroReef skimmer - I would try to do this if you have enough room in the sump.

How far is your tank off the ground? I ask b/c 960gph might be more flow than you want going through your sump. Too much flow and you can raise issues, such as microbubbles. You also want slower flow through the fuge, around 275 or 300gph for your setup I think.

Fuges are nice, but I'm not sold on Miracle Mud. I would either leave it BB or maybe DSB if you need a bed for some macro.

You've got a start anyway.

 

[LekicINC]

i apologize, i actually have an urchin i had a brain fart. Its the" urchin pro in sump with drain fitting." Im not sure if should upgrade, but was reccomended MTC and wasnt sure if it was that great. The lfs that suggested it also wanted to sell it for 550, the price of some proven good skimmers. THe Wet/dry had a place for the urchin.
Thanks for the info on the flow, i was using 950 when i had the wet/dry and forget abotu needing less flow for the fuge. I have heard the mud is good but overpriced and I was gonna buy my stuff from one guy as a packaged deal, but it turns out to be pretty expensive so i think i will jsut do a dsb as i wiill have extra sand leftover im sure. I will be using 4 maxijets on a wavemaker for now, and eventually sell those and get two tunze streams on a controller.

 

[javajaws]

Definitely ditch the miracle mud idea. Is this gonna be a fish only tank? If not, I'd suggest getting some beter lights...maybe go with some T5s.

 

[LekicINC]

if the nitrates get lower then maybe i would add some sofites.

 

[LekicINC]

anyone else have an opinion?