filter for 500 gal tank ??

[unclemuskie]

Hello all,got a friend who just had a 500 gallon acrylic tank with dual overflows put into his new home.He is planning on plumbing thru the floor into basement.This is going to be a fish only with x-large fish in it.Any ideas on the type of filter and size and any extras ie skimmer,heater he may need.Any suggestions would help.thanks.

 

[menard]

LIVE ROCK . A kick *** skimmer ,like ETSS downdraft skimmer model 1500 . A good UV sterilizer.We could go on and on w/ the gadgets all automated or semi.As far as the man's wallet could handle. Its all possible. PEACE

 

[unclemuskie]

bump

 

[whiirly]

LOTS OF LIVE ROCK if room is unlimited in the basement gowith a couple 100 gal tubs (you can get them at Farm & Fleet)use one for a refugium and the other for more LIVE ROCK and buy the biggest Skimmer he can afford
http://myreefcreations.com/pslarge.htm
like one from here, my opion is you can never have a big enough skimmer

 

[pondfrog]

What kind of info are you looking for exactly? It's kind of an open ended question. Specific brands? I take it from the question your friend has never had a saltwater tank before?

Here's a few things:
1. 300g sump- rubbermaid- they're strong and easy to get and plumb.
2. MRC skimmers are great and not too expensive- call and talk to Andy about size recommendations. He will sell it as a plug 'n play for you. Probably an MR-6 or so.
3. I'm a big fan of ozone-- redsea 100mg/hr will probably be enough
4. Heater- get titanium Finnex to run off of a controller- probably 1 or 2 500watts, depends on his other heat generating items (pumps, lights, etc)
5. Controller- many out there. Not going reef he could get away with a single stage temp controller- medusa makes a good one.
6. I agree with live rock in the sump for biological filtration.
7. To get fancy a nice autotopoff with a 50g or so reserve would make maintenance a bit easier.

HTH

 

[Whaledriver]

Something to consider is a gravity fed skimmer. The head pressure of the water going down to the basement is enough to run a skimmer. I have read some threads about this and it works. With a tank this size it would save about 200-400 watts of 25/7 power.

I would consider a closed loop to keep the water being pumped to the basement at a minimum. The only water to the sump is for the filter systems.

 

[unclemuskie]

What about a 2 part rubbermaid brute sump.the first part with live rock and some sort of lighting.this would be plumbed to another tub of the same size.I figure the more volume of water in the sump the better for evaporation.the skimmer could draw off the 1st part of sump and return to the second part.heater and other accessories could go into the second part also.would you guys think live rock over bio-balls would work better even for fish only or is this overkill?

 

[unclemuskie]

also what type of circulating pump would any of you suggest for return water to tank with a head of about 15 feet ? thanks.

 

[whiirly]

Blue line 200 would do you nicely for return
and a sequence barracuda for a closed loop
you may need two pumps for your closed loop on a tank that size