Filtration advice.

[laxbograt]

I have a 55 gallon start up reef tank with 50 lbs of live sand as well as live rock, it is currently cycling, this is my first reef tank and have been reading different types of filtration to add. I am currently simply running my sump with bio balls, I know this is a hot button issue, but I am being helped by a 15 year reef vet and it was his suggestion. I am planing on adding a skimmer within the next several months as well as some chemipure to help, I was also planning on using a canister filter but my mind has been changed after reading about there hazards. I was think about adding a refugium with chaeto in it, I would like to create as self-sufficient as possible. Just wondering what everyone thinks of this setup.

Thanks
Carlos

 

[Aquarist007]

IMO
55 -60 live rock
protein skimmer
ditch the biolballs and turn that area into a refugium
don't need a cannister filter but if you have one--ditch all the media and run carbon in it.

you don't need to help a cycling tank however keep track of ammonia levels and if they rise too sharply then be prepared for a 20 per cent water change.

 

[kube]

i would maybe suggest since you are planning on running chemipure that you buy TLF reactor and run the media in there to get its full benefits....

 

[Michael]

as the cap-n really, i would add try to find a skimmer with a 100 gallon rating, as most manufactures exaggerate the ratings

 

[cloak]

Don't jump on the bandwagon. There is a lot of good advice here, but it's great when somebody breaks the rules and makes it happen.

If we were all doing the same thing, we would go nowhere...

Positive by negative.

 

[muttley000]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15693100#post15693100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cloak
Don't jump on the bandwagon. There is a lot of good advice here, but it's great when somebody breaks the rules and makes it happen.

If we were all doing the same thing, we would go nowhere...

Positive by negative.

Conventional is the safest, but check out the 35 year old reef thread to see something that works breaking a lot of the rules

 

[cloak]

I've seen some 50+ year old wine barrels with nothing but a few goldfish and some duckweed that were just pristine. The principles are the same, whether it's fresh or salt.

 

[scrapING]

Bio balls work but IMO live rock works better down in the sump

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15694980#post15694980 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scrapING
Bio balls work but IMO live rock works better down in the sump

bioballs work and and that is the problem. They are great coverters of ammonia to nitrates but stop the cycle there. These nitrates can build up and if the bioballs are not properly maintained release the nitrates back into the system.
Live rock however can support all three strains of bacteria needed to convert ammmonia to harmless nitrogen gas that bubbles out of the system.

(this is also a downfall of hob filters, cannister filters etc etc.)