Filtration on a 55G Pipefish Tank?

[Dave Legacy]

Hi,

I have an empty 55G that I'd like to use to house a group of Alligator Pipefish and grow Macro/Seagrass. I know that pipes don't like a lot of flow so I have to be careful on what I use to filter the system. I did a search but I have only come up with ideas for smaller tanks 10-40g. I have a spare Fluval 403, but I also have a Mag350 Canister on a 40G Breeder and it blows everything around.

What about a sump? I haven't really heard anyone say they use sump systems on their SH/Pipe tanks. A sump/regfugium might be a good way for me to culture pods. What about a HOB Refugium w/skimmer?

Any insight on this topic?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Fredfish]

You have lots of filtration options. You could go filterless and skimmerless since you are growing macros.

A sump refugium or hang on refugium would also work well.

I have my refugium set up nest to the seahorse tank. I have a large basket on the powerhead intake that pumps water into the refugium.

Some flow is just fine, more than you would think, you just don't want water blasting around the way it does in some peoples reef tanks.

Fred

 

[Dave Legacy]

I'd like to do a sump refugium because I could hide my equipment and would probably end up being just as cost efficient as a HOB refugium. Although, filterless sounds very tempting and hassle free!

 

[Fredfish]

Start with a sump refugium and go from there.

If you are really interested in skimmerliss, do a search in the plant/macro-algae forum on the screen name plantbrain. One of the main challenges of skimmerless is maintaining the growth of macros and controlling the growth of cyanobacteria.

Fred

 

[pledosophy]

I have been skimmerless since before it was popular. Skimmers are great, they have there place, but they don't go well in my tanks with heavy macro growth.

I think if your going to have a sump, then run your filter out of the sump so flow is not an issue.

IME if you break up the flow into multiple returns or use spraybars, you can pull off quite a bit of flow in a syngnathid tank.

I kind of got ridiculous with it, but had my horse tank up too 20x an hour with some huge spraybars and 3 returns, each split into two. It was unsitly, but effective. The horse could hitch on the retur, but there was no dead spots

I wouldn't get that ridiculous, but they can handel some flow.