Fish Only tank filtaration!

[jmadd]

Hi

I am starting up a 110 Gallon fish only tank. Would love to go with a reef but between renting and my free time decided on a Fish Only. My question is this I have been reading alot before I start my build on my filtration and would like to get your comments.

Should I go with just a sump or a wet/dry filter? I have been reading the posts about bio balls being a "nitrate factory" but it seems this always comes back to reef setups.

Neither the sump or wet/dry are a issue to build with me. I am at the very beginning of this build and have yet to do anything except setup the tank with a small filter to circulate it. I do not have a skimmer or Live rock at this point. I know that is a huge part of the sumps filtation.

Then I also read putting Live rock in a fish only tank is a waste because non reef friendly fish will just eat it. While others say it is a good thing in a fish only tank.

See where I am going here read one article or post and it contradics another so at this point I am totally confused lol!


Help!

 

[ralphie]

I like the idea of a sump period. For example, on or in my sump, I have my skimmer hanging, my Phosban reactor hanging, a bag of carbon in there, plus my heater and I dose when needed through the sump too.

I would put live rock in the tank as well some in the sump. You should setup the tank with a reef setup in mind, because many of us, myself included started out with a fish only tank, in mind, but then ended up going reef enventually.

Where are you located?

 

[jmadd]

I am in coram right down the road from you! I was thinking the same thing too. Since a sump and wet dray are so close it is pretty much removing the bio balls once I have my live rock in place (slowly of course). I was even thinking of seeding my own live rock in the tank. Using the DIY Rocks and some real live rock. I am just not sure if it will live if I get non reef safe fish some say yes some say no?

 

[fishome25]

i would do a wet/dry w/ live rock in the tank

 

[Iammatt219]

I second what Fishome said.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Make It Three !!!

 

[rtecanoe]

four

 

[jnfallon]

buy marcorocks. inexpensive and very porous.

bioballs cant hurt i guess, but the live rock should provide plenty of surface area

most important things, imo

1. water movement
2. aeration
3. serious skimming

If it was me, I'd make it dual overflow, drop one over a thick bed of matala, and drop the other into a good needlewheel skimmer.

Use a good return pump and add whatever intank water movement you can afford - tunze, maxi mods, whatever.

 

[jmadd]

Thanks for your input guys I really appericate it. I got my wet/dry or sump up and going last night used a 30 gallon rubbermain container and a mag 9.5. I have pleanty of room to either add the tricle or just a sump most seem to be going for a sump at this point.

As I have been reading I dont think I would ever be turning this guy into a total reef because of the depth of the tank. I know I could go with 400 watt HW but they are pretty expensive and I support LIPA enough at this point lol!

I do have to little gaint pumps that I am going to use for a closed loop which I am going to start on as soon as I decide on a sump or wet/dry. So the Water Movement should be excellent! The mag 9.5 is great too.

 

[wegotcrabs]

Its very simple- set the tank up the right way- and you will save yourself a lot of time and headaches in the future. The larger the sump the better- reason being it adds more water volume- and more stablity. It gives you a place to hide the skimmer, heaters etc. Over skim- I have a skimmer rated for 250 gallons on my 90. No Bioballs- Nitrate Factory, plus they have to be taken out of the wet/dry 1/3 at a time and cleaned to control the level of nitrates. A FOLWR tank can maintain a higher level of nitrate- about 20-30 ppm but it does add extra stress on ur livestock for no reason. Alot of live rock- search the internet. its a lot cheaper, but make sure you cure it. The last secret is water movement. The more the better. I turn my water over 15x an hour. Hope this helps.