hang on overflow box

[QtJenny19]

never used one of these, and just got one for the new tank. I was wondering what the sponge is for and if I am going to have algae problems on the u-tube since its clear. What have you guys done to prevent this if it is a problem.

 

[Reefrus2003]

The sponge is just a pre-filter, it also will keep fish and larger particles from traveling down to the sump, just clean it when you change out filters. I have never had a problem with algae in the U-tube, but I do keep it cleaned out when I replace pre-filters. You can always wrap it in black electrical tape above the water lines if you are worried about algae growth in it.

 

[QtJenny19]

I assume that the sponge goes in the box on the outside of the tank. Is this correct?

 

[Reefrus2003]

yes, over the nipple that returns to the sump.

 

[QtJenny19]

is this right?

 

[QtJenny19]

or like this ?

 

[Reefrus2003]

The second picture is the right way

 

[Bret61081]

I clean my overflow sponge everyday. I want to keep my water as close to perfect as possible. If its going to be a sea horsetank I would def clean it everyday if not every other...you Dont want to run into nitrate problems...

 

[whaler1582]

the second one looks good to me, if you don't know how to start the u tube, what you do is take a piece of airline tubing and put it into the u tube all the way to where the bend is, then make sure there is water in both sides of the overflow box, then suck all the air out of the tube and pull the airline hose out of the tube, then you are all set.
Josh

 

[QtJenny19]

Thanks for all of your help. The whole setup will be completed by this weekend hopefully.

 

[whaler1582]

post pics of your setup once it is up and running. what kind of filter are you using under your tank, refugium or wet/dry, etc. what are you planning on keeping in the tank, is it gonna be a fowlr or reef or something else?
Josh

 

[jun_celis]

The only setback on those prefilter floam is if you don't keep up with cleaning it, you will not have a consistent water level on both tank and sump. I totally removed mine after having that issue and never looked back then. Been happy with it without it. Just my 2.

 

[Abengochea]

Ill jump in and answer about her tank, its a 25 gal tank. Going to be mainly seahorses with some sort of sand sifting goby and maybe a pipe fish. I will be giving her some of my soft corals so itll have some in there and will be lit by a 130 watt power compact. As for filtration, itll be mainly done by a sealife systems protein skimmer and a 100 micron sock.

 

[whaler1582]

sounds like a good start, should be really nice
josh

 

[Abengochea]

hopefully everything will work out well. Its a bit of a team effort between her and I since I dont know squat about horses (but shes done the research) and she doesnt know about plumbing or setting up a tank and Ive got experience on that because of mine. Im sure there will be losts of pictures posted as we progress