Need advise on setup

[alfieferenzo84]

So i got a 220g fish only no live rock with instant reef inserts and a huge wet and dry. Also have a canister fx6 and emp400. The setup was suppose to stay like this to avoid rock and skimmers but I'm having issues with cloudiness and i just don't think the current filter is keeping up? Water test good zero ammonia/nitrites. Nitrates been running about 10. Tanks has been up for about 4mo.

Im debating and really don't want to but adding 50-100lb of dry rock or

adding onto my sump acrylic 36x14x16 a glass 20l to add a skimmer or

add a big uv filter

What would be the best long term and best for the tank? I really didn't want to add rocks... However they are cheaper then a skimmer setup as that is going to cost about $700 vs $300 for rocks.

Whats your thoughts and what would you do? Keep in mind this is a fish only tank no inverts never will see corals. Fish Only.

Thanks

 

[Sk8r]

DUnno---I run a 100 g reef. I use a Coralife, which is not the priciest skimmer going, but it does produce. I'm wondering if you have a bacterial bloom going on. I understand the rock problem, but you don't have to have live rock: you've got a little, which can make more dry rock live, added gradually over time. If it's just the empty space you want---you weren't clear as to whether it was totally the cost or the space---then I'd say even a moderate a skimmer might be your best bet to try to get the stray amino acids out. If your water froths (with amino acids) where it pours into more of the water, ie, if it produces a foam, then I'd think you do need a skimmer.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

I just didn't want rock that why i got the inserts. they take up the hole tank pretty good. but there is room behind if needed.

There is foam in the overflow.

Do you think my current filtration is enough? It could just be a bloom but it happens like every 2wks for a week.

I just want the tank to be healthy and fish happy...

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Pic of the layout

 

[Sk8r]

I'm betting that that foaming is because your water is charged with amino acids, and the fish will likely be happier without them. The more you can do to keep that water nitrate free, phosphate free, and amino-acid low, with an alkalinity about 8.3 or thereabouts, the happier the fish will be, and the way the ocean gets the amino acids out (besides its other processes) is the surf, which foams up the water, as it hits the beach, and dries out.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

I'm betting that that foaming is because your water is charged with amino acids, and the fish will likely be happier without them. The more you can do to keep that water nitrate free, phosphate free, and amino-acid low, with an alkalinity about 8.3 or thereabouts, the happier the fish will be, and the way the ocean gets the amino acids out (besides its other processes) is the surf, which foams up the water, as it hits the beach, and dries out.

True I'm just not sure if $700 is really worth it??? $100 for sump add on and $600 for skimmer. Just wonder if it really would be worth it and do that much to help tank. Or would rocks do the same or more? I know everything added will do something but wheres the line of not worth it or not needed you know what i mean?

 

[Sk8r]

Know exactly what you mean. You're a 220. A Coralife 220 is an exterior skimmer and could likely be made to fit on the rim of your tank as-is, It has a pump supplying it that would have to go into the tank, and likewise a return hose that doesn't have to have the big sponge on it. Costs around 200.00. It would probably give you the fastest return on investment, but adding some real limestone (holey) piece at a time in place of the coral inserts would also increase the processing power of your sandbed, becoming really 100% active in about 4 weeks, per rock---you should NOT add a lot of rock at once, but about 10 lbs a go, letting it 'catch' bacteria from the sandbed and set up as total live rock---which takes a while for all those bacteria to work their way to the dry heart of that rock. Once a given rock soaked through has gone through its green algae phase (the fish may enjoy the browse) you add another rock, replacing more coral inserts as you go. THat way you'll develop more processing power, take the load off your filter, and you'll also have that skimmer working to keep the water in good shape. I'd also get an alkalinity test kit and supplement, because there's nothing makes fish cranky faster than skin going sore because of low alkalinity. It'll want to be somewhere between 7.9 and 9. I keep mine about 8.3. I keep damsels---plenty of room, perfectly nice---as long as the alkalinity stays up and their skins are comfy. If they get irritable, I know exactly which test to reach for. A little buffer in the water and all is sweetness and light.

 

[CStrickland]

Do any of your filters have a way to run carbon? Sometimes my water gets cloudy after I clean the tank and I run a filter pad made of carbon for a while to polish it up.
Also, it doesn't look like much for flow in there, if those powerheads aren't very strong they might not keep all the water moving to the filters.

Just a couple cheap ideas to try while you make up your mind, idk much about fowlr tanks

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Do any of your filters have a way to run carbon? Sometimes my water gets cloudy after I clean the tank and I run a filter pad made of carbon for a while to polish it up.
Also, it doesn't look like much for flow in there, if those powerheads aren't very strong they might not keep all the water moving to the filters.

Just a couple cheap ideas to try while you make up your mind, idk much about fowlr tanks

I try to stay away from carbon but that might be a good idea to run it every now and then. the emp 400 comes with it but i remove it n use filter floss in it.

Theres tons of flow... just from filters i have 700gph from return tested with buckets at same height of tank, figure 350-400gph from emp 400. fx6 claims 900 but i would guess more around 400gph. then i have 2 wp25 on max they claim claim 2000 gph lol x2 so that would be 5450/220=24.7 x a hour so i would be safe saying theres 10-20x a hour should be good enough right? When i feed food blows everywhere n fish seem to always be in current so idk what do you think now with knowing all details?

 

[CStrickland]

Idk, I run my tank at 40x without counting the sump return, but I don't have the extras hanging on the back and my ph's are tucked into the rocks so I need extra to make up for diffusion. Mostly I try to set them lower in the tank so the water doesn't just scoot around the top but really gets woofed up from the bottom to keep everything moving to my filters and oxygenated. Like if a fish is down by the sand and poops does it still fly up to the hob's, if so I suppose your fine?

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Idk, I run my tank at 40x without counting the sump return, but I don't have the extras hanging on the back and my ph's are tucked into the rocks so I need extra to make up for diffusion. Mostly I try to set them lower in the tank so the water doesn't just scoot around the top but really gets woofed up from the bottom to keep everything moving to my filters and oxygenated. Like if a fish is down by the sand and poops does it still fly up to the hob's, if so I suppose your fine?

theres no dead spots and a lot of current in tank. might be reason its cloudy from sand blowing around too.

But ill for sure try some carbon every now and then.

Thanks for the advise!!!

 

[CStrickland]

it would be awesome if that's all it takes. Good luck!

 

[alfieferenzo84]

right lol^^^^

im leaning towards a skimmer maybe a smaller used one for now and add a little rock then down road upgrade sump n skimmer but not sure still. not much feedback...

 

[CStrickland]

Re feedback, sk8r really knows their stuff so I would take silence from other posters as agreement.

 

[Sk8r]

I'm not necessarily right on a modern fish-only---haven't run one of those since the 80's. But you don't necessarily need a skimmer fit for sps corals (the highest demand for clean water)---your nitrates aren't awful, and just getting a skimmer to cope with what's-now would be a good step.

 

[platypusklr]

Nitrates

Nitrates

Is it possible your having a mid life cycle? I ran a fish only 90 gallon years ago when i was starting out in the hobby. Cycled the tank, only to realize the sand bed had just gone aerobic with a heck of a lot more processing power than the fluvals i had running with floss. I had a heck of a time with blooms and cyano even with 0 phosphate R/O water changes. Ahh to be young and uninformed. I agree with sk8er on the skimmer. You dont necessarily have to pay a arm and leg. Do you have a good lfs? Maybe a borrow for some business deal to let you use a skimmer and see if that helps with the problem?

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Is it possible your having a mid life cycle? I ran a fish only 90 gallon years ago when i was starting out in the hobby. Cycled the tank, only to realize the sand bed had just gone aerobic with a heck of a lot more processing power than the fluvals i had running with floss. I had a heck of a time with blooms and cyano even with 0 phosphate R/O water changes. Ahh to be young and uninformed. I agree with sk8er on the skimmer. You dont necessarily have to pay a arm and leg. Do you have a good lfs? Maybe a borrow for some business deal to let you use a skimmer and see if that helps with the problem?

how do i know if my sand bed or something like that is going on?

I think I'm going to get a 250-500 skimmer and add like 100lb of rock.