starting a tank with ATS only... is it possible?

[Devaji108]

OK so I have been thinking of doing a ATS only tank for some time and now I am "back in" after a cpl year break.

so my question Is how do you go about setting up a new tank with a upflow ATS?

I will be adding all or mostly primo deco LR form FL. so lots of life and filtration there.
tank is gonna focus on gorgonians. with some LPS and softies and hope some macro too. but with an ATS the Macros might be asking to much....

I have a DIY uplofw I build about 1.5 years ago with 2 cree red LEDs when I build it i was thinking of a SH tank. so I might need to go back and reread the cube per inch of screen. as it might be to big.

right now it's 6" x4.5" guessing that was for 2 cubes a day. if I remember right.

anyway is there anything I need to think about when starting a new tank off with an ATS? with the quality of LR i will be getting and slowing stocking over time i think it will take a cpl months to get the turf going.

thoughts and feedback?

cheers

 

[herring_fish]

I have been running an ATS only tank for 25 years. Yes read all that you can and ask questions on the appropriate threads and then go for it.

I normally put a carbon bag in the system and let the water flow over, around and through it so as not to make it a mechanical filter like a filter sock. This is just so that the carbon absorbs products that the corals use for chemical warfare. In a closed system, this can pull out stuff that reduces this risk. Many people think that this is not necessary however.

If you build for a bigger requirement, you can usually reduce the screen size in your fuller sized unit until you need to upgrade.

Good luck

 

[Devaji108]

yeah running carbon was my next question. at what time to I stare to use it?
should I just start it off with it from the get go?

I hear of people adding ATS at various stages of there tank. but I have yet to come upon a thread where they started off with it. I am sure ppl have done it I have just yet to see it.
guess I will try going over to the ATS forum and see what else i can learn about it.

oh Herring I love love to see your tank. I love the mature tanks.

 

[herring_fish]

I hate to tell you but my tank crashed when I set the auto top off unit wrong and then went on vacation. Now, I am about to restart tank number 4.

In the early 90's, I started #1 as a 55 gallon tank with a skimmer and a wet dry unit. Then I read Dynamic Aquaria by Dr. Adey. Write away, I designed and build my first ATS as a test.

Once it started growing algae, I disconnected everything else and never looked back.

In '93 or 4, I moved and started tank number 2 which was a 120 gallon. It had no sump and it was custom designed from the ground up. It had version 2 of an ATS. I brought some of the rock and corals over from tank 1.
After 911, I moved again and took a year or so to start tank number 3 so I didn't carry over anything from tank 2 except for the glass and the version 2 ATS. It did have a remote sump in the garage.

I am about to start tank number 4 and it starts with a new 180 gallon enclosure. I will use my second ATS in the new tank that is otherwise designed from the ground up. I am only carrying over some old rock. Some of it has been kept in a trash bin with aerated water so I will have some bacteria that is carried over from the old tank.

I have no hesitation starting a tank with an ATS. Of course, I will not stock the tank on the first day. I will wait for things to stabilize.

 

[lastpikd]

Good question. I'm about to start my tank in a few weeks and was going to just do ATS from the start. Glad to hear others have done it. OP was right in that their isn't much going around with people starting the ATS at the beginning of tank build.

 

[Devaji108]

Good question. I'm about to start my tank in a few weeks and was going to just do ATS from the start. Glad to hear others have done it. OP was right in that their isn't much going around with people starting the ATS at the beginning of tank build.

RIGHT!! theres not that much info at all really. keep me post on your setup would ya.