SchnauzerFace
New member
Hi everyone!
I bought a used 75g setup last year. I was new to the hobby and afraid to change anything. But now I realize the sump leaves something to be desired, and I'd like to improve it. Here's a top-down view:
I was hoping someone could help steer me in the right direction. Here are my thoughts and questions:
1.) Is the rubble rock actually doing anything? There's no light down there, so it's not LR. Actually, I'm not sure it's rock at all. Kinda looks like chunks of cement.
2.) In the upper right hand corner (back right part of the tank), I'd like to remove the rubble rock and put in some chaeto. For this, I'll need a light, of course. I have read any cheap shop light will work, along with a CFL ~ 6500K? Any particular wattage for macro algae?
3.) Is there anything I can do in that huge chamber with the protein skimmer? Perhaps a sand bed with more macro algae? Or maybe legit LR (not the weird rubble rock) to help with biological filtration?
4.) I'd like to get rid of those bioballs in the center. I've heard mixed (but mostly negative) things about bioballs, so I think they need to go. Should anything else go in that area? I've read that those small chambers are meant to reduce micro bubbles from the skimmer? If so, should I just leave that space empty?
5.) Is there anything I should put in the chamber with the return pump? I'm planning to remove the rubble "rock" as I'm not convinced it's doing anything useful. I'm assuming that live sand with macro algae would get sucked into the return pump and dumped into the display. So -- without taking the whole sump apart -- is there any way to partition that chamber in half, and then put rock/ sand/macroalage in the new partition? The return pump is situated at the back of that chamber and is fairly compact.
My primary goal for the refugium is to reduce nitrates. On that note, what macro algae does everyone recommend? I can snag some chaeto easily enough. Should I look into anything else?
Thank you all for your time and patience!!
Andrew
I bought a used 75g setup last year. I was new to the hobby and afraid to change anything. But now I realize the sump leaves something to be desired, and I'd like to improve it. Here's a top-down view:
I was hoping someone could help steer me in the right direction. Here are my thoughts and questions:
1.) Is the rubble rock actually doing anything? There's no light down there, so it's not LR. Actually, I'm not sure it's rock at all. Kinda looks like chunks of cement.
2.) In the upper right hand corner (back right part of the tank), I'd like to remove the rubble rock and put in some chaeto. For this, I'll need a light, of course. I have read any cheap shop light will work, along with a CFL ~ 6500K? Any particular wattage for macro algae?
3.) Is there anything I can do in that huge chamber with the protein skimmer? Perhaps a sand bed with more macro algae? Or maybe legit LR (not the weird rubble rock) to help with biological filtration?
4.) I'd like to get rid of those bioballs in the center. I've heard mixed (but mostly negative) things about bioballs, so I think they need to go. Should anything else go in that area? I've read that those small chambers are meant to reduce micro bubbles from the skimmer? If so, should I just leave that space empty?
5.) Is there anything I should put in the chamber with the return pump? I'm planning to remove the rubble "rock" as I'm not convinced it's doing anything useful. I'm assuming that live sand with macro algae would get sucked into the return pump and dumped into the display. So -- without taking the whole sump apart -- is there any way to partition that chamber in half, and then put rock/ sand/macroalage in the new partition? The return pump is situated at the back of that chamber and is fairly compact.
My primary goal for the refugium is to reduce nitrates. On that note, what macro algae does everyone recommend? I can snag some chaeto easily enough. Should I look into anything else?
Thank you all for your time and patience!!
Andrew
