Tank and other item suitability.

[Fitz19d]

I'm sitting on the following things and wondered how they would work out in a aragonite/sand with live rock tank.

The current plan is a 45gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/refugium. Main tank live rock, possibly a hang on back filter for any random time to time carbon filter etc needs? Some powerheads in addition to the return from sump. In the sump live rock and chaeto + skimmer. Possibly some of that filter floss type stuff or other stuff in filtration.

The first question is the undergravel filter in the pictured 45gallon. I've never used one before in freshwater and have no idea would this work/serve a purpose/be pretty much maitenance free?

The cube pictured is to be the sump, plan is overflow goes into main part with live rock/chaeto. That overflows into built in sump getting skimmed in the first divider (or possibly in the main portion of the sump?). 2nd portion I could stuff in pads/floss, 3rd is return pump up to the 45gallon tank. Sound ok?

3rd question is I have a couple aesthetic items. In a marine/live rock tank, is there any point or even safe to put these items in? I was kinda assuming they would get grown over to the point of being unrecognizable. (Was planning to clip off the fake plants.)

 

[thegrun]

1. Under gravel filtration is an antiquated technique, there are draw backs to it that have made it obsolete. Do not use it.
2. If it were mine, I would remove the dividers and start over. Your plan would work with some modifications. If you are going to use some type of mechanical filtration like floss or better yet a filter sock be aware that it will need to be cleaned every 3 days or so. It is also best to filter the water first as it drains down from your main tank otherwise you introduce all that detritus into your refugium/sump. Also the section you have reserved for the skimmer is very small, which will limit the skimmers available to you.
3. They would be fine but most likely covered in coraline soon. They are not natural looking to me, but if you like them use them!

 

[Fitz19d]

Thanks, I knew I had always avoided it. Wanted to make sure it wasn't actually great for some obscure reason.

What about in reverse, run the overflow into the rear of the sump dividers. Filter sock and stuff in there, then when it hits the return I just let it flow through hole or pump it directly into the "display" of the sump for the rock/chaeto. Skimmer in the "display" for more room/larger skimmer. (One I have NIB was intended for the cube when it was going to be the main tank) From there pump it up to the 45. Or trying to pump out of there I'm going to have trouble keeping the water level right in the sump?

If I can't make the cube work, then I'd actually save money maybe by selling it and it's original stand and just making a new sump from a standard 20g. Just lacking the experience/tools/garage to do it easily.

Was also thinking of growing chaeto in the 45g since this is intended as a mantis/live rock tank. (I like both the planted macro mantis tank and the pest tanks seen under that subforum.)