Used Tank, New Owner, Out of hobby since 2006 Need help and Advice 110 Gal Saltwater

[hack2nite]

Intro
Hello and thanks for checking out my post. I had a 30 gal reef from 2000-2006 I got married and moved and broke down my tank. So i know alot but alot has changed in the last 8 years and i have forgotten alot of things. I was given a 110 gal tank that was my sisters with all the parts listed below. I initially want to just have fish and then some mushrooms and like leathers and Xenia and anenome for clowns.

The Setup

110 gallon tank 48' long x 30' tall x 18' wide with built in overflow inbetween the middle and left corner, ( so not in middle and not inthe corner but inbetween them. with 3/4 in and 1" out) this was filled with BioBalls

Wet/ Dry filter 23"x 16"x 12" ( good for 150 gal tank) Acrylic with lots of blue bio balls.

Aqua UV 25W UV filter with Wiper rod

Little giant external return pump 1250 GPH rate at 3'

48" T5 HO x 4 bulbs at 54W each + 8 led moonlight

aqua clear acrylic protien skimmer in sump design with a RIO 2100

130-150 pounds of Coral rock which i pressure cleaned and has been laying out in the sun for about a week now, there nice and white now.


My best friend in the hobby and has helped me with the plumbing by adding gate valves and unions so that things can be changed or replaced easy.


So these are my concerns

1. Should i use bio balls if not which media should i use in the trickle filter as i really so not want to buy all new sump. I see biopellets or bio balls filled with ceramic or other medias like SEACHEM MATRIX looks really good. so im not sure what i should replace the BIOBALLS with.

2. Im adding new sand but was recommened only about an inch so im thinking 40 pounds of live sand. My sisters old sand was really dirty so i threw it out.

3. Im gonna fill tank with fresh saltwater instead of salt mix

4. Im gonna use Purigen and Chemi-blue in sump once the tank is cycled and ready to go.

5. Should i get a phoban reactor ?

6. What other recommendations can you make ?

7. Whats with adding Vinigar and Vodka ?

8. I want to make this tank as low maintence as possible, my old 30 gal was a DIY nightmare that i loved but it was so time consuming and stressful at times. :hmm3: With my old tank the more i messed with it the worse it got the less i did the better the corals and fish were.


Thanks for looking and for your help

David from Miami, FL

 

[Fallling]

Generally, bio-balls and wet/dry filters aren't used. You can make a new sump from any regular aquarium that you can fit under the stand. Petco has the $1 per gallon tank sales once or twice a year, and of course, CL. The only tricky part might be adding the baffles. Baffles aren't necessary but will help keep the water level constant and help keep micro bubbles from getting into the DT. Another option is to place live rock rubble in the bio ball section and turn it into more of a refugium chamber. One thing to make sure is if the power goes out, the wet/dry filter can handle the back siphon from the DT... a wet/dry filter came with my tank and there's no way it could handle the back siphon.

A reactor for gfo is a good idea to help control with phosphate. Excess phosphates leads to algae problems. Not necessary, but usually makes life easier.

Vinegar and Vodka is a method of carbon dosing to reduce nitrates. Unless you get to a point where nitrates are hard to control, I wouldn't do it. Especially, since you want to keep things simple.

 

[hack2nite]

Thats what my friend did but i do not wanna really do that, I was thinking of using another media instead of the bioballs. Maybe the seachem matrix or pellets im not sure. Thanks for the info it was a great help

 

[Macimage]

I put as much extra live rock as I can in my sumps for extra filtration.

However, make sure that you only fill the sump with live rock up to the point where the back siphon from your main tank won't overflow the sump in the event of a power outage.