Filtration advice

[txstateunivreefer]

Ok so at the nature park we have started building our exhibits and one of the items that we are going to have is a saltwater touch tank that folks can approach and it will have some critters in there ie flounder, starfish, horseshoe crab banded blue crab etc. the tank holds about 50 gallons filled. it was buit before i got here and currently has an inline charcoal filter and a coralife external pump on it it is on a rolling cart and i know i want to add additional volume underneath a protien skimmer etc but i am needing advice on what the best method is for filtration both biological and mechanical. keep in mind that there will be no live rock up top so all filtration means must take place underneath. i will try to post pictures in a bit

[RayAllen]

Id do a sump with a chamber as a fuge and a chamber with lots of Live Rock rubble. Youd be amazed of the life you get from rubble.

[Bill S]

Chris,

There are 2 important items, because nasty hands go in this thing all the time (even though you probably have a hand cleaning station?): Skimmer for the oils and proteins and gunk, and carbon for the chemicals they transport in.

[txstateunivreefer]

well its my supervisor that wants a "touch tank" when i told her maintance etc would be alot easier with a regular tank with some reds and trout in. she suggested running a pipe from the gulf into this tank and circulating the water through it. other thing is that down here there is no saltwater store so getting rock rubble etc will be difficult. i was thinking a wet dry, carbon reactor and a protien skimmer.

[Bill S]

If you have access to gulf water, here's what I would do: I'd circulate small amounts in and out during hours. Enough to get rid of the contaminants, but not enough to drastically affect the temperature, which should be regulated pretty much by the surrounding atmosphere. In other words, you don't want really warm gulf water in the summer, or too cold water in the winter.

One of the first tanks I kept (many, many moons ago...), I kept by dragging a bucket or 2 of ocean water down the street every day!

[txstateunivreefer]

that is similar to my supervisors idea which i think is nuts of a constant circulation between the gulf and the tank

[erikharrison]

Jeremy had one in his store when he first opened it. He had several crashes despite hand washing with no soap and hot water. He took it out because it was a maintainence nightmare. To go along with what Bill said, you will need a really good skimmer, probably with a huge collection bucket as it should constantly be going banana sangwich.

Then you have to be very weary of what is stocked in it... Inverts.... mostly? Yikes...

[stoneroller]

Is it a 24/7 touchtank or just for special events?

[B&BAquatics]

I definitely would add 3 to 4 times the water volume. I had one at about 125 gallons and it was never stable. Do not cheap out on the protein skimmer, Get one that is rated for twice the volume and a reliable brand. IE: Euro-Reef or Deltec. With out the Live rock you will need this big skimmer and you will be thankful you did it. Next try to use the true Poly filter fiber, it is the best for pulling organics and pollutants out of the water. the filter floss and off brands will not do the job. Try to run this as on of the lst parts of the filteration. Running Charcoal/Carbon and a filter sock (not together) would be reccommended too. Also running with out the live rock, load it up with Bio Balls, You will have to have the surface area to grow the bacteria needed supply the system. On another note, stay away from the horseshoe crab and fish. Most people will get cut or poked and start to bleed in the water.