paul
Fri, 11th Feb 2011, 04:24 AM
i have a 75 gal fowlr tank and have been using a filstar xp3 for over a year now. fish have been fine but i have never enjoyed the nitrate levels in the tank. i want to finally move into corals and am trying to add a sump. under my tank the stand only has so much room. the height is my concern because i have a max. height of 22 1/2 inches of clearance. Many protein skimmers are right at that level.
my plan is to add a sump that would run my 75 gallon tank and a small 10 gallon tank that i would start my coral in until i get comfortable with them.
my idea is to use a 20 gallon tank underneath because the height is about 12 inches and leaves me room to reach above. i thought about a 30 gal tank but its height is 16 inches and only leaves me with about 6 inches to reach in for maintenance. later i'm sure i'll build one out of plexi to have more gallons of filtration.
the filstar i would had to go to waist, so i want to dispose of everything inside of the filter and add nothing but bio balls in 2 of the canisters and phos-zorb in the last canister. my plan is to use the intake of the xp3 and build a inside overflow box on the 75 gallon tank and allow the pump of the filter to draw the water out. from there it would go from the xp3 out the return line routed into the sump through a bubbler pipe. the water would flow over and down another section of bioballs and filterpads and one charcoal section. it would then sit in the sump section and flow over into the live sand, live rock, cheato, and even rotifer section. last it would flow over into the return section.
now the 10 gallon tank would be t'eed into the suction line coming out of the 75 gallon tank through a 3 way valve. the 10 gallon tank would also have a inside overflow box with a suction pipe hanging over pulling the water up. the return for the 10 gallon tank would come from a 3 way valve going into the 75 gallon tank as well.
i know i could buy an overflow box and get rid of the xp3 but why not just use it this way. can it be done with no problems. i have a drawing for what i plan on doing if anyone is interested in making my idea better for a cheaper price. the reason i want to use the 10 gallon tank for coral right now is because i have small light setup for it already that should be sufficient for the coral. i also plan on growing out some frags.
my plan is to add a sump that would run my 75 gallon tank and a small 10 gallon tank that i would start my coral in until i get comfortable with them.
my idea is to use a 20 gallon tank underneath because the height is about 12 inches and leaves me room to reach above. i thought about a 30 gal tank but its height is 16 inches and only leaves me with about 6 inches to reach in for maintenance. later i'm sure i'll build one out of plexi to have more gallons of filtration.
the filstar i would had to go to waist, so i want to dispose of everything inside of the filter and add nothing but bio balls in 2 of the canisters and phos-zorb in the last canister. my plan is to use the intake of the xp3 and build a inside overflow box on the 75 gallon tank and allow the pump of the filter to draw the water out. from there it would go from the xp3 out the return line routed into the sump through a bubbler pipe. the water would flow over and down another section of bioballs and filterpads and one charcoal section. it would then sit in the sump section and flow over into the live sand, live rock, cheato, and even rotifer section. last it would flow over into the return section.
now the 10 gallon tank would be t'eed into the suction line coming out of the 75 gallon tank through a 3 way valve. the 10 gallon tank would also have a inside overflow box with a suction pipe hanging over pulling the water up. the return for the 10 gallon tank would come from a 3 way valve going into the 75 gallon tank as well.
i know i could buy an overflow box and get rid of the xp3 but why not just use it this way. can it be done with no problems. i have a drawing for what i plan on doing if anyone is interested in making my idea better for a cheaper price. the reason i want to use the 10 gallon tank for coral right now is because i have small light setup for it already that should be sufficient for the coral. i also plan on growing out some frags.