new tank set up

[rz1a]

....water is going to come out dirty out of the chamber anyways, its not like the skimmer can right away take out nitrates and phosphates. skimmer is meant to pick up little particles and push them thorugh the top, which is why theres bubbles, so they can attach to bubbles and end up in the collection cup

if you put your refugium before the skimmer, it defeats the purpose of having a refugium, now all you have is a compartment for chaeto to grow instead of being safe haven for copepods and any living organisms. if they copepods and organisms find their way out, theyll end up in the DT where they become food for fish and others

[coraline79]

You want to skim water straight from the tank, and you want you fuge to have water straight from the tank. Have 2 drains on each end of the sump, and have your return in the middle. If you want to be safe, get drains that double the flow of your return pump, use valves to tune them down, so if one drain gets clogged you can still run the other one on full until you fix the other drain.

[Hamp]

Tank looks great Matt. Thanks for saving me that favia. Fixed the chiller, its running better than ever. Talk to you soon-

[mattymalcolm]

Hey I posted some new pictures. I almost have it complete. I will keep posting. Thanks eveyone for your post it has made this tank set-up even more enjoyable.

[mattymalcolm]

Thanks Hamp for coming by and checking out the tank. I am almost finished, I think I am going to get a lot done today. I am glad you like the favia.

[mattymalcolm]

My wife plumbed the drains together. I put the protein skimmer first. After the protien skimmer it goes into live rock. It then flows underneath into the fuge. Then it goes over into a sand bed, through a bubble chamber to the return pumps ( two mag 7s). The problem I am having now is that the algea from the fuge is runing through to the pumps and some into the tank. Not sure yet how to fix this or even why it is doing it.

[Mr Cob]

looking good Matt!

[mattymalcolm]

Thanks almost done more pics soon.