To Fluval or Not to Fluval

[Ray1214]

I have recently dug up a Fluval 304 that I got with some tank stuff some time ago. A couple of questions.
1. I am rebuilding a 75 gal reef tank, with a 55 gal sump (half is a dsb filter), and using a 40 gal refugium. I like to run carbon every so often in my reef, to help control nitrates and phosphates and some chemicals I can't test for. (I read an article on WetWebMedia website on Chemical Warfare of corals that suggest that carbon every so often may help). Do you think connecting the fluval with a carbon change possibly once a quarter will be a benefit or not.
2. I am also moving a 55 gal freshwater planted tank. I plan on using my Tetratec 300 and a Whisper 50 on it. would the Fluval be better served on a freshwater tank?
3. Either way, should I connect the fluval to my tank, or to my sump, or to my refugium (salt only).

Thanks yall

Ray

[Ray1214]

By the way , I do run an Aquaclear 200 on my refugium, mostly to skim off the top gunk.

And I use two protein skimmers on my reef tank, but there is no skimming on the planted tank.

Ray

[parotkilah2]

i'd use the fluval on the planted tank and ditch the other two HOT filters. if you're gonna have a big planted tank with the works ( lighting upgrades, CO2, etc) you won't want excessive filtration so that you'll always have some nitrates in the tank. also with the tetratec's surge system you'll get hella water disturbance at the surface with creates a loss in co2. just my 2 cents.
brandon

[Ray1214]

Yeah I turn that surge thingie off. It works for crap IMHO. However you gotta love that heating element and the flow rate. Yeah, I use a DIY CO2 system, and have about 110 watts of lighting. The diffusior sits low enough where I havnn't had a problem with co2 getting lost, but I do have "Easy" plants in my tank. I got my cacomba and hygrophilia to bloom, that seemed to impress some of the freshwater folks. Of course they don't seem to like the amount of light I use, and that I use my old 10k's from my reef tanks.

Ray