New Reef tank info need with past experience

[john316]

Hi,
I will be starting up a 180g (72x24x24) reef tank again with some fish (2 job relocations ugh). I am trying to update my system (1990's). The tank has 2 overflow boxes in back corners (troublesome as fish would get sucked up) that were hooked up to a protein skimmer. There is also a hole in the back lower center of the tank to drain water out of the tank that went into the wet dry sump with bioballs. This water was then pumped back into the tank via one of the under ground filter tubes. I also used 3 power heads with the UG filters and tsunami wave.

The DIY sump with bioballs and DIY protein skimmer are gone. From what I have read the UGF is on the way out.
I want to try the aragonite 6" sand bottom and use the coral rickrack as a base for corals.

Currently I have:
tank, 2 MH lights, 200 lbs of coral rickrack, 3 powerheads, tsunami wave.

I need:
Protein skimmer. As per the archive I noted Remora Pro. Red Sea Berlin, Precision Marine Hot-1 as good protein skimmers. Others?

Questions:
1.Should I use the corner boxes for protein skimmer or seal off the holes (fish would get into the boxes and go to the skimmer)?
2.Should I use the filter hole in the back center of the tank or seal it off?
3. Do I need external filtration with a 6 " sand bed and skimmer?
4. Do I need a new sump w/o bioballs?
5. What would be the purpose of the sump now with a sand bottom?
Any suggestions observations would be greatly appreciated.
We live in Montague Mich. and would be interested in joining a club if there is one
Thanks

[Wiskey]

Welcome to TRT!

The Berlin is not good anymore, technology has come a long way, the Hot-1 by PM may be out of production or at least changed design,.... For your tank I would definitally look into an ASM G3 or G4, or if you want to have allot of fish and don't mind a little plumbing the MRC MR-2 is the best skimmer I have ever owned, but be sure to run it off a GENX PCX 55, Beckett skimmers depend on a big pressure rated pump to drive the beckett.

You want the sump still, it is a great place to put equiptment, you will want to run your skimmer down there, and even grow a little Macro algae to help prevent the growth of Micro algae in the display. Ditch all the Mechanical fiilters and go with a good skimmer.

For in-tank flow you will want a min of 20X tank size, so 20*180, this is best done by pumps like Seio's, Vortexes, or Tunze streams, these pumps make a wide flow pattern unlike old pumps that use allot more power and make a cone of blasting water flow.

If you are going to go DSB make sure to use the right sand, it needs to be oothlic sand (basically sugar size granes or smaller). The general consences on DSB's right now is they work great for about 5 years or so then start to go south, at that time it will need to be replaced.

HTH,
Whiskey

[reefermike1]

nice to see another michigander in here, think ill leave the advice to someone with a bit more experiance in tanks that size. But for a tank your size imo definately go with a sump. ditch the hob skimmer idea and get one to put in the sump, biggest one u can find! and yea trash the ug filter, although ive heard people running them in reverse using crushed coral to constantly remove detritus. and if your tank is already drilled by all means use it look at the diy posts for overflows

[Fly Guy]

Nothing to add to what whiskey said.

Welcome to TRT : )

[Wiskey]

Fly, now your doing it to me.

Whiskey

[pyron88]

What Whiskey said.

[john316]

Thanks for the information!
Could I have a little clarification.
1. Should I seal off the holes in the corner boxes that fed my protein skimmer by gravity or use this with a new skimmer?
2. Do the new protein skimmers have their own pumps to draw water?
a. How is this water put back into the tank?
b. Should I use the hole in the back of my tank to send back the skimed water?
c. Should the water that has gone through the skimmer go into the sump?
3. What is in the sump besides water? I am used to the bio balls of past. I don't understand the purpose of a sump (box of water) being pumped bact to the tank? Do you put a light on this water?
4. Do you need a sump?

Thanks alot

[Wiskey]

1. By corner boxes I assume you mean overflow Boxes, if so then no. You will use these boxes to feed your new sump and the skimmer will pull water from your sump.

2. A. Yes, some recercs use a seprate feed pump and recerc pump, and could be gravity fead if you don't want to deal with two pumps but the 2 I mentioned both only use one pump to both pull water and create air.
B. The water is returned to your main tank from your sump VIA a return pump, I always like to go up and over with this plumming to prevent back syphon, but some go though the back, I just think it's risky.
C. Yes, it does, the skimmer often sits in the sump. There are really no HOB skimmers good enough for that size tank, so even an external one will pull from the sump and feed back to it, then bubble traps in the sump will ensure no bubbles make it back to your tank.

3. In your sump is your skimmer, your heaters, your CA reactor, some people have fuge, your chiller, etc,... You would only need to light it if you wanted to do a fuge in it.

4. You don't need, but you would be chopping yourself off at the knees if you don't have one, it's benifits are immesurable. If I was to setup my 180 for SW I would have at least a 75G sump, my 125SW uses a 50G sump.

HTH,
Whiskey

[BLEEZY]

i like the fuge idea.

[Geoff]

Welcome to TRT!!!



could you post a pic of the tank. the drilling seems a little odd to me and would like to see what we are talking about.

most of the time both overflows are plumbed into the sump. than a return is run from the sump back into the tank.

that hole in the center could become an outlet for a closed loop system. instead of blocking the hole you might want to drill a couple more for this CLS.

G~

[john316]

Do you have a picture what this sump configuration looks like?

Thanks