[Mobious]

Hey all...

I have an extra 30gal laying around and I thought I would put it to some good use and set it up..

I'd like to use it for growing calapura and some other "Low" flow loving critters... I am going to start out with a 250watt 10k MH setup I have.. I haven't decided on filtration yet.. Which leads me to my question.. Should I go full blown with a sump & skimmer. .Or could I get away with some canister filter? I am open to suggestions..

This set up is going to be in my bed room so noise if a factor..

The tank is undrilled.. I would rather not get it drilled since it is kinda old.. (c:

Thanks in advance

[icemark]

I have a 30 that I use for my best small corals, and I use a single 6.5k 250MH and two 20 watt NO 03 bulbs in it.

I wouldn't recommend the use of a canister filter, unless you are just planning to have it a FO or FOWLR which didn't sound like what you are doing.

The Caulpra will be the only real export you need, as long as you harvest it from time to time.

[Mobious]

Thanks,,

So I could prob just get away with a sump of some sort.. Like a rubbermaide container...?

[Mikeman]

you can easily get by with a bak/pak skimmer that hangs on the back of the tank, and with a dsb, thats enough filtration

[icemark]

Yep I would agree with Mikeman

[FishKid]

Thats my set-up, and resently, I have gone skimmerless (for the past week or so) since I hate the skimmer, I am using it as a hang on refugium of a sort. I am planing on ordering some caulerpa for nutrient export. and thats it. I would recommend starting off with a skimmer though.

mark

[Mobious]

Well the tank itself is going to be a Refugium (In a Sence).. I am going to grow Calapura and not much else.... I will prob only have some damsels or some cardnals (sp). I may prop some soft corals like star polups and put them in there...Im not really sure im still in the planning phase. I would rather not use a skimmer... Since IMO,, You are not supose to use a skimmer during the tank cycle. Well that's what I have always been told. However there will be some junk that the Calapura wont be able to get out.. Should I use some kind of filter media in the sump? Lastly, I will also have a DSB.. I am shooting for about 3.5 inches (aragonite)

I am going to use an old entertainment center I have. Its made of cherry wood... Nice dark color.. On one side it has a cabinet area used for storing your VCR and such.. I had planned on putting a Sump on the first self, on the second a water top off system... On the bottom prob my MH ballist and storage for food and other stuff..

[FISHme]

I don't know about others but I have never had much success growing caulerpa in any tank other then my sump that is lit 24/7/365.
I tried a set up kinda like what you are planning on just recently and had it set up for a couple months but the caulerpa never really got going.
I had some tang heaven start to grow on the power filter overflow and some brillo pad algae that really grew well but again the caulerpa would just keep on going sexual.
The caulerpa in my sump never goes sexual and grows quite wellso that is where I grow and harvest it and then feed to the main tank.
I just tore down my so called caulerpa grow out tank because I felt it was a waste of time .
I also tore down the q tank because I just had to much damn stuff running in the bed room.
You can still see a pic of it on my web site , I haven't removed it from the site yet.

http://community.webtv.net/MarkPelsk...LTWATERAQUARIA

Good luck in your adventure.
Oh by the way , I use Iron supplement for my calerpa and mangroves.

[Mobious]

I have had the same luck with Calapura in my sump.. They grew like crazy. .I had to harvest some every other day.. Until one day they all died.... I think it was due to one of my star fish dying....