HELP!!!! Before I buy I need info...

[sprtfreak70]

Hello All! I love this site and have been reading on here for HOURS!!!! I am currently getting back into the swing of things with my tank. I previously had a FO tank like 6 years ago before I moved and no longer had room to set it up. Now I have TONS of room since moving into my new home!!!!! !
So many things have changed (For the better!) since then. So if I could get some help with a few questions I would appreciate it. Here is my backgound on what I currently own and what I am considering buying. I currently have a 100g old school glass tank. I used to run it with 2 large bio-wheel filters and it worked. I looked today at a 240g acrylic tank with a lifeguard filtration system that I want to buy (used on Craigslist.com). I would like to run a FOWLR and live sand system so my question revolve around this.

1)Filtration. The 240g acrylic tank has a canister filter system as well as a gravel type filter built in. Is that ok for me to use? On the 100g what type of filtration system setup would u recommend getting?

2) The 240g tank is nice but it has some surface scratches. Is there a way to get rid of them?

I want to try and setup both systems to maximize the pleasure and love of the hobby to share with my family. I may have a million more questions but this is enough to start with. Thanks for all of your help and ideas!!!

Bruce

[Ninong]

Hi sprtfreak70,

I currently have a 100g old school glass tank. I used to run it with 2 large bio-wheel filters and it worked.

Not many people run bio-wheel filters anymore, except maybe on very small aquariums.

I looked today at a 240g acrylic tank with a lifeguard filtration system that I want to buy (used on Craigslist.com).

What's a "lifeguard filtration system?"

I would like to run a FOWLR and live sand system so my question revolve around this.

1)Filtration. The 240g acrylic tank has a canister filter system as well as a gravel type filter built in. Is that ok for me to use?

"Gravel type filter?" "Built in?" Is this one of those acrylic tanks with a built-in filtration compartment (usually wet/dry type) that takes up a lot of space inside the tank along the back wall?

On the 100g what type of filtration system setup would u recommend getting?

On either tank, I would recommend a good protein skimmer as the most important piece of equipment. A good skimmer, live rock and live sand and that's about all you really need.

2) The 240g tank is nice but it has some surface scratches. Is there a way to get rid of them?

I have no personal experience with acrylic tanks but you might want to check out these products: Here, here.

I want to try and setup both systems...

Or maybe you could use the 100-gal as a sump/refugium for the 240-gal???

[sprtfreak70]

Ninong (Godfather in tagalog right?!),

Thanks for the help! I have a few foolow ups for you.

1) After looking it up I spelled lifeguard wrong. It is "Lifegard" made by Rainbow. I didnt find the exact one online but it seems correct.

2) The "gravel" (?) filtration is along the bottom of the tank and has a grate with a mesh type covering over it. All the filtration is sucked in via pipes and filtered underneath via a canister type filters. THere are 2 pumps underneath that provides flow with the return piped to the top of the tank.

#) Sump/refugium? I will have to look that one up to see what you mean.

Thanks again for the response! I cant wait to get started!!

Bruce

[Ninong]

Ninong (Godfather in tagalog right?!),

Yes.

1) After looking it up I spelled lifeguard wrong. It is "Lifegard" made by Rainbow. I didnt find the exact one online but it seems correct.

Is it a series of canisters or is it some sort of trickle filter (wet/dry filter)?

2) The "gravel" (?) filtration is along the bottom of the tank and has a grate with a mesh type covering over it.

That's a plenum system. I wouldn't bother reinstalling that if you end up buying this tank. Have you bought it yet?

All the filtration is sucked in via pipes and filtered underneath via a canister type filters. THere are 2 pumps underneath that provides flow with the return piped to the top of the tank.

A sump, if there is one, is nothing more than a container (like an aquarium) under the main aquarium to hold water draining down from the main aquarium before returning it to the main aquarium via a return pump. The sump might also contain equipment, such as a protein skimmer, etc.

Not many people still use trickle filters or canister filters as the main filtration source for aquariums nowadays, whether fish-only tanks or full reef tanks.

[sprtfreak70]

It is a series of 3 canisters. One of them holds media and one holds a filter but not to sure about the third.

I havent bought the tank as of yet. The tank is custom built and one piece (Tank and stand.).

A plenum system? Well it is also built into the tank so am not sure how to not install it/ uninstall it.

Can this canister system work for my purposes? If not I will continue to shop around for a better option.

Thanks (Again) Oh All Knowing Ninong!

[Ninong]

It is a series of 3 canisters. One of them holds media and one holds a filter but not to sure about the third.

They can hold whatever you feel like putting in them. It's just a typical Rainbow Lifegard filtration set-up. This is not something I would advise as the principal filtration method. Canister filters are useful additions but I don't think of them as stand alone filtration methods.

I havent bought the tank as of yet. The tank is custom built and one piece (Tank and stand.).

A plenum system? Well it is also built into the tank so am not sure how to not install it/ uninstall it.

I doubt that it's really built into the tank. It may just look like it is. If it really is, then that would be a surprise.

Can this canister system work for my purposes? If not I will continue to shop around for a better option.

Thanks (Again) Oh All Knowing Ninong!

I would keep looking if I were you. In the meantime, check out these various tank setups: Here. Click on the Tank of the Month links so that you will see how people have their systems set up. It will give you an idea what a sump is, etc.

[sprtfreak70]

Wow! Ok thanks for the advice. It seems as if it would be better to just start up my 100g tank for now then progress from there. I will keep posted of my decisions and am sure I will have a TON more questions to ask!