75 Gallon Setup

[jackwkahn]

Hi, I'm going to buy a predrilled 75 gallon tank with a pretty substantial looking stand for $200. This is what it comes with-
-Wet/Dry filter
-Magdrive pump (Unknown Flowrate)
-Hydro Powerhead (Unknown Flowrate)
-48" Actinic Light Fixture (Unknown Wattage)
-Mag-float glass cleaner
-Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer

What would I need to add to this if I wanted to keep a yellow tang, 2 ocellaris clowns, a bicolor blenny, a diamind goby, maybe some other fish (6 line wrasse, firefish, royal gramma, etc.) and some LPS/Softies?

[Reefing Madness]

Hi, I'm going to buy a predrilled 75 gallon tank with a pretty substantial looking stand for $200. This is what it comes with-
-Wet/Dry filter
-Magdrive pump (Unknown Flowrate)
-Hydro Powerhead (Unknown Flowrate)
-48" Actinic Light Fixture (Unknown Wattage)
-Mag-float glass cleaner
-Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer

What would I need to add to this if I wanted to keep a yellow tang, 2 ocellaris clowns, a bicolor blenny, a diamind goby, maybe some other fish (6 line wrasse, firefish, royal gramma, etc.) and some LPS/Softies?

The flow rates of those powerheads and pumps. A real skimmer, prizm are not really a good skimmer, and not really good for what they are rated for. And hopefully your 48" light fixture has 4 lamps. The watts from the bulbs would be good, but i'm thinkin they are 54w bulbs if they are 48". Water test kit. Heater. 75lbs sand bed or crushed coral, unless you plan on going bare bottom. At least 75lbs of Live Rock and or Macro rock, or Base Rock.

[jackwkahn]

Ya, I knew the skimmer would be insufficient. What do you think about the Reef Octopus Internal rated for 150 gallons? Also, any thoughts on the wet/dry?


P.S.
I noticed youve been the only one really responding to my posts, so thanks!

[Reefing Madness]

Ya, I knew the skimmer would be insufficient. What do you think about the Reef Octopus Internal rated for 150 gallons? Also, any thoughts on the wet/dry?


P.S.
I noticed youve been the only one really responding to my posts, so thanks!

Reef Octopus, excellent choice. I'm not a real fan of wet/dry, unless you just use it as a sump or fuge style, without the bio-balls.

[jackwkahn]

Reef Octopus, excellent choice. I'm not a real fan of wet/dry, unless you just use it as a sump or fuge style, without the bio-balls.

I heard wet/drys arent the way to go. I have about 45 pounds of key largo base rock so i guess ill just get the rest live. I think ill use a 20 long as a sump/fuge for mangroves and chaeto. Ill let you know the specs of all the equipment as soon as i get ahold of it!

[ShooterRick]

I heard wet/drys arent the way to go. I have about 45 pounds of key largo base rock so i guess ill just get the rest live. I think ill use a 20 long as a sump/fuge for mangroves and chaeto. Ill let you know the specs of all the equipment as soon as i get ahold of it!

I think from my research you are correct about wet dry units. Buttttttt.... If you already have it it can function as a sump and if you want you could just put some particulate filtration where the bio media would go. I am doing this myself on a 72 gal build. One note I believe you should clean the particulate filter regularly to keep nitrates from taking hold in it. Reefmadness has been a great help to me and I trust his opinions. I am installing 2 baffles in my wet dry to make chambers for my recycling SWC/Octopus skimmer pump, a small refugium, and a return pump.

[jackwkahn]

Ive heard bigger is better for refugiums, if nothing i have now fits under the stand then i wont waste my money and I'll just mod the wet/dry. I do agree that its a good idea to use it to run media, maybe some sponges/micron padding and some gfo carbon? Im not going to jump into SPS right away, I plant on having some xenia, Toadstool leather, And some LPS (frogspawn, torch, hammer, etc.) If im lucky the light fixture well be sufficient enough. Ill hopefully be getting it tomorrow! Its going to be my first legit sw tank although ive been staying up late doing research for a few months now.

[Reefing Madness]

Ive heard bigger is better for refugiums, if nothing i have now fits under the stand then i wont waste my money and I'll just mod the wet/dry. I do agree that its a good idea to use it to run media, maybe some sponges/micron padding and some gfo carbon? Im not going to jump into SPS right away, I plant on having some xenia, Toadstool leather, And some LPS (frogspawn, torch, hammer, etc.) If im lucky the light fixture well be sufficient enough. Ill hopefully be getting it tomorrow! Its going to be my first legit sw tank although ive been staying up late doing research for a few months now.

Right on. Its not as hard as its made out to be. Trust me.

[jackwkahn]

Right on. Its not as hard as its made out to be. Trust me.

Does that mean its a good idea to run gfo and carbon? Ive heard Its the most efficient way to remove phosphates/polish water

[Reefing Madness]

Does that mean its a good idea to run gfo and carbon? Ive heard Its the most efficient way to remove phosphates/polish water

Carbon takes out different things from the water, like stink, and toxins. GFO is great for taking out phosphates. And a great idea to run both.

[jackwkahn]

Carbon takes out different things from the water, like stink, and toxins. GFO is great for taking out phosphates. And a great idea to run both.

Just chuck it in the sump? or would a power filter be better?

[Reefing Madness]

Carbon just thorw it in, using a sump sock. The GFO would all depend on the flow. Bio-Pellets would actually be better in the sump.

[jackwkahn]

Carbon just thorw it in, using a sump sock. The GFO would all depend on the flow. Bio-Pellets would actually be better in the sump.

So should I use bio pellets instead of GFO? or both? what do you do?

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

FWIW, there two ways to run media. Active and passive. Passive is when you put it in a media bag and toss it in the sump/aquarium. Some of the water flows through and around the media. Active is where water is forced (either by gravity, flow, or by a pump) through the media so as to maximize contact time and volume with the media. Reactors and some canister filters do this well. For best efficiency, active is the way to go but space, $, etc... can be an issue. I've only seen bio pellets and I think GFO used in reactors (active). I don't use either (yet) but i have a canister filter for running carbon.

[jackwkahn]

Nice to know, would an Aquaclear HOB provide some sort of middleground?

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

HOB filters are good for running carbon, mechanical filtration and for additional flow. If you use the filter pads, just be sure to clean them regularly (once or twice a week). If not, they can trap garbage and become a source of high nitrates (bad for corals and inverts).

[Reefing Madness]

So should I use bio pellets instead of GFO? or both? what do you do?

I'd use Bio Pellets and throw em in the sump. The GFO, you have to watch the flow in order for it to work correctly.

[jackwkahn]

I'd use Bio Pellets and throw em in the sump. The GFO, you have to watch the flow in order for it to work correctly.

bio pellets have somewhat of a negative rep though?

[Reefing Madness]

bio pellets have somewhat of a negative rep though?

Not that I'm aware of. ??
I'd use em if I had a place for them.

[jackwkahn]

Not that I'm aware of. ??
I'd use em if I had a place for them.

NP Biopellets Filter Media
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