Filtration plan, please critique

[skripo]

I received most of my equipment and am finalizing equipment and filtration methodology. Here is my equipment list, bold items have been received, others are planned or on their way.

• Innovative Marine Mini Fusion 40
• Maxspect Gyre 130 - On order from LFS, thanks for the advice StrainedSky and the heads up drice6900!
• Innovative Marine medium Ghost Skimmer - Thanks for the super deal StrainedSky!
• Innovative Marine Media reactor
• inTank Media Baskets (2X)
• Eheim Ebo Jaeger 150 Watt
• Kessil A360WE Tuna Blue light
• Kessil Spectrum light controller
• Digital Aquatics Archon - Preordered, will use Kessil controller until Archon can control it
• Autoaqua Smart ATO
• MarcoRocks Key Largo dry rock 19 LBS - Thanks for the tip snowflake_clown!
• ​CaribSea Pink Sand 15LB Bag
• Red Sea Coral pro salt 175 Gal bucket
• Custom Cabinet built by me
• RODI unit

I am planning on keeping a few fish and mostly LPS coral. The goal is lowest maintenance but with advanced filtration. I bet my choices will spark a lively debate but thats exactly what I want to hear.

 

The Plan

I am obviously relying on the live rock for most of my nitrifying bacteria but do plan on adding ceramic biomedia such as marine pure in the rear sump or inTank media baskets.

 

I am using a skimmer for nutrient export but am also planning on using the reactor with All-In-One Biopellets to avoid a cheato refugium and GFO. I have heard all about the tank crashes blamed on biopellets which is why I am planning to start the tank with them.

 

I plan to put filter floss and a high quality carbon in the inTank baskets and have NO PLAN to use chemipure or some such. I want the biopellets to take and like the idea of just having to add rather than change media.

 

I plan on 3 part dosing which is basic 2 part plus magnesium delivered by 3 dosing pumps.

 

Let the critique begin!

 

[kalireefer]

Sounds like a slick setup. One thing I personally wouldn't use is the ceramic biomedia, I believe they can be come detritus traps similar to using LR rubble or bio balls. Just my $0.02, Good luck with the tank, look forward to more updates.

[Deleted User 8]

Yeah, don't put ceramic balls or LR rubble in the back chambers. Your rock is plenty and you will just end up cleaning them out of there at some point. The media basket with filter floss, whatever is fine--just make sure to change the floss regularly. At least weekly. I would not clean and replace, just replace.

 

IMO, good flow and your skimmer is all you will need...that and to remove as much crap from the tank as you can before it rots and becomes problematic. This would be better served by going bare bottom, IMO. Feed appropriately and keep up with water changes and detritus removal and you won't have to rely on media reactors, bio balls, cheato (which won't even grow if you keep the tank tidy), etc, etc.

 

Buzz

[skripo]

Thank you for the feedback and good point on the ceramic balls. I still would like to use them so I will put them in the media basket after the floss to avoid the crap trap.

[Ncfishguy]

I used all in one pellets for bout 8 months not a fan went back to Gfo lol

[Azedenkae]

Actually if you use Marine Pure specifically, you will have one hell of a good time. I use a block for my 10g, half of it basically takes up all the space in one of the sump compartments and the rest I have in the display (hidden, or will be anyways) and it's crazy. No ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Nada. Okay a bit of ammonia after feeding and all that, but otherwise nada.

 

In fact my algae is doing crap, because whilst there are phosphates (the only thing you need to think about), there is no nitrates. >.>