Newly Getting Back Into the Hobby

[matt.garrigus]

Howdy everyone. I had a tank about four years ago that I pieced together from stuff on craigslist and I didn't really like the way it turned out so any advice I can get on a good way to start a 75 gallon build would be awesome.

 

[reefman069]

i would have to say the skimmer is the most important part of your tank. with the skimmer you don't want to be cheep on it. buy a skimmer that is rated for double the volume of water. so if you are doing a 75 gallon tank. get a skimmer that is rated for a 150 to 200 gallon tank. i think the next thing is to make things simple. like put a bulkhead with a ball valve in the sump to do easy water changes. when you make things easy to do you have more time to enjoy your tank. also when it is easy to do. your more likely to do the water changes on time. i have even made my water changes really easy. i put a pump in my sump. i have drilled a hole in the side of the house and ran pipe through the house. so when i do a water change all i do is turn a ball valve and flick a power switch. i drain my sump. turn the switch off. close the ball valve. i go over to my water change mixing drum. turn another ball valve and flick another power switch. easy as that. if you are ever in puyallup you are more than welcome to stop by so i can show you how easy my system is to work. hope this has helped.

 

[mfinn]

i would have to say the skimmer is the most important part of your tank. with the skimmer you don't want to be cheep on it. buy a skimmer that is rated for double the volume of water.

+1.
I have always been very skeptical of manufacturers claims.

 

[matt.garrigus]

Thanks reefman. I think I understood about half of that so I will have to do some research.

 

[spieszak]

i would have to say the skimmer is the most important part of your tank. with the skimmer you don't want to be cheep on it. buy a skimmer that is rated for double the volume of water. so if you are doing a 75 gallon tank. get a skimmer that is rated for a 150 to 200 gallon tank. i think the next thing is to make things simple. like put a bulkhead with a ball valve in the sump to do easy water changes. when you make things easy to do you have more time to enjoy your tank. also when it is easy to do. your more likely to do the water changes on time. i have even made my water changes really easy. i put a pump in my sump. i have drilled a hole in the side of the house and ran pipe through the house. so when i do a water change all i do is turn a ball valve and flick a power switch. i drain my sump. turn the switch off. close the ball valve. i go over to my water change mixing drum. turn another ball valve and flick another power switch. easy as that. if you are ever in puyallup you are more than welcome to stop by so i can show you how easy my system is to work. hope this has helped.

When you drain the sump, does it pull detritus with it, or do you have to clean that up yourself?

 

[reefman069]

When you drain the sump, does it put detritus with it, or do you have to clean that up yourself?

well i have to suck out the detritus because that is in a different chamber of the sump. i need to do that on my next water change. i am going to try something new. after this next water change and i suck out all the detritus. i have added 3 pumps in my sump and 3 pumps in my refuge. so i will have them come on for like 1 hour a few times a day to blow out all the detritus. we will see if this works. you have to try new things to see if they work.

 

[spieszak]

well i have to suck out the detritus because that is in a different chamber of the sump. i need to do that on my next water change. i am going to try something new. after this next water change and i suck out all the detritus. i have added 3 pumps in my sump and 3 pumps in my refuge. so i will have them come on for like 1 hour a few times a day to blow out all the detritus. we will see if this works. you have to try new things to see if they work.

Hadn't thought about that. I've always run without baffles, so I might be able to get away with it flowing with the water... and since I'm working on swapping out my sump, I may just have to give that a shot. Thanks for following up.

 

[matt.garrigus]

What is this detritus you speak of?

 

[spieszak]

leftover food and such that collects in the sump...

 

[RichV]

It's fish poop, uneaten food, and whatever else goes to the bottom of the tank. When you siphon out your sand, detritus is the stuff you are sucking out.

 

[matt.garrigus]

That makes sense. It sounded like you were talking about some kind of parasite.