Plumbing quest. hard for newb easy 4 u

[tunicata]

Hi so,

About a year ago a friend of mine had completed an independent study. She built and designed her own marine tank.
It is a 55g tank. It has a wet/dry trickle filter, unnamed skimmer, 1 pump, white and actinic lighting (no idea for specs), prefilter was sponge with basic utube.

So I helped her after her project was done. I just siphoned water, checked water chem., did water changes, clean, troubleshoot when flow was off a bit.
But in doing all of that I didn't learn much save for about that particular tank.

I want more.
Not sure how to get it. I understand the chemistry part, how to propagate, marketing, biology all that good stuff...but when it comes to engineering, plumbing using my hands to do what my mind knows...

This is what I want:
A tank for corals and fish and other inverts. Mainly the inverts (including the corals in this).

I want to try my hand at coral rearing as well. And I want it to be an 'inline' system. Using just a skimmer,heater, pump large/deep sand bed, and invert. cleaners.

I saw a tank like that (150 g emptied into a big bucket with the skimmer/heater/pump in that) so I know that it can be done well with that minimum of supplies. I mean the I saw that tank in a store that was beautiful and each tank there relied only on that type of set up. No other filtration method.

How do I set up a refugium, place for frags to grow out, the sump all to be in line/use the same water that the main tank would use?

(I'm supposing that refuging should be separate. Kind of counter productive...?)

This would be set up in my home, nothing big. The main tank would be about 55g, if I can save money by not needing to use a standard glass tank for the grow out, refugium, sump that would let me get a bigger main tank.



Suggestions, hand holding welcome

 

[Scooterman]

You already have the tank, equipment etc. or are you shopping around first?


Welcome to RF, hope you enjoy the site & maybe learn a little on the way to meeting making new friends in the same hobby!

Take a look at the member showcase forums, it will give you some ideas that may be helpful!

 

[Meche]

Welcome to RF!

Take a look at the library section here

Maybe you can get a closer idea of what you want to do.

 

[tunicata]

Sweet thanks for the reply you two.

I used to take care of that tank, and now I'm too busy. There's a new student doing it now. I just find school funding for it.

I want my own. I'll be moving to NJ, next fall and want my own. I try to do everything that brings exitement to my life!

Wow, that website is sexy. That's good. Posting this 'help me' thing really was my last resort. I have actually been to that site but didn't know that THAT was what I was looking for.

I'll read this some more and come back with questions...or revelations.

 

[Meche]

we'll be here

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!!! Hope you enjoy it here! RF is definately a very friendly atmosphere where everyone enjoys sharing info so ask away. I see you've already gotten some great links to browse through...If anything stands out you'd like a bit more feedback on, please feel free to ask. I saw in your first post you asked...

How do I set up a refugium, place for frags to grow out, the sump all to be in line/use the same water that the main tank would use?

(I'm supposing that refuging should be separate. Kind of counter productive...?)

Usually a refugium is tied into the main system sharing all the same filtration, water, equipment etc and is basically just a "refuge" to keep whatever fish, corals even food source for the main tank like pods etc. out of reach of the main tank's inhabitants. Some people will use it a place to put fish that are too small to enter into the main display as well as corals they want to grow out some etc. In addition, some people will use a refugium to house an algae like "chaeto" for instance, to help with nutrient export so rather than having an un-sightly algae in the main display taking away from it's beauty, it is placed in the fuge, but all tied into the same system operating/working as one. Kinda different than a quarentine tank which you don't want tied into the main display as that is used to treat fish and corals with diseases as well as a place to isolate new fish and corals for a period of time to make sure they don't transfer any pests etc into the main tank and cause problems. Just a few thoughts...Hope that helps some and good luck with the setup!

 

[tunicata]

Ah ok, so I was mixing up the two terms quarentine and refugium.

Hm, so what I gather is that you can grow food in the refugium, and it's an inline system. The water is shared. So how do you control how much food flows back into the return.
Some of the pictures are showing that the water from the ref. does go into the general return section after having water from the tank 'dropped' right into it.
Is that also harmful?

Also, one of the links confirmed one of my other worries.
Not all the water is being skimmed unless you're connecting the tank outflow directly to the skimmer then letting it pass out to wherever.
How does this work well?

 

[Meche]

Also, one of the links confirmed one of my other worries.
Not all the water is being skimmed unless you're connecting the tank outflow directly to the skimmer then letting it pass out to wherever.

I disagree. When the return pump puts water back into the display tank, the water does not then flow perfectly, and in order, through the tank and back into the the overflow (the tanks drain). If it did, then that theory would work, but it doesn't. Water is pretty good at diffusing contaminents. Statistics may be able to show slight variations in different setups, but I don't think this design is very practical.