Show your filtration Systems

[Krish]

I don't know if this one has been done yet, but I figured it would be cool for everyone to post pictures of what they use for filtration and say what type of setup they have. I figured it would be a good source of information for new members to help them decide on which way to go with their setup. Also, it would give everyone in general, some ideas on how to improve their own systems. I'll go first... It's for a FO tank (90 gal) with a little bit of LR (about 25lbs)

 

[NaH2O]

Here's mine:

I have about 170#s of LR between the display, sump and refugium. I also have a bag of carbon that I added to the sump. I'm going to be putting the phosphate remover back on the tank sometime soon.

 

[Krish]

Looks really nice Nikki.

 

[CarlaW]

I'll get some pics of mine tonite. Great idea Krish!!

 

[Skipper J]

This is going to be helpful!Good Idea! What's inside that canister filter Krish?

Nikki! Very clean looking sump you've got there!What about your calcium reactor do you have one?

 

[NaH2O]

Nikki! Very clean looking sump you've got there!What about your calcium reactor do you have one?

Why thank you! I do try and keep it clean. It is a custom sump, and I made the first compartment to be a detritus trap. Makes siphoning up the detritus really easy at water change time.

Currently, I'm the calcium reactor . I only need to drip kalk currently, and I also have a 2 part supplement. I imagine it will be in the near future when I'll need the reactor, though.

 

[Krish]

This is going to be helpful!Good Idea! What's inside that canister filter Krish?

I just use it to run carbon and for the extra flow. I don't use the sleeve over the carbon container because I don't want anything sitting in there rotting. They say you should change the carbon every 4-5 weeks depending on the load. I change it every 3 weeks and I figured that's a little too long to let the sleeve sit.

 

[oldsaint]

I think this might have been done not long ago but not to many people responded. So maybe this time we can get some more pics and descriptions of different systems.

I'm in the process of completely changing my sump area. When done it's going to be more like Nikki's with a detritus trap and a separate area for more rock and a skimmer. I only hope it ends up looking as NICE as hers.
Right now I'm still running a couple of filter socks and changing them out 3 times a week. Water then goes to a Euro Reef 12-1 that's had a few mods to it. As you can see in the pic when you change pumps from 5000's to 9000's you need to raise the skimmer body a little so the holes line up with the pumps. I found 2" couplers/unions are the perfect size. I have 3 phosban reactors attached to the sump 1 runs carbon which is changed out every 2 weeks and the other 2 runs phosban.
My main pump is a little giant 5.5 that sends the water out one end of the stand and into the canopy and splits so both returns are set diagonal from each other. That's the 1" piping you see going across the sump. Next to the little giant pump is a Mag 3 which pumps water thru 3 40watt Gama UV filters and back to the sump. Originally this was going to be a FOWLR tank with several large fish but after it cycled I notice all types of corals popping out of the rock so it kind of naturally became a reef tank. Hence the purchase of a 180.

Man that was a long post...sorry...but that's my setup.
So lets see some others.
Also please critic mine.

 

[Krish]

Cool setup Oldsaint! Thanks for posting. Is that fan in there just to keep the pump cool? You need to post some more pictures once you get it all finished, however I think it looks pretty effecient now. I guess we all always have a little room for improvement. Good luck with the rest of it.

 

[oldsaint]

Is that fan in there just to keep the pump cool?

Yes that was the theory that 5.5 seems to run pretty hot. I think what it does is just push the hot air coming off of it over to the sump. I think I need to move the fan so it's blowing on the water in the sump.

 

[Krish]

Yeah...That probably makes more sense if that it the case.

 

[CarlaW]

Well, I promised, so here we go. It is a 100 gallon sump, and it gets pretty crowded back here!! An Iwaki 100 feeds my skimmer, and a Mag 9 feeds the fuge, which is 75 gallons. Like I said, it is a plumbing nightmare, but it is rather effective. At least I think so.

 

[Krish]

Wow Charlie...That's a lot of plumbing! Your skimmer looks like it's growing coralline and all (LOL)

 

[CarlaW]

Wow Charlie...That's a lot of plumbing! Your skimmer looks like it's growing coralline and all (LOL)

It is!!
One of these days, I'll get back there and redo the whole plumbing mess, that was my first try, and it worked, if you know what I mean. After looking at alot of plumbing over the last year and a half, I know it could look alot cleaner!!

 

[Elmo18]

Plain, easy.....and hmm works so far...although I don't recommend it. Here is mine. Skimmerless, macrofuge chaeto...rubbermaid. This is underneath my main 27 gallon Cube.

- Elmo

 

[Skipper J]

Hmmm!With all this set up it looks like what I plan for my sump which is a 55gal AGA is a thing of the past At least till I learn to bond acrylic together neatly.

Charlie your skimmer have two outputs right?Join together with a Y going back to your sump, what is the function of the cup on top of it?

Nikki can the two parts supplement be enough to maintain Ca in the tank?.
I'm going to use the zeovit system and I can't get the Ca reactor yet so I'm thinking of using this for the mean time.
Joey

 

[CarlaW]

Charlie your skimmer have two outputs right?Join together with a Y going back to your sump, what is the function of the cup on top of it?

No, that is the input, which is split to go to each of the becketts. The cup on top is a collection cup, which will drain into the waste collector.

 

[Skipper J]

Oh! Thats the input! What's that thing on top of it that look like a cup, a filter or something? I know the collector cup I always wondered what that thing that looks like a fuel filter in a skimmer set up. :lol:

Joey

 

[CarlaW]

Oh! Thats the input! What's that thing on top of it that look like a cup, a filter or something? I know the collector cup I always wondered what that thing that looks like a fuel filter in a skimmer set up. :lol:

Joey

Oops, . I think your'e talking about the becketts. Those are where the air gets injected into the water from the tank. I hope I got your question this time.

 

[Skipper J]

Hmm! So that's the air intake for the beckett! I thought it's some kind of filter or an enhancement to improve skimmer performace. Thanks a lot!