If it's not broken don't fix it; too much filtration on a reef tank?  4/6/07
Hi guy's, love the site,
<Thank you.>
have been reading it for a  while and am wondering if I am using to much filtration...
<Hard to do...generally speaking. but let's see what we have.>
I have a 180 gallon  reef tank about 12 fish,
<Small? Big?>
5 inverts, and 1 star button polyp.  Here is what  I have on the tank..  225 pds LR, Overflow to a large sump with about 100  bioballs. A mag drive 12 running to a lifeguard {large) mechanical module. A  mag12 running to a lifeguard (large) chemical module, about 1/2 full of reef  carbon.  A Coralife 220 skimmer, ORP monitor going to a small ozone  generator, 200 pounds of Fiji pink sand, a CPR large refugium with Chaeto lit  24/7.  I feel as though I might be wasting a lot with having all this...Any  suggestions?
<I think the plastic bio-media is a unnecessary, but the refugium probably refutes most ill effects it creates. From the sounds of it you have a functional, stable captive environment. It it's not broken don't fix it. The carbon, unless you have a lot of encroaching cnidaria life is probably not necessary on a continual basis either...but won't hurt anything either.>
  My fish are great, water chem great, and water crystal  clear....Thanx in advance
<Welcome, Adam J.>

Sump
I have a 29 gallon tank. My question is can this be turned into a sump? If so can you please provide me with instructions on how to build one and the materials required. 
>>
Hmm, I would assume (and what I would do) that you're not going to cut the tank in question. You can make it into a sump using a submersible pump (or a canister filter of large flow rate), an in-tank, or hang-on skimmer, and a constant volume device... see these arrangements...at www.cprusa.com for illustrations.
Bob Fenner

Building a sump
Bob,
How hard is it to build a sump? Can you point me in a good direction (internet site) for instructions on how to build one?
<A sump is just a chemically inert, water-holding container... you can use a tank, plastic basin, bucket... or cut and solvent plastics together, have glass cut, cut it yourself and silicone one together (like a fish tank)... most folks use thru-hull fittings... necessitating drilling holes through whatever sort of material walls they're using... relatively easy with all but glass... which should be cut before assembly... or you can do without thru-hulls... just use submersible pumps, or plumbing that is primed to take the water up and over the side of the sump.... No internet instruction sites for this sort of job as far as I know... maybe you and I can/should make one? If this is a one-time job, I'd just buy a pre-made container...>
PS: Is a single MH 250 watt light sufficient for a 50 gallon reef tank? (anemone's, corals, coralline algae, etc.....)
<Yes, if the animals can be carefully placed to use the intensity and spectral mix of the light source>
Bob Fenner
Gracias, Mike

Re: Building a sump
thanks for the reply....also, thanks for your help and if you are still interested in putting together some do it yourself instructions for building a sump, please read on. I think I'm going to try to build my own sump for 2 reasons:
1- is that I am new to this and have finally after 2 months of buying live rock, tank, MH lighting, etc....) tapped out my wallet. I'd like to give my finances a breather before I make further purchases. I'm thinking about using something inexpensive such as a plastic bucket/trashcan/bin. Most sumps that I have seen retail for ~200 to 250.00.
2- if I build it I'll understand it better (hopefully).
<Both good reasons>
I'd be more than happy to keep written details to share with others. I have found a wealth of information online and it'd be cool to give a little back to maybe help someone else.
<Yes, and take a few pix along the way as well... and submit this write-up to the hobby magazine FAMA... If it's as well done as you seem capable of... then they will run it... and pay you a few bucks as well... a worthwhile proposition all the way around>
Now, one thing I'm wondering about is plumbing. I'm not sure I understand how to get the flow going from the tank to the sump then back to the tank safely especially concerned about this since I have a 2nd floor apartment and do not want to flood either my place or the one downstairs).
<Understandable... look at the "constant level" box designs on www.cprusa.com, and consider either using "thru-hull" (aka gas-jacket, spa/vinyl pool fittings... sold by various folks) or just a submersible saltwater pumping mechanism...>
The other thing I was curious about is that I know you divide the container into sections basically with walls that have holes in them to allow water to pass from section to section. What kind of media should I put in each one?
<You can build dividers, depending on sturdiness of the tub/tote out of more plastic material and silicone rubber (100%), or build an "in sump" arrangement of trays/supports... 
Much to discuss re the media issue... anaerobic bead/gravel media definitely... I'd make this some sort of Berlin set-up... with live rock, a skimmer in-sump... and some Caulerpa Algae and a permanent 7/24 light... and some sort of easily removable (first pass) mechanical media... Take that long read of materials on these topics stored at.... www.wetwebmedia.com under the Marine Index, Set-up....>
As I'm building this, if you'd like, I can journal step by step instructions and pass them on to you (I'm not sure where/how you would like to post these on the internet).
>>
You can send along what you think is pertinent, appropriate... and I'll post it somewhere (WWM) that folks can use it.
Bob Fenner

New Reef Aquarium, Basement Filtration
Dear Bob,
Thanks to you, 4 books, and numerous resources on the Web my plans are near completion. (The Escobar book you suggested was most helpful in plumbing the basement system and designing a proper U/V flow control.)
<Good to hear.>
A 1 inch surface drain through a pre-filter feeds a TurboFlotor 1000 in its own small sump (so water level can be precisely controlled). Skimmer effluent and overflow of its sump goes to a 30 gal. heated and lighted sump. Another 30 gal. tank above the sump provides for mixing and warming new water and is fed from an R/O unit. This tank plus a valved bulkhead drain at the "down 25% level" of the aquarium allows for easy water exchange from the basement. I intend to monitor total system gallons by the level in the big sump and add fresh R/O water as needed.
An Iwaki 70 RLT 1500 gph pump powers circulation from the big sump through a mechanical filter, optional use carbon filter, and a bypass valved 30 Watt U/V unit. A 1 inch line returns to a flexible surface discharge. Three Rio power heads provide additional circulation.
Lighting will be four 48 inch VHO tubes in an Ice Cap unit.
I have several decisions on which I beg your advice:
I can use either a 25 inch deep tank or a 30 inch for more water and more viewing, do I have enough light for 30 inches?
<Hmm, not really... less you want to mount much of your photosynthetic life up on your rock... and hard to work on... unless it's a "proportional" element... in other words, a huge system> 
Is there any way to drain off the filtered residue from the TurboFlotor unit or install a much larger cup? 
<yes... carefully tap and drain the collectant in a "milk jug"...>
Do you have a preference on powered filters? I am considering a Triple Rainbow Lifegard, a Nu-Clear, or an Ocean Clear)
<The last two are very similar, the LifeGard is a piece of junk...>
Can you give me a source for bulkheads with pipe fittings rather than hose fittings?
<Take a look through a recent issue of FAMA, Grainger Supply online...>
Can you give me a source for drain strainers that will keep fish out?
<Build your own... Out of acrylic, solvent... what I do.>
Any other advice or suggestions will be most appreciated.
Howard >>
<Yikes, not a mind reader (at least today), seems like you may know more than I do anyway! Bob Fenner>