Filter Suggestions?:)

[rexresurreccion]

Hello Everyone!

after having satisfying results with my 14gal biocube, I've decided to step it up just a bit and start a new SW tank. Now i'm working with a 60 Gal Hexagon. I am going with a FOWLR set up. I want to tower stack LR up the middle with some holes and gaps between rocks for any fish to swim through. My questions are, how much LR and how high should I stack? also what filtration would be sufficient for this setup (rena, fluval, nova canisters, eheim wet/dry?) I would Like to go with LED lighting but for now some T8's will be excellent, I plan on keeping a school of chromis, a pair of percula clowns and a group of bengai cardinals.. Any suggestions, recommendations, or links to some classified postings (filters, lights) would be Greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot guys!!

Rex

[spit.fire]

sump sump sump sump

or rena xp 2 or 3

[Smiladon]

Rule of Thumb for LR is 1lb per gallon.
I am no expert in SW filters, hopefully someone can point you in the right direction. Sump is usually best, but it might not work well in your setup as there is no place to hide it underneath.
You will also need a skimmer

[rexresurreccion]

that would be cool, not experienced at all with drilling however.. any tips on using overflow setups? or any links to diy sumps?

[tang daddy]

Here are some suggestions, and cool set up btw!!!

For liverock you can putty together pieces to make a cool stack with lots of caves and outcrops. Another DIY method is to drill holes in the rock and use acrylic rods to hold them together. The acrylic rods can be purchased at industrial plastic in Richmond or Vancouver, they are cheap and sold by the 8ft piece. As for filtration I don't think you need to run a canister just have 2 koralia 3 for flow blowing on the liverock and you should be fine.

A good way to gauge how much space you will need for the tank when aquascaping is draw a piece of cardboard tracing the hexagon width and then when using the rock to build the structure you can make sure you have enough space for the fish to swim through and around.

Cheers Chris

[Chewie]

I would go with an overflow and sump. I have been told that external filters can act as nitrogen factories if not maintained perfectly. The good thing with sumps is that you can hide most of your equipment (heater, protein skimmer ect) and even add a refugium to it later. Juicebox has a few sumps for sale right now in marine classified section. (actualy just bought the overflow and few other items from him today, great guy)

[spit.fire]

I would go with an overflow and sump. I have been told that external filters can act as nitrogen factories if not maintained perfectly. The good thing with sumps is that you can hide most of your equipment (heater, protein skimmer ect) and even add a refugium to it later. Juicebox has a few sumps for sale right now in marine classified section. (actualy just bought the overflow and few other items from him today, great guy)

listen to chewie haha
canisters are nitrogen factories and sump is the easiest, cleanest looking, most effective way to go

other option to an overflow is drill the tank in the middle on the bottom and build your rock up around your overflow

[Chewie]

Just make sure glass is not tempered before drilling if going that way....(trust me from experience..bye-bye 60g ). Just look at the glass and it should be printed on it "tempered" somewhere if it is. I beleive that "normally" it would only be the bottom of tanks.

Just dont hold anything against me if anything goes wrong...

[rexresurreccion]

Lol there will be no finger pointing, but i do appreciate the suggestions. I'm definitely considering a sump now, gonna find a schematic now.. Looks like ill be able to fit a 20 gal under the stand, sufficient for the size?

[Chewie]

Yeah, thats a decent size. The bigger the better though, it adds more water volume to your total system. The more water volume the easier to keep the paramaters under control, less fluctuations. The only thing I do not like about sumps is more suface area for water evaporation, small price to pay though.