Design questions for a 75 gallon system

[kdx7214]

I currently have an Aqueon 75 gallon tank with an Aqueon 40 breeder to be used as a sump. I kept a reef system for about 15 years, but that's been a while now. I'm wanting to set this system up as a precursor for a big tank. Mostly to make certain my brain is still working and I'm not missing things.

My current plans (in no particular order):

• Either FOWLR and possibly some zoa's or a clam
• Continuous culture of phyto + pods
• Electronic monitoring of pH and other parameters and dosing
• Automatic top off for tank
• Hydroponic lighting fixtures (no need for heavy blue without corals - although clam would change that)
• Sandbed - Haven't decided on depth or grain size yet
• No skimmer - detritus will be removed via algae harvest and CUC
• The most peaceful fish I can find. I want some inverts to survive.
• Fish I would like to have: pair of mandarin dragonets, coral beauty angel, firefish, gobie (or two), maybe one of the safer wrasses
• Inverts I would like to have: blue brittle star, nassarius snails, maybe some burrowing wrasses

Things I haven't decided on yet:

• Overflow - do I drill the tank
• Number of overflows needed
• Flow rate
• Layout of sump

In the past I've pretty much just winged it and used what I had, or what I could find used (and cheap). I've run systems both with and without skimmers and could honestly tell little difference - provided appropriate nutrient export is done (either water changes or algae). I'd like to do this one in a more analytical way, to start planning for the big tank I will be getting eventually (400-500 gallons).

In the past I've used inverted U-shaped overflows and always have issues with air getting trapped and breaking siphon. I really like the idea of the coast to coast overflow, but not sure it's feasible in this tank as I'm not yet sure it can be drilled, or if I can do it successfully (would be my first time drilling a tank).

Eventually, when the tank has been established for a while, I'm going to try breeding the mandarin dragonets and keeping the fry alive.

So, any advice or suggestions on how to approach this more analytically? I've looked around and found a lot of suggestions, but nothing I felt was concrete enough for what I'd like to do.

Thanks!

 

[i cant think]

I currently have an Aqueon 75 gallon tank with an Aqueon 40 breeder to be used as a sump. I kept a reef system for about 15 years, but that's been a while now. I'm wanting to set this system up as a precursor for a big tank. Mostly to make certain my brain is still working and I'm not missing things.

My current plans (in no particular order):

• Either FOWLR and possibly some zoa's or a clam
• Continuous culture of phyto + pods
• Electronic monitoring of pH and other parameters and dosing
• Automatic top off for tank
• Hydroponic lighting fixtures (no need for heavy blue without corals - although clam would change that)
• Sandbed - Haven't decided on depth or grain size yet
• No skimmer - detritus will be removed via algae harvest and CUC
• The most peaceful fish I can find. I want some inverts to survive.
• Fish I would like to have: pair of mandarin dragonets, coral beauty angel, firefish, gobie (or two), maybe one of the safer wrasses
• Inverts I would like to have: blue brittle star, nassarius snails, maybe some burrowing wrasses

Things I haven't decided on yet:

• Overflow - do I drill the tank
• Number of overflows needed
• Flow rate
• Layout of sump

In the past I've pretty much just winged it and used what I had, or what I could find used (and cheap). I've run systems both with and without skimmers and could honestly tell little difference - provided appropriate nutrient export is done (either water changes or algae). I'd like to do this one in a more analytical way, to start planning for the big tank I will be getting eventually (400-500 gallons).

In the past I've used inverted U-shaped overflows and always have issues with air getting trapped and breaking siphon. I really like the idea of the coast to coast overflow, but not sure it's feasible in this tank as I'm not yet sure it can be drilled, or if I can do it successfully (would be my first time drilling a tank).

Eventually, when the tank has been established for a while, I'm going to try breeding the mandarin dragonets and keeping the fry alive.

So, any advice or suggestions on how to approach this more analytically? I've looked around and found a lot of suggestions, but nothing I felt was concrete enough for what I'd like to do.

Thanks!

If you go for a clam I wouldn’t risk a CBA, they can tend to nip at the mantles and I would stick with a wrasse from either the Paracheilinus or a more peaceful Cirrhilabrus (Stay away from C. scottorum, they can be aggressive when it comes to food), the genuses I recommend staying away from are:

Chorus (Most of them get quite big)
Anampses/tamarin wrasse (They can and probably will outcompete the mandarins for pods)
Macropharyngodon/Leopard wrasse (Same reason as the anampses)
Halichoeres (Some get rather large and active, they also have a chance of outcompeting the mandarins for pods along with a chance of clam mantle dinner)
Pseudocheilinus/The lined wrasse (They get aggressive even for just the small size some of them stay at)