Diving back in...mainly sps tank equipment question.

jasert39 · Jun 16, 2017

Long story short...kept a 150 gallon reef for a few years that I had to take down when we moved, been out of the hobby for about 6 years. Finally getting around to putting a new tank in the "new" house.

I've settled on leds, controllable wave maker powerheads, skimmer, etc. My question is about carbon pellet reactors. My old setup have a refugium with dsb, cheato, etc, but it seems like from reading forums that nowadays reactors and chemicals are being used to removed nitrates and phosphates.

I plan on keeping this tank mainly sps with some zoa islands on the sandbed. My question is, should I be considering a carbon pellet reactors from day 1 and not having any sandbed in a refugium? Maybe have just cheato in my refugium area? Or is that redundant?

Thanks

nervousmonkey · Jun 16, 2017

Hey Jason, You have a great plan to start by having a refugium. There are so many ways to filter water now, but a lot of people are coming back to refugiums now. The big push for chemicals to add, remove or change proportions of nitrate and phosphate is because we can filter so well. One of the biggest contributors to imbalanced filtration are biopellets... I used to run them, and they are good, but not as good as a fuge. They are really good at removing NO3, but not good at PO4; even with new biopellets that also remove PO4, the ratio that people think about (5 ppm NO3 and 0.016 ppm PO4) get off.
Frankly, IMO the best answer is to simply have a large refugium as a big filtration area, then skim the water clean, and you keep the natural ratios found in the ocean. Add a carbon reactor, maybe a second reactor that is used part-time, and you will be fine with SPS, or anything really. One thing that hasn't changed is the time required for a tank to become mature, actually that has changed. Technically you can buy something that increases the life forms in your tank really quickly: pods, bacteria, etc. I haven't used it so I don't know but it is supposed to be amazing in helping a tank mature, and with mature tanks to add life back that is necessary. Point is that a healthy refugium and a good skimmer is all you really need, and I would not recommend using biopellets at all.

jasert39 · Jun 16, 2017

Great information, thanks you, dsb in fuge? Or just macro?

nervousmonkey · Jun 16, 2017

Oh yeah, forgot that. Since you know how to run one, I think it's a great idea. Very natural method, but I don't think it is necessary at all.
There is a guy in Sweden with one of the most amazing DSB's and tank set ups I have read about, and his knowledge of biochemistry is tremendous; name is Lasse.
He starts to explain on page 1 of his build thread, located here:
Lasses Dream Build Page 1
More on DSB Page 3
@Lasse talks more about the DSB later on in the build

Velcro · Jun 16, 2017

Starting with such a low nutrient plan is just asking for Dinoflagellates in my opinion.

Also, get reefbreeder photon v2 for lighting and hang it as high as possible (24"). You'll save a ton of money and have a pretty great light

jasert39 · Jun 16, 2017

Thanks for the input! Yeah more reading haha.

Definitely going shallow bed in tank (can't get used to bb look), I'll review lasse's thread tonight.

Haven't settle on which leds yet still have time to work on that research, your suggestion is noted however.

BoomCorals · Jun 16, 2017

I would say an algae turf scrubber is by far one of the best ways to export nitrate and phosphate. I would urge you to look into it.

nervousmonkey · Jun 16, 2017

BoomCorals said:
I would say an algae turf scrubber is by far one of the best ways to export nitrate and phosphate. I would urge you to look into it.

Yeah, I totally agree with this. An ATS and a skimmer are really all that's needed, or a really healthy refugium and a skimmer. And a skimmer may not even be necessary.