Help/advice on my current 75g tank setup

[jbump14]

hey guys, I don’t post on forums much but I have gotten to a point where I need some advice. I have a 75g saltwater tank. I have had it for around ten years, I have had some success with it and failures along the way. I moved for work a few years ago and it def got neglected. Now that I’m back home for good I want it to be the best I can make it. I would specifically love to have a lot of coral and just a fish or two. Coral I’ve had no luck with. I even had a guy from the local fish place come maintain it for a while, he built a sump for it (which I never had), it doesn’t seem like it’s really doing its job. I am going to attach pics of what I currently have also with a list.
Ten gallon sump tank with a pump in the tank, using an aqua lifter on the hang on tank on top of the aquarium.
Marineland c-360 filter
Octopus hang on skimmer (I believe a 180, I can’t remember.
Right now a small led strip light, which isn’t enough for the tank. I have ordered two Kessil blue tuna 360’s
2 hydro pumps, I’ll have to confirm size. The guy maintaining the tank actually took one out but I put it back in after moving home.

So when I got back I tore the tank down, cleaned everything and put it back together. I have new live sand on the way. I have used coral pro salt with alkalinity at 1.024.

The problems I was having before were algae, and just a dirty tank in general. I always do 20% water change every two weeks and do my best to keep everything clean. Never could get coral to make it long term, fish seemed to be ok but I feel like maybe I don’t have the right filteration setup or there are things I could add/takeaway to make it a little more easy to maintain as well. Also I would run daylight 4 to 5 hours what the heck an hour or so dusk/dawn, I played with this a lot with a lot of variations that was what I found seemed the best. If anyone can take a look at just give me there two cents I would greatly appreciate it. I want to have a vibrant tank.

 

[1WildBill]

Welcome to R2R. First off, I would dump the canister filter, they are nitrate factories. The 10 gallon Sump will work, but a bigger Sump with more water turnover will help. With a bigger Sump, you can put the skimmer under the tank.

Do you have a test kit? You should keep an eye on your water parameters. I would stay away from API personally, use a better quality test kit like Red Sea or Salifert. Nitrates and phosphates are the reason algae grows. Knowing your water parameters will help immensely when you start to place corals. Just make sure you do some research on them before you buy. Is there a light over the Sump, I see you have Chaeto in there for a refugium. Most people run their fuge lights for about 8 hrs running reverse of the display tank.

The Kessil’s, I have no experience with, but have heard nothing but good about them, so you should be good there.

Do you know what fish you want to keep? Research those too and get fish for the size of tank you have. Liveaquaria.com can help a lot there.

Good luck, i’m Sure I missed a few things and others will chime in too.

 

[jbump14]

Thanks for the reply, I do have a Red Sea test kit and typically I’m able to keep it pretty close. I don’t have a light on the sump tank, so I should just pick up a small led light and let that run for the 8 hours over the sump. I’ve been a bit confused over the sumps since I’m new to that. I see so many different ones designed different ways. With a 75g tank ab what size sump should I be working with and what should I have in the sump for added filteration? I see some ppl out natural stuff in there. I have read on it quite a bit I just see so many different options, and as far as a skimmer what is best to run in the sump? I will ditch the can filter.

 

[WVNed]

Here is my tank with the stand open

75 Gallon with a hob overflow.
The sump is a 20L. I put 2 dividers made from salvage glass in as a bubble trap.
The sump holds 2 heaters and a skimmer. No lights on it
Sumps can be used for all sorts of things but that is all I require mine to do
I run a Sicce 3.0 return pump

On the right is a trashcan that holds the water for the ATO

No filters at all.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

!!! Welcome to R2R @jbump14 !!! Few reefers use canister filters but they need to be clean often cus those collect detritus and raise your nitrates. A sump is the best way to go with, not only because you can hide all the equipment like heaters, skimmer .etc. and will give you more water volume wish is better to keep stability on the tank. Also an ATO (Auto Top Off ) will keep that system running smooth and you don't need to refill RODI water everyday due to evaporation.

 

[jbump14]

I would prefer just the sump and having everything under the tank, I believe that is the route I will go. Just wondering if I should upgrade the size or go with the 10 gal I have under there now. Also can I utilize the hob skimmer I already have for the sump or is that a bad idea? I’m ab to go the the store now and I can pick up one of the in tank skimmers. I will also pick up heaters for the sump and get the one out of the tank.

 

[jbump14]

I would prefer just the sump and having everything under the tank, I believe that is the route I will go. Just wondering if I should upgrade the size or go with the 10 gal I have under there now. Also can I utilize the hob skimmer I already have for the sump or is that a bad idea? I’m ab to go the the store now and I can pick up one of the in tank skimmers. I will also pick up heaters for the sump and get the one out of the tank.[/QUOTE]

 

[1WildBill]

I believe in the bigger the better for a Sump. I have an Eshoppes 250 and love it. For a skimmer, I run an Octo 130. I’ll try and post a pic of mine later with the fuge light off and on for you. Don’t just put any LED light under there, a lot won’t grow Chaeto.

 

[jbump14]

Any advice on what light to run in a ten gallon sump?

 

[1WildBill]

Here’s the photos.

 

[1WildBill]

Any advice on what light to run in a ten gallon sump?

Mines probably a little overkill, but I only run it for 6 hrs a night. I have no idea the brand. The LFS I bought it from uses them in all their sumps.

 

[jbump14]

Ok so I have two kessil blue tunas on the way, a coralife super skimmer 125 gal, Mrhua 150w grow light for the sump, 1/4 1lb of Chaeto, two 100w heaters to put In the sump. Hopefully this is a good start to get me on the right track.