Need opinions on skimmer vs. macro vs. rock

[Sully32]

Hey all,

I am looking for opinions on how best to utilize my sump. I have a 20 long with an Eshopps RS-75 sump. My tank is about 50/50 LPS and SPS as of right now. I would like to move toward having the tank as SPS dominant. My sump has very limited space so I'm trying to decide on which route to pursue. The options that I am wondering about are as follows:

1) The middle chamber packed full of live rock rubble.
2) The middle chamber hosting a large skimmer with whatever rubble I can still fit.
3) The middle chamber hosting a small skimmer with a mix of rubble and macro algae.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[pelphrey]

Have you looked at siporax, pond matrix or the marine pure ceramic plates in place of rock or rubble in the sump? These are much smaller and generally have LARGE surface area!

 

[PatW]

A skimmer performs a different function than rock.

The primary function of rock is to provide a structure for the bacteria of the nitrogen cycle. When fish process nitrogenous wastes, they produce toxic ammonia. The bacteria take the ammonia and convert it to nitrites and then to relatively non toxic nitrates.

Skimmers produce fine bubbles. The bubbles cause large molecules and fine particulates to coalesce and get deposited in the skimmer cup. This process tends to remove wastes in the molecules and particles. But it does not remove dissolved ammonia, nitrites, nitrates or phosphates.

Generally, if you tank is cycled and has live rock, it will have more than enough bacteria on it to convert the ammonia to nitrates. I would go with a bigger skimmer and no rock in the sump.

 

[sde1500]

I think that choice depends on what you are looking to get out of the space more than what we can suggest. I run a mixed reef, I use a skimmer. I am not enamored by it, it mostly works but the occasional hiccup is annoying. It randomly going bonkers and overflowing for who knows why. I am less and less seeing the value in it. Plus I am seeing myself lean towards a different method, and just got a grow light in to convert my skimmer section into a fuge. So end result of my small ramble is, what do you look to do with that space and the tank, beyond just converting to sps?

 

[jda]

Skim as much as you can. It is indispensable, IMO, for gas exchange, organic removal and toxin removal.

 

[GabeM]

Order of importance to tank for me:

1. Live rock (Your DT should have plenty of this)
2. Skimmer as a nutrient export
3. Refugium as nutrient export.

 

[Sully32]

Thanks for all of the insight. I have had reef tanks for 13 years, but have never attempted SPS in this small of a system. So I am basically just looking to utilize my space in the best way possible. My display tank does have plenty of rock. I figured more surface area in the refugium can never hurt. I also have access to a small Tunze 9001 and a Bubble Magus Curve 5. I am more or less debating on which to use to put it in it's simplest terms. Obviously the bigger skimmer takes away room for more rock and macros. And the smaller skimmer allows for some skimming along with room for rock and macros.

 

[infinite0180]

Im going with a skimmer over macro... i dont want to have a light over my sump. I just forsee it growing more algae than just the macro. Then i will have to clean the sump more. I think cleaning a skimmer cup once a week and a bimonthly cleaning of the skimmer itself is easier for me!

 

[Sully32]

Thanks for all of the input! I am going to go with the Curve 5. I had one lined up locally, but they decided not to sell it. I am going on the prowl for one online now.

 

[infinite0180]

Consider the aquamaxx FC-80... i just got mine up and running on my Red Sea Reefer Nano, its really nice for the money!

 

[Hemmdog]

Thanks for all of the input! I am going to go with the Curve 5. I had one lined up locally, but they decided not to sell it. I am going on the prowl for one online now.

Get the elite. I just got the curve 7 elite on my 90 gal. It’s amazing.

 

[Jason_J]

What issues are you trying to correct for with the changes? What are your current water parameters versus what you want them to be?