New 55g FOWLR

[av8soulfly]

I run mine 24/7 because the ocean does not slow down its ebb and flow at night or any other time. The closer we can mimic the ocean the better chance we have of being successful. My 2 cents.

 

[av8soulfly]

Because of the stands central support I only have 12 1/8”x17 3/4” on either side of it in the bottom cabinet of my stand. Possibly put a tall sump in there; I left the entire back of the stand open to the wall so should have plenty of room to plumb. The biggest issue for me adding the sump is the complete consensus of my better half! “I have to buy another tank to set this tank back up” argument is gonna be a hard sale!

I really need to try and attempt this without the sump and then use the excessive WCs as an excuse to add the sump if necessary... any other way to lower the nitrates?

I have had good luck dosing 15 ml of NoPox each morning. brought the NO3 down to 5 or so. I have a good nitrogen reactor and a big skimmer in the sump that gets cleaned out every other day...and it stinks like an outhouse on a hot summer day.;Vomit

 

[Jesterrace]

Just me but if you aren't going to do a sump I would go HOB for maybe carbon and GFO (ie Chemipure Elite media bag). Fluval and Seachem make some great flexible HOB filters for pretty cheap. As mentioned in a previous post they are very prone to becoming nitrate factories and no other method of mechanical filtration is as problematic in marine tanks as canister filters. If you do go HOB for the filter it probably would be good to get an HOB skimmer as well, Reef Octopus and Eshoppes make some nice HOB skimmers. I had an Eshoppes PSK-75H on my 36 gallon bowfront and it did a pretty decent job:

 

[FishingLovingSons]

I have had good luck dosing 15 ml of NoPox each morning. brought the NO3 down to 5 or so. I have a good nitrogen reactor and a big skimmer in the sump that gets cleaned out every other day...and it stinks like an outhouse on a hot summer day.;Vomit

Haha I understand that! I do have a Penguin Biowheel HOB filter I could use instead of the Eheim canister... it’s just so big lol. But if canister filters are that big of a nitrate farm then it may well be worth the HOB.
The mechanical filter on a reef tank; or at least live rock, is for nothing more than carbon and filter floss correct? Since I will be sumpless for the foreseeable future.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Just me but if you aren't going to do a sump I would go HOB for maybe carbon and GFO (ie Chemipure Elite media bag). Fluval and Seachem make some great flexible HOB filters for pretty cheap. As mentioned in a previous post they are very prone to becoming nitrate factories and no other method of mechanical filtration is as problematic in marine tanks as canister filters. If you do go HOB for the filter it probably would be good to get an HOB skimmer as well, Reef Octopus and Eshoppes make some nice HOB skimmers. I had an Eshoppes PSK-75H on my 36 gallon bowfront and it did a pretty decent job:

Always liked bowfront and hexagon tanks, on a future wish list! I have been looking at getting a reef octopus 90. The penguin HOB came with this particular tank in one of those starter kits so I might stick with it to get as much volume through the floss and carbon as I can hourly. I know the tank will look crowded with all of the equipment; one reason I wanted to use the eheim canister is I have an in-line external heater with it. All things being equal I would rather have an in tank heater with a HOB than a nitrate farming canister.

 

[av8soulfly]

If you are going HOB I would recommend this:
https://www.seachem.com/tidal-filters.php
I have the 55 model on my 15 gallon frag tank. It's nice because it skims the surface of the water and picks up water from the bottom of the tank too. I put chemipure and polyfilter and marine pure balls in the basket. works well.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

If you are going HOB I would recommend this:
https://www.seachem.com/tidal-filters.php
I have the 55 model on my 15 gallon frag tank. It's nice because it skims the surface of the water and picks up water from the bottom of the tank too. I put chemipure and polyfilter and marine pure balls in the basket. works well.

Thank you; I like the look and design. Has it been sufficient enough for you as far as skimming goes? Would a stand alone skimmer like reef octopus be significantly better to use?