Is it necessary?

In a 180 FOWLR you have the potential to keep some of the larger and some of the more exspensive fish.If it were me I would want to keep good water quality without doing large or frequent water changes.I would use a sump with good skimmer and biopellets in a reactor.

 

I have to agree although I do not run a skimmer, doing large frequent WC on such a large system would quickly become very expensive.

Fish can tolerate a good deal of nitrates unlike corals but it will make them more suspeticle to disease. Also many larger fish are very messy waste creating fish

 

one thing a good skimmer will do is remove organics before they will turn into ammonia thus reducing the load on your biological filter

 

What's a turf scrubber

 

I currently have a 180g tank with a dual output CPR overflow 1200gph going into large sump thought filter pad then bio balls. To a mag12 return pump 1200gph. To 3 return outputs in the tank. A mp 40 for flow. I will be placing about 100lbs of live rock. Somewhere done the line a skimmer and a uv sterilizer. What do you think about my stock list.

1 map puffer
2 volitan lion
2 snow flake eels
1 yellow tang

1 panther grouper? Any other suggestions additions or subractions

 

Once the liverock is in the DT and cycled I would start to remove the bioballs and filter pads. Be prepared to valve back the return pump, your flow through the sump should be close to what the skimmer can process per hour ( usually 3-5x the DT volume)

What skimmer are you planning on?

When I first put the first MP40 on my 180 I realized I needed a second one, The Vortech pumps really help your skimmer to be a lot more effective

I run with no filter socks and when I do my water changes is when I vacuum the detritus from the bottom of the sump

 

I'm not sure what kind of skimmer yet. My friend said he would get me a good one when I was ready. I get home on the 2nd of January and will start filling my tank. I'm going to use dr Tim's one and only. Along with some live rock and live sand out of an established tank. And then waiting a few days to add a fish. Any thoughts?