New to sump...PLEASE HELP !!

I am setting up a 55g sump for my 210g FOWLR. It will eventually be a reef tank once I upgrade my pc lighting to MH. My question is this, what do I use for filtration? Do I just put something in the fuge part like cheato? I plan on putting in live sand or mud and some LR rubble. My skimmer is a Berlin XL, two 300 watt heaters and I will be running a mag 18 pump. Right now I will only have about 100lbs of LR and 100 lbs of live sand in the tank itself and I was concerned that wasn't enough for filtration. Will I still need some kind of mechanical filter? I have read so many differing opinions and ways to set up a sump with bio balls etc etc that my head feels like it is about to explode !! My LFS guy was supposed to come help us plumb the tank to the sump but he is so busy he can't get away. Please help a total nimwit to sumps not screw it up. Thanks !

 

IMO, you have enough sand and live rock for your tanks success! If anything, you could add more live sand, but I would decline your decision to add more live rock for water movement and decreased detritus accumulation. Too much live rock covering up your substrate will increase detritus etc. into your substrate through advection or diffusion also...
As for the mechanical filtration is concerned, I would not worry about it as you should be fine with the skimmer (which actually is your mechanical filtration) and the anaerobic and aerobic bacteria associated with your rock and sand(biological)! A chemical filtration would also be beneficial(ie. carbon and phosphate remover) IMO!!!!!
Take my advice and don't use the bio-balls!!!! Live rock with macroalgae, mud and live sand(refugium/sump) is your best bet! bio-balls are nitrate creators unless you want to clean the bio-balls frequently to remove detritus, uneaten foods etc.

 

Thanks so much for the help coral ! You said chemical filtration. How would I do that ? I'm sorry to sound so stupid but this is my first sump and I am trying to get everything right.

 

Add carbon in a filter media bag or phosphate reomver and add to your tank!

 

For your refugium use a variety of macro algae, especially Ulva (lettuce algae) which grows in sheets very fast and can be fed to your fish like sushi nori. You want some fast growing algae to help remove excess nutrients. Cheato is slow growing.

 

ONLY have 100 lbs lol!