Setting up tank-need some advice

First I want to say hello and I am sorry this is a long post.
(Thanks for your time)

I use to be on reef central but could not get any help. I have been in reefing for 4+ years and about a year ago I got a flat worm invasion. I had already been battling nitrates due to an undetermined cause thus causing me to tear everything down. I have been doing research the last three months to see what changes need to be made to my old system. I cleaned all my old rock and reworked the sump. I also bought a reef octopus skimmer(dnwb-110) and have Rox 0.8 carbon and a reactor on the way from bulk reef supply. I also run Sea chem matrix bio-media. I will include old and new pics so you can see the changes I have made.

I am looking for advice on the set up and the best way to avoid further
nitrate issues. So let me tell ya about the tank.

It is a regular 75 gallon tank and the sump is 30 gallons.
All the rock is on the sides now due to being able to see the tank from both sides. I also like the rock suspended for circulation. This was done with egg crate(light diffuser) and zip ties. I am planning to built a podium with the new live rock in the middle to get a high spot in the middle of the flow for SPS and to add a couple overhangs and caves. I also have a DIY overflow running about 500 GPH. Circulation is done with a modded maxi-jet 1200 and a quit one pump that runs about 600 GPH(With the pluming T'ed I guess about 450 GPH) along with the return from the sump. I already mentioned the carbon reactor and the carbon I am switching to Rox 0.8 for filtration. This will be teamed with macro in the sump and what is left of my new live rock from building the podium. I will also through the rest of my bleached live rock in the sump so the new rock can seed it again. I also mentioned the skimmer. I need to get a couple 30 gal plastic containers that will be plumbed and heated for top off and water changes. I got the float valves for the top off in today. I will include pics of the old tank as well as the new set up although I am still waiting to buy the live rock and the reactor should come in next Wednesday. So here comes the questions.


1.I have read a lot of bad things about live rock from the gulf.
What would be the best live rock to use?

2.Do you see any room for improvement?(filtration,circulation,sump)

3.Is what I am doing going to help with the nitrates?
-(better circulation around rock, adding to the sump, better skimmer, better carbon, reactor instead of canister)

4.I am looking at SeaChem fusion for my supplements.Is this a good idea?
-( I never used much supplements)

5.Is adding 40 lbs of live rock going to considerably help my
nitrate reduction?

6.What is the best technique to seed the dead rock with live?

OLD TANK \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\




NEW SETUP////////////////////////////


Can you imagine the podium in the middle?

 

I would recommend getting a macro algae down in the sump for nutrient export. Chaeto is a good start. I have heard that putting Live rock in the sump is not a good idea because it will eventually become a nitrate factory due to the build up of detritus. How often do you do water changes, and how much do you change?

 

are those mangroves in the fuge area? i didn't see those before i posted

 

Looks like your off to a good start. Getting rid of the canister is a good idea.do you have any flow besides the return/overflow? The skimmer will most definitely help and so will the macros.

 

Yea those are mangroves. I knew no one would really read a post that long so let me say I am sorry. As I said in the original post I am going to put multiple macro algae in the sump when I order my cleaning crew from
reef cleaners.
As far as circulation,a modded maxi-jet 1200(1000+ gph) and a quiet one(600 gph) along with the return(500 gph).
All the circulation is hidden behind the rock.That is why you can not see any pumps. I wanted to do this instead of plumbing from outside in, so the pumps would rotate the water behind the rock. It seemed like a good place for dead water.This way it pulls the water behind the rock and rotates the tank.

Water changes-I have a ro/di system. Before I shut down the tank I was changing 25 gal twice a week to keep the nitrates down and nothing I did would make them stay there. I think this was due to 4 inchs of sand(to much for a regular sand bed but not enough for deep sand bed), insufficient clean up crew to churn sand bed, canister filter, pore rock layout(causing lots of dead spots), cheep carbon that was insufficient.

 

My past 150 had nitrate problems that forced me out of the hobby at the time. At that time I was told to vacuum the sand on every weekly water change. Now I have read here that was a huge mistake. This tank had about 4 inches of sand.

I also had sponge filters upstream of the return pump and skimmer pump. From reading here that could have been another big mistake as far as nitrates go.

The water flow dead spots and detritus holding areas are the areas to be concerned about.

If these areas of concern are wrong please correct me. The members here are fantastic help. Your tank and filtration look good to me. I'll be watching your thread to learn more.

Good luck,
Rick

 

Thanks Raudrive. I also was under the impression at the time to siphon out the sand. I also agree this could have been one of the major problems. I have set my pumps up to point at the bottom on the left side and at the top on the right. Reason being I want to make a circle toward the over flow. I want to add another modded maxi jet before I am done just to kick on to stir things up.
I used to use a canister filter then realized that could be causing my problems. Now all I am just going to put a sock filter on the sump inlet and everthing else is ran with reactors. No sponges, no filter pads, no carbon bags, ect... as little to cause nitrates as possible.

 

I would like to focus on question 4 with my contribution on this thread Josh

Seachems Reef Fusion A and B is is reasonable calcium and alkalinity supplement IME
but IMO it may not be the best option for you, depending on what you want to keep in that size of tank/ sump

if you wanted to eventually keep SPS corals / Clams etc, then you may find the amount of this or any other bottled liquid supplement far from econimical
and as such your better off looking at bulk 2 part additive systems or even dry additives ( hobby brand or supermarket alternatives)

even if you wanted to keep soft corals, LPS etc, with minimal demand for Ca and Alk
you may find Kalwasser to be a much better alternative financially IMO

for smaller volumes of water, then the Seachem Fusion or any of the other 2 part in bottles varying from 250 - 500 mils liquid supplements are great IMO
but for a larger set up like yours, there are better ways of achieving your objectives/ maintaining your parameters


Steve

 

I am open to all suggestions. I have used kalk and even pickling lime to dose with but am wanting to go more automatic. I would like to stay away from drip lines or pumps in with kalk due to the problems I have read about. With that in mind what additives do you suggest? How much? I thank you for your help and time but please expand on this subject as I am very inexperienced with supplements.

 

Kalc in an ATO would also work. Kinda killing two birds with one stone.