upgrading from a biocube to 54g, best filtration set up for a reef tank

[jayrezreef]

really confused to how to set up my tanks filtration system. i was leaning more towards a refugium can i please have your input what is the best way to go for a reef tank thanks in advance

iG@JAYREZ

 

[Nandez13]

Welcome to MR

The most basic sump would be a tank with a protein skimmer (a must unless you have a nano tank) and return pump. The bigger the better as the extra volume helps stabilize your parameters and gives you room to hide other equipment if you choose to (heater,reactors etc). You can even put live rock in the sump if you want more swimming space in the DT.

I run a refugium on mine as well for a couple reasons. The primary reason is to cultivate pods because i want to have a Madarin. I have live rock and macroalgae in my fuge. A refugium with macro helps reduce unwanted nutrients that cause algae but it needs to be a decent size; a small amount of macro won't make a noticeable difference.

The LR/LS should be all the bio filtration you need; my skimmer/filter socks are the mechanical filtration. For chemical filtration, I run carbon and GFO. Carbon helps bind particles in the water and gives your tank a clearer look. GFO helps reduce nitrates/phosphates in your tank which lead to algae and make it difficult to keep SPS. There's a ton of options for chemical filtration though and everyone has a different preference so research it a little more before u decide whats best for your system.

 

[james1990]

There are so many varying opinions on what is the "best" method for filtration. But most would agree a good skimmer (not worth cheeping out on) and a filter sock on the drain. You could add a carbon reactor to polish the water and GFO to keep the phosphates down. The cleaner the sump the less maintenance it will require down the road. Refugiums work well when they are the correct size for the tank it is on. If done incorrectly, they will build up detritus and go from being a positive thing to a negative.

 

[Sharkbait420]

What are your plans for the tank? Refugiums are good the grow algae and food for the tank. My tank had a large bioload and messy feeders. I like using trickle towers to keep oxygen levels high. I also used a sand filter for biological filtration.

 

[jayrezreef]

Get good coral growth is my main goal

 

[jayrezreef]