New Reef setup questions, please help! :) 73 Gallon

[ndimuzio]

Hello all! I am new to this board but I plan on using it very much thorughout the setup and use of my tank.
I have a 73 Gallon Saltwater reef setup with live rock, EHEIM Professionel Wet/Dry Filter 2227, a small Ehiem canister and live sand. The tank has been cycled and has 6 damsels and 6 Turbo Snails at the moment.
I have purchased a AquaC EV 120 Skimmer, Mag5, Mag 9.5, CPR Overflow Box 90, a ton of PVC and a Berlin Sump.
I don't know anything much about setting it up but I will explain what I think I should be doing:
Run the tube from the overflow box into the sump, use the Mag5 to pump the water into the skimmer from the sump then output the water from the skimmer into the otherside of the sump, pump the water from the sump back into the tank using the Mag 9.5?
If someone could please help me out I would really appreicate it..

Thanks everyone!

 

[taikonaut]

>... I will explain what I think I should be doing: ...

That sounds good, so do you have any specific question? You may not need the wetdry or the canister filter, depends on your setup.

Oh, New Canaan is a very nice New England town. I used to live in Milford for about ten years.

 

[ndimuzio]

Hey, thanks for replying to my post.. I dont really understand how to setup the skimmer.. I just bought the wet/dry Ehiem so if possible I would like to take advantage of it to push water at least, what do you think? Please explain to me how to setup the Overflow box, there is a small nipple on the box(to prime it?) .. then it falls into the sump? the pumped into the skimmer? then back into the sump and out to the tank? is that correcT? Can I move my heaters to the sump to get rid of the stuff in the tank?
Thanks for all your help, much appreicated!

 

[ndimuzio]

also I just ordered a rotating wave maker, is this a good idea?

 

[taikonaut]

Most skimmer can not handle all the flow down to the sump, so there will be some water that by-pass the skimmer and go back up to the tank.

the nipple is for priming, yes. You need to install a check valve or other device to hold the siphon for it to work. Also, make sure the siphon still work after power outage. Some use powerhead/saltwater safe air pump and other device to keep the siphon (primed) going when air bubble get caught in the U-tube, or during power outage.

The extra room in the sump for the heater is one of the main benefit of having a sump setup.

 

[ndimuzio]

I just ordered a wave maker and a Aqua
lifter micro pump for the overflow box, hopefully that will do the trick.
So basically I just place the Mag5 in one side of the sump and have it output into the AquaC Ev120 and the Mag9.5 on the other side of the sump pumping the water back into the tank?

THANKS VERY MUCH!

 

[taikonaut]

>... So basically I just ...?

Yup.

 

[ndimuzio]

Thanks very much, my pump and wave maker should be in tommorrow.. I will be taking photos as I work on the project.
Do you think its worth me getting a RO system?

My plan is to have Anenome's and clownfish....

 

[Anonymous]

RO yes!....give it a few months after cycling before the whole anemone thing...mature your reef a little...You really dont need a wet/dry unit...a good skimmer and powerheads (in your case a wavemaker) should be sufficient.....if you take your time with things, you'll reap benefits... 8)

 

[ndimuzio]

What type of RO system should I get? I noticed some at Home Depot that are for drinking.. with a tank the mounts under the sink? I dont know much about it... also if I get rid of the Wet/Dry.. where would i put the Carbon? I added trace elements to my tank.. thats a good thing, right?

 

[taikonaut]

RO:
HD's RO is fine. I found them cheaper at Costco's, about $150 with a drinking kit.

W/D and carbon:
You can look into convert eh wet/dry into a regular sump, and put carbon there. You should not need to keep carbon there all the time... only when you know there is a need for it.

Carbon and trace element:
Just like carbon, dose trace element only if you know if you have a need for it. It mean test the level, and see if it is below the desired level. Blindly use additive and filter media just going to waste you money.

 

[ndimuzio]

What do you mean convert the wet/dry into a regular sump.. I have a sump.. I just got all the PVC hoses on last night.. hooked up my two pumps and the skimmer.. just awaiting the shipment of the wavemaker and Aqua Lifter Vacuum Pump for the overflow box.
What do you think?
I'll have pics this week!


Thanks again for all your help, it's much appreicated!

 

[taikonaut]

Oh, if the sump is commerically made, check to see if there are partition or chamber for the carbon.

You sound good to go. Post pic and let everyone see the fruit of your labor!

 

[ndimuzio]

It's a Berlin Sump, two main chambers, 1 small middle chamber that holds a filter type media.. do I just put Carbon in there?
Im using one side for Skimmer intake and return, the other for return to tank.
I just ordered a RO/DI System.. I was going to run a waterline to the room where my tank is located..then into the RO/DI system which will output water to another sump under my tank and then I was going to put a Mag5 into that sump to push the pure water into my tank.. is this best?
This is what I ordered:
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem ... uct=KM1493

Please let me know..
THANKS AGAIN!

 

[ndimuzio]

oh I ordered these along with the RO/DI system:
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem ... uct=KM1675
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem ... uct=RO1313
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem ... uct=RO1315

 

[taikonaut]

>... do I just put Carbon in there?
Yup.

Mag 5 is a bit too big for pumping water, I would use something smaller, and slower. You don't want to dump gallons of fresh water into the tank in seconds, unless, of course, you are in a real hurry...

FWIW, I use a drinking water kit (with pressure/bladder tank) and a Spectra-Pure LLC for auto topoff. You setup will be fine, but you can do without the pump by having a float valve that control the output from the water filter.

 

[ndimuzio]

Sounds good, could you please explain to me how to set it up to autofill? I was going to use a second sump style container for the water to fill out of the RO system, then pump it to the tank when needed.. but if I can set it up to autofill.. well that would be great!!! What about salt.. if it was autofilling then the salt level would be low...

Thanks! :roll:

 

[ndimuzio]

I have a small syphon pump for the overflow box, how do I hook it up?

 

[ndimuzio]

Okay, I hooked everything up... it seems to be working perfect... water into the overflow..down to sump.. pumped into the AquaC EV120 then back out into the sump and pumped back into the Sea Swirl wave maker.. only thing is.. the overflow makes a gulping noise from the water shooting down the drain hole so quickly, any ideas on how to kill the sound?
How long till the skimmer starts producing foam generally?
One last thing.. dont you think I should leave at least one of my canister filters running until the reef is build up more?
Please let me know..
THANKS!

 

[ndimuzio]

At times the water returning to the tank has tons of bubbles due to the MAG 9.5 pumping the water out faster then it can be replaced... what should I do?