The Puffer Forum

I'm in the process this week of getting the 75 set up for Paris.

It will have some live rock (oh, say around 40lbs that I have currently in her qtine tank and my other salt tank), I'll be adding base rock so it can multiply, a thin sand substrate, fake plants, and a fuge/sump that will hold around 20 gallons. Depending on if the lighting is strong enough (doubt it) there will be some live macro algae as well.

I don't have a ton of extra $$ on hand due to my own unexpected medical expenses, so I'm trying to work with what I have. I have a bunch of AquaClear filters (300 and 500 gph sizes), a larger powerhead, a Coralife Needlewheel skimmer (handles up to 65 gallons so I know its too small but will have to do for now), and of course there's the Mag 7 return pump from the sump.

What should I be aiming for for water movement? Should I run the Aquaclears (two 500's, or 110's as they are now called) with or without media along with the skimmer, return from the sump and at least one powerhead (802) or should I take off the 110's?

Keep in mind Paris is still only about 5" or so, and I am planning on getting a bigger skimmer when $$ permits.

For a FOWLR tank, the general rule for water movement is 10x the tank volume, not including the sump. So you will need to be aiming for 750gph approx.

I would run the filters without media, and the powerhead and the return pump. Can you work out how much flow this would generate?

Hope this helps
Bonnie

Well, the two AC500's will each do 500gph an hour so that's 1000gph right there (minus head, but with no media there shouldn't be significant slowdown).

The powerhead does 400gph.

The Mag 7 does 700gph, but it will probably be dropping to around 400 or so once the head is figured in.

Not sure about the skimmer, let me see if I can find stats on that... Okay, the skimmer is 325gph.

Going by that, I'd probably have enough with the skimmer, powerhead and return pump.. but I'll probably leave at least one AC500 running I'm thinking?

Yeah you should be fine then!

Some people like to have more water movement in their tanks so the flow is more random, but just see how the Burrfish copes with the flow- I know that when my puffers get caught in the flow they get thrown around and look quite shaken up!

Will there be any other fish in the tank?

Running Purigen in the Aquaclear 500 and placing it's input behind a big pile of LR will create a constant flow of water towards the rock, and filter uncharged dissolved nasties the skimmer might not. I also toss little bits and pieces of LR on top of the purigen, to hold it down well and to give a small portion of the LR a super high flow water column.

I *might* put in my maroon clown, but since Paris was being fed feeder fish at the store I think that might be quite risky. So most likely she'll be alone.

I don't know that I'll have a big enough pile of live rock to do that yet Nick, but I'll sure try. My goal was to mainly have the live rock on one side and then fake plants in the background, and a bunch of shorter plants where there was little to no rock. So maybe I can build it up high enough.

Right now she's in a 20H with an AC300 and the skimmer going, so she's used to dealing with around 600gph in a 20 already, I doubt current will bother her in the 75 especially with the plants and rocks to block some flow.

I'd pile a bunch of rubble in one AQ & put cheato in the other. The light from the tank should be enough to keep it alive. Then you have 2 mini fuges!

I don't know.. I have cheato in my sump and it doesn't do anything. I've heard this stuff should grow like a weed and mine barely survives. I followed the DIY clamp on lamp method, maybe the light isn't right but I'm using all the same equipment as people who have good results with it.

I do have a clamp on CF bulb though (made for nano tanks), I might be able to use that and get better results.

I also have a red macro algae (bubble type) and a green type (branchy looking) that I'd love to get to grow in her tank, I'll have to see if the lighting is enough for them.

Out chaeto has been growing very well. It does when there are plenty of nutrients. Strong lighting is not that crucial for growth. We only have one cf bulb aimed at our chaeto. We don't have the skimmer hooked up yet, just because there are only 2 fish in a 75g (a 1.5" scooter dragonet and a 2" goby).

I'd still have the skimmer going.

I would use the skimmer and modify an AC500 into a refugium then fill the AC500 with live-rock rubble.

To modify the AC500 all you need to do is take the plastic bracket that holds the sponge/other media out. Cut this plastic bracket so you have a solid piece that you can use to block off the intake side of the chamber. You want the intake water to overflow into the "refugium" side, that way the water is just flowing over the refugium and not all the way through the rock where it would trap detrius and whatnot.

That is a very good idea, and I should have everything on hand to make it work. Isn't there something about the fuge though where you are supposed to swap out the impeller with a smaller sized one to reduce the flow?

Don't forget I already have a 20 gallon sump/fuge too...