Saltwater Aquarium Online Guide Forum

Ok... So there's not a lot of folks here..

What the hell I'll put it up anyway.

Have been researching for a while as to a fairly troublefree setup (that's impossible I know),and have combined a few ideas that I have found on the net.

I will be setting up a 75 gal reef (hopefully, money is an issue) and have fairly limited space, in that I can't cut up walls or add anything. My system must be self contained and freestanding.
The sump I have planned is 12x12x20 long with a total of 5 chambers. three of them will house rocks, gravel and sand (or something better, depends on what I find in the next few months) I don't plan to have a refugium but if it becomes necessary it should be fairly easy to integrate.

The reactor I plan is 4 inch id pipe 5 feet long using a counterflow air injection.

I have a drawing of the system sans airpump, stones and a few other minor bits. I would like to know if I am on the right track with all of this or if i'm asking for trouble.

Thanks...
John

You seem to be on the right track, John. All the information you have seems to be set up well in the fact that your are setting up a reef aquarium.

you seem to have the reef aquarium set up in tack. i think you should be just fine with your reef aquarium set up.

You need a fuge for pod sake

the fuge is the blue thing on the bottom of the picture.
The plan was to have that as a bio/live plant/DSB filter as well as a pod/shrimp/snail... farm to supplement the feed.

One thing i was having a hard time finding info on is the size of the skimmate exit on the fractionater. What I have drawn is a 4 inch reaction chamber with a 7/8 inch exit. The thought was to have the introduced air act as a pump to keep that disgusting ick moving down the tube to the collection vessel. I'm expecting that will stink somewhat and may have to filter the output air with carbon. It seems that the amount of air is fairly important and regular diaphram pumps don't seem to make it. What about a small oilless rotary compressor and a regulater set down to 3 or 4 psi? I am huge fan of overkill and am hoping that this huge fractionator, along with the sump/bio filter and DSB/LR in the tank will allow fairly low current and still be "overkill".
If the scavanged air "pump" is effective I may be able to have the collection tank outside and then I won't care if it stinks.

Gonna go with FOWLR to start, unless I don't get any money for this project (a box of LR up here is almost $300.00!, In that case it's going to be a fresh planted tank with shrimp, snails and a shitload of tetras for a really cool school and a bunch of other herbivores to keep the plants in check.

Thanks for the input.

Peace...
John