# Setup advice please



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Hey everyone! So after years with my 29g biocube I decided to upgrade a year or so ago to a 45g bowfront which was drilled...long story short it wasn’t done properly (which I didn’t know) and it exploded in my living room one day....over a year later (still with my bio cube) I have bought a 72g bowfront which I am going to be setting up but I would like some advice this time around please! 

I don’t want to go down the drilling route again so I would need a hang on overflow box right? Any particular one is better than another? 
Is is possible to not use a sump type system? Could I use a canister filter (or something else) instead? 
What other pumps would I need? I have a protein skimmer already

Thanks so much for any advice you can give me as I don’t want to go through another loss like the last tank!


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## njene (Jul 8, 2016)

You can absolutly use a canister filter, and fill it with whatever media you deem would work
Just get it sized properly you would want 3-5 times the turnover in volume of your tank
They fit nicely under the stand, are quiet, and do a good job.


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

njene said:


> You can absolutly use a canister filter, and fill it with whatever media you deem would work
> 
> Just get it sized properly you would want 3-5 times the turnover in volume of your tank
> 
> They fit nicely under the stand, are quiet, and do a good job.


Awesome thanks for the info! So say there is 55g of water volume after rocks etc I would need a filter capable of moving 165g-275g in a 24h period? Thanks!

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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Yes. Look into Eheims -- they're reliable and durable.


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## njene (Jul 8, 2016)

You would be looking for 16t+ gph gallons per hour turnover
Manufacturers always over rate the capacity of their filters that's why 3-5Xs the volume turnover rate is the one to go by


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Look for the Classic series of Eheims. I find the Professional series are a PITA. If you want to use "marine blocks" for de-NO3, ditch the media tray of the Eheim classic and place them on the perimter of the canister.

Don't get too hung up on flow rate of the canister filter for the system but rather purpose as the LR will do all the biological function. Technically you don't need a canister filter and you can just use powerheads to keep the water circulating. 

Leave about 6" space b/w the aquarium and the back wall so you can put a PB Rx. I recommend the 550 size as you can go longer b/w servicing and MUCH easier to service vs the 150. Also dont use the rubber fittings that come with PB Rxs...the will eventually split and in a HOB setting, a disaster when it does happen. I use the gret HD 1/2" pvc fittings and cut down where there are no more barbs. Use some hose from the Python system to connect them all together as it fits very snugly and will not harden/shrink.

If you have to keep the aquarium relatively close the wall, spend the extra $ on cell cast media Rxs and plumb it into the cabinet of the stand.

JM2C


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

wtac said:


> Look for the Classic series of Eheims. I find the Professional series are a PITA. If you want to use "marine blocks" for de-NO3, ditch the media tray of the Eheim classic and place them on the perimter of the canister.
> 
> Don't get too hung up on flow rate of the canister filter for the system but rather purpose as the LR will do all the biological function. Technically you don't need a canister filter and you can just use powerheads to keep the water circulating.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for this info! I was actually wondering if a filter system is even necessary as there is Live rock in there but I think I would like to have one anyways... what is PB Rx? Is that the hang on overflow box? On that note is two drain tubes better than one? (In case one gets blocked etc?) also, it's better to have a larger one than smaller right? 
Thanks!

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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

PB Rx is short for PhosBan Reactor...a fluidized media container where you can put carbon and a phosphate absorbing media (iron or aluminum oxide). They run for about $90-110 range plus a MJ1200 powerhead to drive it.

Come to think of it, a cheaper and "water tight" method for your purpose will be the RO filter style media Rx.

One can use powerheads but I would use a Sicce Syncra 1.0 and go to HD/Lowes to get a 3/8" compression-1/2" MPT fitting, 2x3/8" compression elbows, 3/8" compression-1/2" MPT elbow, some 3/8" RO tubing, and done!

Oh and some silicone grease to dab into the compression ports with a Q-tip to protect the O-ring so it doesn't shrink and makes inserting/removing the RO tubing easier.


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

Hi
I ran a small nano system a few year back using a canister filter.
The canister filter allows you to use various medium to reduce phosphates and to a much less extent nitrates (if any).

The media i used was (upper tray) - carbon+purigen (in 1 media bag), Rowaphos (also in media bag), and fluval rings in the bottom tray.

I was hoping the rings (this is the equivalent to "marine blocks") would cultivate anaerobic bacteria to reduce nitrates but it really wasn't that effective.

I ended up putting some non-invasive macro algae (the red stuff) in the tank to uptake nitrate/phosphates. If you have tangs they will eat this stuff in a second.

I also used a HOB skimmer for mechanical filtration of wastes.

IMG_1285 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/, on Flickr

This type of setup with regular water changes is pretty good for LPS type setups with lower lighting requirements. If you run SPS - the lighting will promote too much algae growth.

I know you had a bad experience with drilling tanks - i have to say i get them drilled fairly regular and never had a problem. You may want to look into getting someone who knows what they are doing to do the drilling - because the drilled overflow + sump is probably the best setup.


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

wtac said:


> PB Rx is short for PhosBan Reactor...a fluidized media container where you can put carbon and a phosphate absorbing media (iron or aluminum oxide). They run for about $90-110 range plus a MJ1200 powerhead to drive it.
> 
> Come to think of it, a cheaper and "water tight" method for your purpose will be the RO filter style media Rx.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for the info...those suggestions look like it would work great...I would need a hang on overflow box for it still right?

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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

No overflow is needed. The pump will be in the aquarium and push the water into the media Rxs.

*NOTE:* My bad, I forgot you will need extra RO tubing and fittings for the water to go back into the aquarium.


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

wtac said:


> No overflow is needed. The pump will be in the aquarium and push the water into the media Rxs.
> 
> *NOTE:* My bad, I forgot you will need extra RO tubing and fittings for the water to go back into the aquarium.


Ok perfect! Thanks so much! What's the benefit of that easy stem over an eheim classic canister filter or similar? Wouldn't the price of the RO canisters and the pump be about he same as the canister filter which already has a pump?

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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Excellent Q and got me thinking again...LOL!!!

The canister filter and the dual fluidized system will do 2 different purposes.

- canister filter will serve as denitrification chamber with the bio-blocks
- dual RO style fluidized filters will have 1) carbon for organic absoption for water clarity and 2) ferric oxide, ie RowaPhos or aluminum oxide, ie SeaChem PhosGuard for PO4 absorption.

If you want to save of the expense on the canister filter and bio-blocks, you can DIY a triple RO filter and have the 3rd as a de-NO3 either using sulphur beads or SeaChem Matrix.


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