Thinking about plubing in a 275tote to my system! and what skimmer should i go with??

[wt*jayjay]

In the next few months im going to set up my new 145g w/55g sump fowlr tank im thinking about plumbing in a 275g tote to the system just to have more water and i really want to be able to add more fish than i had planned so more water = can handle more bioload am i right?? and figured i could make a killlller big fuge with it too to keep my nitrates in check.

any way i got bored a drew this up on paint :yay:

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OH! and im going to need a much bigger skimmer so what do you guys suggest??

 

[cr500_af]

Your bioload is handled by your biofilter... which means your rock and sand. The larger water volume will give you more stability (big plus) and make your system a little more tolerant of stuff like missing a water change. The extra water will not add to your ability to handle a larger bioload (but it's still a great thing if you can do it).

If you put a bunch of cured rock in the tub, though, then you are increasing the bioload you can carry.

You won't need a larger skimmer necessarily, for the above reasons. However, I think improving your skimmer is a good move, too, just like the big sump... I don't know what you are using, but better is always a plus.

The only thing that jumps out at me about this (where equipment is concerned) is that you'll need to look at more/larger heaters than your current setup needs.

 

[smoothie]

A 275g fuge would help alot in keeping the waste numbers down in any tank. I absolutely love the idea. Sand, lr, rubble, macro, pods and worms will help keep the system nice and filtered out while replenishing the pod population in the display. Great time to be a dragonet! I want to see updates on this please.
As Barry said you can never go wrong when adding a bigger quality skimmer to it no matter what the fuge/sump size

 

[acroholic]

But more water means more water changes and more $ spent on salt. I was going to plumb a 210 into my system and use it to hold LR, but decided not to for the above reason.

OR...would a larger water volume mean less water changes?

I am assuming you would do the same percentage change regardless if you had 50 or 500 gallons system volume?

 

[smoothie]

With it being used as a fuge the same percentage would be adequate if kept routine until you change the bioload by adding more fish. What skimmer are you running now?

 

[wt*jayjay]

the skimmer i have now is a red sea berlin. its supposed to be rated for 220g but ive had people tell me its even more of a pain than the coralifes can be.

anyway im going to have to scratch the 275 tote plan, i wasnt even thinking about how the heck i was going to get it into my sump room (extra bed room). or even the apartment it self.. butttt, im gettin an undrilled 80gallon tank through a trade soon so im just go to use it. should still make a great fuge! ill prolly put a bunch of rock in it, but should i go deep sand bed or bare bottom in the fuge???

and i really do wana get a better skimmer, so what do you guys sagest?