250000 litre pool conversion to reef tank!

[Albertastorm]

I would use a skimmer for sure

Have you tried macro algea?
150 gallons for 225 tank?

 

[jsker]

So my first inteligent question!
Sump I'm basement...can I sell protein skimmer....bio reactor and roller filter?
And just use 150 gallons of sump full of macro algae to convert waste?

Keep the skimmer, for sure. The skimmer will help with pulling out nutrients. The bio reactor will also come in handy down the road. The roller filter you could live without, and DIY a algae scrubber. Since the reactor and filter are in the box, one can always sell them later for a better price if you decide not to use them

 

[Albertastorm]

Negative, I think of the equipment (Sump and Roller) as a preventive for Nitrates, Phospates and detritus. Macro Algae and bio pellets is a secondary embankment to pull out what Nitrates and Phosphates get by. Good luck with your build out. Awesome Tank!

Thankyou!
I have no problem leaving the sump inline ....I have room to put 400 gallon plastic tank inline before sump...lots of room...400 gallon macro algea tank...but my experience in fresh water...5000 gallon koi tank and 4000 gallon winter tank has educated me.!....15 lb koi in 3 years!!!
A natural way of eliminating waste has served me well.... I really think a very large macro algea tank will do better then the above equipment...no???

 

[Albertastorm]

fill it up lol, Hope it goes well Good Luck tonight I will have a little Georgia moon shine lol

That is my second favorite hobby)..I make some great rum!

 

[thejuice24]

Sorry sump = skimmer

I would think at a minimum you would want to filter out dissolved solids..... that's alot of gallons! Is your whole basement a tank?

I would personally use all that space for frags IMO.... instead of alage

 

[Albertastorm]

I understand...you are all conventional reefers...using conventional equipment...most or you have bin limited by space...im not...would a huge macro algae tank not eliminate the need for protein skimmer...roller filter and bio reactor??

 

[Albertastorm]

Sorry sump = skimmer

I would think at a minimum you would want to filter out dissolved solids..... that's alot of gallons! Is your whole basement a tank?

I would personally use all that space for frags IMO.... instead of alage

Ok ...I can appreciate your comments....but again does anyone have experience with a over sized refugium?

 

[ludnix]

I think it could eliminate the need for a skimmer, but there's some downsides to an exclusively biological filter. Namely if something goes wrong and you have a massive die off your filtration is gone until it regrows back to it's full potential. I would keep a skimmer at least as backup regardless, the airation is provides is good for the water's pH as well. You will have those effects with a nice garden of macro algae as well, but you can't turn them on instantly. I think some of the original refugium ideas suggested that the refuge be multiple times larger than the display so I think you're on to a good path with a big macro algae setup. You'll have a lot of algae to manually remove but it's a great way to naturally clean the water.

 

[Albertastorm]

Ok...I get it..most are against large macro algea tank doing the work of filter socks ...roller mat...protein skimmer...bio reactor...but why...someone with experience please tell me?

 

[Albertastorm]

I think it could eliminate the need for a skimmer, but there's some downsides to an exclusively biological filter. Namely if something goes wrong and you have a massive die off your filtration is gone until it regrows back to it's full potential. I would keep a skimmer at least as backup regardless, the airation is provides is good for the water's pH as well. You will have those effects with a nice garden of macro algae as well, but you can't turn them on instantly. I think some of the original refugium ideas suggested that the refuge be multiple times larger than the display so I think you're on to a good path with a big macro algae setup. You'll have a lot of algae to manually remove but it's a great way to naturally clean the water.

Thankyou)))...very intelligent response..i get that failure in the refugium would be an issue .. but I'm not your average reefer...I haved farmed 5000 acres and understand the importance of a crop....I don't think or could not imagine a total failure in my refugium?...if I stay away from asexual macro algea... I cant see this failure??

 

[sneub]

Following

 

[Albertastorm]

Thankyou)))...very intelligent response..i get that failure in the refugium would be an issue .. but I'm not your average reefer...I haved farmed 5000 acres and understand the importance of a crop....I don't think or could not imagine a total failure in my refugium?...if I stay away from asexual macro algea... I cant see this failure??

Don't get me wrong ...I appreciate all of your comments and will take all to heart...but really a 400 gallon macro algea tank ...with doseer adding micro nuitreints ...won't this do it?

 

[ludnix]

I think it could definitely work, you'd want to take some time to consider what species of macro algae you want to grow. Perhaps a variety to keep improve odds of success with the various species.

 

[Albertastorm]

I know ... my koi tank...5000 gallons ....not a reef but ...I do have a background of raising fresh water fish...15 lbs in 3 years....hog barn 220 sows farrow to finish...5000 animals at once....5000 acres of crops .....again ..not a reef tank ...earned my way
Through university raising fish...angels ...rams ....etc....digging 200 million gallon dugout to raise Arctic char....not bragging....just giving my backround

 

[Albertastorm]

Yes 15lbs in 3 years))...very proud of that!
1000s of babies every year!

 

[Albertastorm]

Ok.. I will put 500 gallon macro algae tank ahead of my sump!!!!
Will have protein skimmer ...roller filter....gfo reactor on standby,,,but I swear...will hunt each and everyone of you down when I don't need))))

 

[Albertastorm]

Really!!!....well lite algae tank of this volume is going to burn up all wastes!!!!

 

[Bradw18]

Lot of people only run there skimmer part time. My skimmer helps raise my ph by bringing in fresh air from outside.

 

[tyler1503]

I would definitely use the skimmer. It's the heart of the filtration.
Imagine if you have 400 gallons worth of macro algae die off because of a failure and you're left with no filtration at all. All it takes is for the light over the macro to malfunction while you're away or something like that to kill off the algae. At least with a skimmer you can have some sort of back up filtration. It will also aerate you're water like surface agitation could never do.
Freshwater is a completely different hobby to marine. You can be the best cichlid or discus breeder in the world and still not be able to keep a marine tank running. I'm sure you'll be a great reefer, but just letting you know only a small amount of experience is transferable to the marine hobby

 

[Mark Gray]

Ok.. I will put 500 gallon macro algae tank ahead of my sump!!!!
Will have protein skimmer ...roller filter....gfo reactor on standby,,,but I swear...will hunt each and everyone of you down when I don't need))))

LOL I hope it works I will follow this closely, if your ever in the south come on over