Help..

[pop]

Hello, everybody... new to marine, hope can get valuable tips from your expertise.. something to ask....

- i currently have a IOS tank with 3ft * 1.5ft * 1.5 ft. The IOS is built behind the main tank, which means the main tank is about (L)3 * (w)1 * (h)1.5.

- IOS have three compartment.

- 15 kg of liverocks

- 15 kg of G3 sand

- One Atman return pump.

I also have a bags of:-

i) corals chips

ii) coral rings

iii) black bio balls

iv) carbon

v) white wool

vi) green thick wool

Will be doing cycling of the tank soon (add prawn tomo)

Everything is put into the tank liao, except the few bags of chips and rings. Would like to know what is the best option to put into the IOS compartment. Everything or...? I read in the forum that those items will become "nitrate factory" in time to come.. So in a dilema now.

Also will be getting a skimmer soon, any recommendation for a efficient one? Budget between $0- $150 with pump.. possible?

Hope that someone can help me with these.. thanks a lot.

[nakazoru]

Indeed those media will built up nitrate over time. But end of the day, it is how you wana do your maintenance and what you wana keep in your tank.

Some coral needs nutrients rich environment so over-skimmed environment may not be suiltable. Some coral needs very clean water so under-skimmed water is not suitable.

But most tank crash due to these nitrate factory bcos of irregular/misunderstood maintenance.

You may like to read abt Belin method of filtration or even DSB for biological filtration. DSB is the most contested topic so you decide.

[pop]

I dun think i can go for the DSB cos of limit tank space.. So can i just put in the coral chips in the net bag and into the IOS compartment and the green, white wool filter also. I will do away with the rest of the filters. Of couse not forgetting a efficient skimmer. Will do? Thanks.

[nakazoru]

I dun think i can go for the DSB cos of limit tank space.. So can i just put in the coral chips in the net bag and into the IOS compartment and the green, white wool filter also. I will do away with the rest of the filters. Of couse not forgetting a efficient skimmer. Will do? Thanks.

I dun think experts here will agree with the coral chips, as it did built up nitrate over time. Provided you do routine maintenance then it is okay. I dun have IOS that why I have bio-ring in the canister filter.

Given the option of IOS, I will go for refugium and cultivate macro-algae... Coral chip will be my last option.

[zeotz]

My 2 cents:

I am wondering where you will put your skimmer. do you plan a hang-on one? personnaly i feel the hang on ones with pump inside main tank is quite intrusive. If you can find a hangon with pump small enuf to fit the 2nd sump compartment would be great I think. I;ve heard and seen the Remora pro skimmer works quite well.

I suggest some LR into the first sump compartment, with some wool ontop of the LR to prefilter the water (need to clean out often to prevent detritus build up). Carbon put in last compartment, together with the return pump.

[pop]

Hm.. I get what u mean.. my 2nd compartment is about L28cm * W13 cm.. Is it enough to house any of the available skimmer in the market?

[pop]

This is the 2nd compartment of my IOS.. enough to house a skimmer ? Thanks.

[zeotz]

i think a hangonback skimmer may b suitable. you just need to fit the pump inside, the skimmer body sits outside

[woverine]

hei bro, I have axactly what u have (ios at the rear)

been running for more than 2 yrs. well a macro skimmer is good enuf for ur budget.(that is what I am using)

[woverine]

emmm the midle compartment aprt from placing the skimmer omit all those bioball etc etc,

insted place as many

rocks as possible ( as long as the live rocks all submerged in the water).

Bro I cannot see any pump at the left compartment?

on the right compartment I place the nitrate beads, po4 beads and a few pouch of algon and charcoal .

[woverine]

yap 1 more thing dsb is a must for our ios set up?

aprt from the skimmer we need dsb for better quality of filtration(water)

coz we cant affford a refugfum like a sump tank is capable of!

just my humble opinion

[pop]

Thanks.. bro.. Right now.. I house a weipro 2011 in the middle hangin on top with the pump in the first compartment.