It'll be a good while before my display tank is all arranged, in place and ready to do it's thing. However... I am trying to think far ahead and prep the sump/fuge/liverock
I am on the 'green' side when it comes to this, so bear with me.
So. I have a 50gal acrylic skim/sump/fuge, with the intention of putting in a 75 or 90 gallon display in say... 5 months.
I don't want to buy 100% live rock. Actually with this much time 'ahead' I'd like to use mostly dry rock, then seed it in the sump/fuge. Giving it plenty of time to mature and grow into a healthy batch of live rock.
Is this a viable plan? Using a basement setup?
-Set up the fuge section with a 4" aragonite DSB, chaeto, bits of live rock and live sand and a bunch of dry rock to seed.
-Set up the sump return section with a lot of dry rock. Maybe one large piece of live rock to help it along.
-Keep the skimmer section for an active skimmer (maybe fit some more dry rock if it fits ok).
-I may be able to rig some sort of closed loop with a pump, to cycle the water from one side to the next. Just to maintain some sort of cross flow between the sections.
I can hook up power head(s) for flow/agitation, and have a running skimmer. I can set up a PC 6700k daylight fixture above the fuge section.. OR if better, I have a 608 watt HA/T5 fixture I could use... but not sure if that is bad for encouraging algae growth. Plus an appropriately sized heater.. of course. It can get cool in the basement.
-I expect periodic water changes are required.
-Should some creatures be placed in the fuge? What may be best?
-Tips for keeping such a thing running and healthy until I can install and transition this to the main tank?
The full quantity of dry rock for the main tank may not fit into this sump/fuge setup. Even if I seed some 75% of the rock, that is better than nothing. When the main tank gets into place it will help the cycle go all the faster. I suspect maybe even days before I can get fish/corals in rather than weeks starting from scratch (I hope).
Much much thanks ahead of time for any advice/tips!
-Gary
I am on the 'green' side when it comes to this, so bear with me.
So. I have a 50gal acrylic skim/sump/fuge, with the intention of putting in a 75 or 90 gallon display in say... 5 months.
I don't want to buy 100% live rock. Actually with this much time 'ahead' I'd like to use mostly dry rock, then seed it in the sump/fuge. Giving it plenty of time to mature and grow into a healthy batch of live rock.
Is this a viable plan? Using a basement setup?
-Set up the fuge section with a 4" aragonite DSB, chaeto, bits of live rock and live sand and a bunch of dry rock to seed.
-Set up the sump return section with a lot of dry rock. Maybe one large piece of live rock to help it along.
-Keep the skimmer section for an active skimmer (maybe fit some more dry rock if it fits ok).
-I may be able to rig some sort of closed loop with a pump, to cycle the water from one side to the next. Just to maintain some sort of cross flow between the sections.
I can hook up power head(s) for flow/agitation, and have a running skimmer. I can set up a PC 6700k daylight fixture above the fuge section.. OR if better, I have a 608 watt HA/T5 fixture I could use... but not sure if that is bad for encouraging algae growth. Plus an appropriately sized heater.. of course. It can get cool in the basement.
-I expect periodic water changes are required.
-Should some creatures be placed in the fuge? What may be best?
-Tips for keeping such a thing running and healthy until I can install and transition this to the main tank?
The full quantity of dry rock for the main tank may not fit into this sump/fuge setup. Even if I seed some 75% of the rock, that is better than nothing. When the main tank gets into place it will help the cycle go all the faster. I suspect maybe even days before I can get fish/corals in rather than weeks starting from scratch (I hope).
Much much thanks ahead of time for any advice/tips!
-Gary
