Prioritizing improvements

[Treefer32]

So, I've got a lot of things I"d like to do, but the conflict with finances limits progress. Due to fish issues in the past, I've been stocking up on corals. Especially since corals are doing amazing compared to fish in the past.

My question now as I'm getting to a point I want the current corals to grow out more, I need to prioritize looks of the display vs. livestock.

The display gets cloudy at times and has a large amount of debris circling in the water column. My guess is it's a combination of fine sand particles, some algae die off particles, etc. I don't run filter socks (I'm not changing them daily, so not happening. I've ran filter floss, but, based on the color it turns, it lookslike it probably should be changed as often as a filter sock.

I was debating a theiling rollermat, but, is there anything large enough for a 350 gallon display and 75 gallon sump? I'm thinking of adding a Rubbermade tub remote sump anyways, so, I could easily plumb something with a gate valve from my return pump into the rollermat to control flow and speed of use of the roller fleece. But, is there anyone that makes something variable size based on the size of tank and water volume. Or am I better off finding a way to build my own? (i'm not very handy....)

I also was wondering if there's any alternatives to roller mats, that don't require changing every 2-3 days that would also clarify the water. I'm running carbon, purigen (in separate bags) and not really seeing much progress of the clarity of the water. But if I run a piece of filter floss so that the water has to flow through it in my sump. It's filthy within a day and the display looks significantly clearer. So, I feel the proof of concept of Using filter flows or some fleece would really clarify the water in the display, just not sure what the best options are to do so and keep such a large tank volume clean.


Thoughts?

 

[ReeferReefer]

Sounds like you need mechanical filtration. Filter floss should be changed every 3 days. I end up doing it about twice a week.

A roller mat sounds like the best option for you though. Not sure on the sizes.

 

[Treefer32]

I was debating a rollermat. Any suggestions on what's good. The bulk reef supply reviews aren't the greatest of the ones they sell. A Bubble Magus one on another site had a couple decent reviews. Overall, they don't seem like they're getting the attention I would expect. . .

 

[Fiesty]

So, I've got a lot of things I"d like to do, but the conflict with finances limits progress. Due to fish issues in the past, I've been stocking up on corals. Especially since corals are doing amazing compared to fish in the past.

My question now as I'm getting to a point I want the current corals to grow out more, I need to prioritize looks of the display vs. livestock.

The display gets cloudy at times and has a large amount of debris circling in the water column. My guess is it's a combination of fine sand particles, some algae die off particles, etc. I don't run filter socks (I'm not changing them daily, so not happening. I've ran filter floss, but, based on the color it turns, it lookslike it probably should be changed as often as a filter sock.

I was debating a theiling rollermat, but, is there anything large enough for a 350 gallon display and 75 gallon sump? I'm thinking of adding a Rubbermade tub remote sump anyways, so, I could easily plumb something with a gate valve from my return pump into the rollermat to control flow and speed of use of the roller fleece. But, is there anyone that makes something variable size based on the size of tank and water volume. Or am I better off finding a way to build my own? (i'm not very handy....)

I also was wondering if there's any alternatives to roller mats, that don't require changing every 2-3 days that would also clarify the water. I'm running carbon, purigen (in separate bags) and not really seeing much progress of the clarity of the water. But if I run a piece of filter floss so that the water has to flow through it in my sump. It's filthy within a day and the display looks significantly clearer. So, I feel the proof of concept of Using filter flows or some fleece would really clarify the water in the display, just not sure what the best options are to do so and keep such a large tank volume clean.


Thoughts?

I run two of the Theiling compact rollermats on my 200 dt. One for each of the overflows. Mainly because i hate cleaning filtersocks and know i wont do consistently. They work amazing well for my needs and happy i purchased them. Other than the price! But if went back I would do all over again for the ease of maintainance! Even quit running my skimmer since they do such a great job.

 

[Treefer32]

I run two of the Theiling compact rollermats on my 200 dt. One for each of the overflows. Mainly because i hate cleaning filtersocks and know i wont do consistently. They work amazing well for my needs and happy i purchased them. Other than the price! But if went back I would do all over again for the ease of maintainance! Even quit running my skimmer since they do such a great job.

That's good to know! I would have to run them off my return pump. I'm running bean animal style overflow and it would be hard to control the flow through the roller filter and keep my bean animal overflow silent. (It's very touchy). I'd probably have to put a gate valve on the return to the Roller mat to control the flow. My question is do they need to be in sump or can they be plumbed remotely. (Like mounted above the sump or something like that with a drain pipe going to the sump. ) If not I would either need to remove my skimmer or plumb in another sump off the return and plumb that sump to the main sump on the floor at a lower flow rate than the tank. If it could replace the skimmer, I guess I'd be open to that. My skimmer gets out a lot of sludge! Hard to image a roller filter getting just as much out. But yes, I'm afraid I'd need two... Ugg.

 

[Fiesty]

That's good to know! I would have to run them off my return pump. I'm running bean animal style overflow and it would be hard to control the flow through the roller filter and keep my bean animal overflow silent. (It's very touchy). I'd probably have to put a gate valve on the return to the Roller mat to control the flow. My question is do they need to be in sump or can they be plumbed remotely. (Like mounted above the sump or something like that with a drain pipe going to the sump. ) If not I would either need to remove my skimmer or plumb in another sump off the return and plumb that sump to the main sump on the floor at a lower flow rate than the tank. If it could replace the skimmer, I guess I'd be open to that. My skimmer gets out a lot of sludge! Hard to image a roller filter getting just as much out. But yes, I'm afraid I'd need two... Ugg.

If u want one remotely then id go for the full sized one. The compact definitely desined to be more used right in sump or over sump, IMHO. You might be surprised with the ability to use with your current overflow configeration. Remember that they r design in a way that wont put backpresure on your overflow drain configuration. Probably even less so they what u have now would be my guess. Any "plugging" up of filter material and they advance to new material so remain amazingly constant for overflow. Maybe give one a try on just one of your overlows (im assuming u have multiple for sized tank) and leave the other / others as is till u test it out for awhile

 

[Treefer32]

If u want one remotely then id go for the full sized one. The compact definitely desined to be more used right in sump or over sump, IMHO. You might be surprised with the ability to use with your current overflow configeration. Remember that they r design in a way that wont put backpresure on your overflow drain configuration. Probably even less so they what u have now would be my guess. Any "plugging" up of filter material and they advance to new material so remain amazingly constant for overflow. Maybe give one a try on just one of your overlows (im assuming u have multiple for sized tank) and leave the other / others as is till u test it out for awhile

Great points! Thanks! Yes, I have 2 overflows, 1.5" each. My primary I control with a gate valve. I close it so there's just enough water through that there's a trickle down the secondary overflow and that's it. That's almost 80% closed though. Yeah, I think I'd start with one, just not sure on space to fit it onto my over flow and over my sump. I would need to redo some plumbing. Not a huge issue and some of it I should probably redone anyways. Is it o.k. to reduce from 1.5" to 1.25" plumbing on an overflow?

 

[Fiesty]

Great points! Thanks! Yes, I have 2 overflows, 1.5" each. My primary I control with a gate valve. I close it so there's just enough water through that there's a trickle down the secondary overflow and that's it. That's almost 80% closed though. Yeah, I think I'd start with one, just not sure on space to fit it onto my over flow and over my sump. I would need to redo some plumbing. Not a huge issue and some of it I should probably redone anyways. Is it o.k. to reduce from 1.5" to 1.25" plumbing on an overflow?

Do u know what size your actual bulkheads are? Just because u have 1.5" pipes doesnt mean the bulkheads r that size. If smaller, which is common, it may not make much difference.

 

[Treefer32]

Good point. I have the H20 Overflow system. It's 2 x 1.5" Overflows, each one rated at 1200 gph. That flows into the stealth box on the back of the tank and then out of that I have 1.5" plumbing all the way to the sump. Two 1.5" pipes flowing to the sump independently in case of emergency.

https://www.customaquariums.com/information/h2overflow.html

 

[Fiesty]

Good point. I have the H20 Overflow system. It's 2 x 1.5" Overflows, each one rated at 1200 gph. That flows into the stealth box on the back of the tank and then out of that I have 1.5" plumbing all the way to the sump. Two 1.5" pipes flowing to the sump independently in case of emergency.

https://www.customaquariums.com/information/h2overflow.html

Now that i think about it i believe the compact rollermat is 1.5" for the input and comes with the barbed down fitting for the smaller sizes. Im pretty sure Iactually used a 1.5" pvc threaded elbow (do to low overhead height of my marineland stand) and then threaded a barb fitting to that then soft tubing to pipe from overflow.

 

[Fiesty]

 

[Treefer32]

My Sump: I could probably re-plumb one of the 2 1.5" lines. I used spa flex tubing at the end of it. I was trying to do it quick and dirty when I did it. I could probably cut the primary drain line and run hard plumbing further into the sump and place connect it to the roller mat. My only concern is that I should be getting around 2000-2400 gph of flow to and from the sump. So, I'd be risking the roller mat taking that volume, Which, I dont' really like if it's only rated for 1350gph.

The other alternative would be to T off the end of primary drain line. Allow some flow to bypass the rollermat and a valve on the opening past the roller mat. Not ideal, but, the only way I can think of to split off the flow. In theory that would split the 2000 -2400 gph to between 1000gph and 1200 gph going through the roller mat? I don't know if that math is right or not though. I'm not great at fluid dynamics. :)