Need Help W/Large Multi Tank Setup idea

[drosie]

Hey All, I am planning a remodel of my basement and just broke down all my freshwater tanks and I am looking to jump in to the saltwater world. I have a 150g 6ft tank and a standard 75g. I was going to build these into a dividing wall side by side and use the backroom area as the "fish room". This is right near my RODI and laundry sink. My plan was to make the 150g a FOWLR with a stock list of a Lionfish, Blue Jaw Trigger, Zebra Moray, Harlequin tusk, and a foxface. I was planning on setting up the 75g as a softie reef with BTA's and smaller fish (Clowns, filefish, firefish, and maybe a yellow tang for grow out) and some cool inverts. I was hoping to drain these to a common sump of 75g. I will also have a separate fuge tank around 30g teed off the drain lines and then tied to the main sump via PVC so I can control a nice slow flow through it. Is it possible to have this kind of bioload in the FOWLR and have the nitrates be low enough to run a successful soft reef tank?

 

[WVNed]

Yes, it can be done. I have a 240 and a 75 with a 100 gallon stock tank as a sump and a 30 gallon refugium.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Anything is possible with planning and plumbing

 

[drosie]

I am planning to run a herbie style on the 75 with the main drain going into a theiling compact rollermat and have it teed off prior to that and running to the fuge with a ball valve and the E drain dumping next to it. The 150 I am planning bean animal with the 2 main drains and E drain running down into the main sump intake and also t off one drain to the fuge. Both the sump and the fuge will be joined by 2" PVC. I have a Reef octopus 1000sss right now that I am going to upgrade to something much larger to handle the bioload and water volume. I also plan to run a Carbon and GFO reactor. You guys think that idea would work as far as plumbing? Would you recommend separate return pumps for possible isolation of systems if necessary? And how big an ATO reservoir would you recommend? I was imagining right around 20 gallons would be good.