[APD] Sump System

["Lawrence Hugh Forbes" <lhforbes at comcast_net>]

Hi All,
	3 or 4 weeks ago I posed some questions on the purchase of a 75
gallon or 90 gallon aquarium. I wish to thank everyone who replied. As it
turns out we instead went with a 125 gallon reef ready (RR) aquarium  ( I am
blessed with a VERY understanding wife). In any case, since the tank is RR,
I have decided to  try an idea which I first saw posed on this list some
months ago, and which has intrigued me ever since ( I would like to
recognize the poster but couldn't find the original post when I searched the
archives). I want to use a spare 55 gallon as a plant only "sump" for the
125 and run the lights at reverse times (12 hours on the 125 the opposite 12
hours on the 55). I'll actually have a true sump of 25 gallons after the 55
so I can keep both the 125 gallon and 55 gallon tanks full of water. The
main purpose of the 125 gallon display tank, other than raising plants, is
to house discus. I previously had these same discus in a 55 gallon aquarium
that was heavily planted. The plants were pearling heavily, but even so the
discus still were having problems breathing. Their breathing was more rapid
than it should have been, so much so that I thought they might have gill
flukes. In preparation for treating them for gill flukes, I moved them to a
different bare bottom 55 gallon tank which was heavily aerated. Their rapid
breathing ceased immediately and they have remained in this tank ever since.
As you can guess, I am a bit leery of putting discus back into a planted
tank.

	The 125 gallon will have 384 watts of CF lighting (4 x 96 watts
6700K) and the 55 will have 260 watts (4 x 65 watts 6700K). I try to keep my
CO2 at about 40 ppm and the temperature will be 82F. The substrate will be ½
inch of peat covered by 3 inches of Pro?s Choice Select in both tanks.
Fertilization will follow the EI method for traces and macros. Water changes
will be 50% once a week using straight tap water which has a KH of 5.5, GH
of 8.5 and pH of 7.8 (7.6 after aeration) but the pH is kept at about 6.6
via CO2 injection.

	The main reason that we purchased a RR tank is so this display tank
will have absolutely no equipment inside. Given this, where would the best
place for a CO2 reactor be if I find it necessary to add CO2 directly to the
125 gallon tank, in the sump or as an external reactor? The 55 is not a
display tank and will be hidden under the 125 gallon (well actually it will
be well hidden,,, in the basement) and will be using both internal reactors
and Tom Barr?s ?mist method? via Sweetwater diffusers and a powerhead. All
tanks, including the sump, will be tightly covered, and all returns will be
under the water surface, but the 55 gallon is not drilled and will use an
over-flow box. I?m a bit concerned about CO2 loss because of this, should I
be?

	What would be good plants to use in the 55 gallon that both give off
lots of O2 and will be able to handle the somewhat elevated temperature?

TIA

Larry



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