Is this overkill? Algae Scrubber, GFO, Carbon, Biopellets, maybe Refugium

[saahilrtrivedi]

I'm working to make the tank as low maintenance and fool proof as possible, while still running a decent amount of fish and some Zoas, simple LPS/SPS.

I have a Reefer 425XL, old style sump (no refugium divider), but new style tank (long story)

I have a Reefer 300 skimmer, thinking of adding an IceCap Algae Scrubber, I really like the concept of this type of filtration
Will also add reactors for GFO and Carbon, though would the GFO negatively affect the algae scrubber
Would I also benefit from a biopellet reactor?

Thinking about also getting the V3 sump, or getting the ATO and drilling it to make it a refugium to run Chaeto (and get some more pods)
Would this compete too much with the algae scrubber too?

Is this too much filtration? Is there such a thing?

 

[MIKE NY]

Personally I think it’s too much unless your running a much larger system with a very heavy bioload. and yes over filtration will cause your nutrients to bottom out killing off the algae and cheato in the fuge….it also will effect corals with faded coloring and possibly killing them….polyp bail out, STN, RTN etc…but the good news your fish will be fine….I would ditch the bio pellets, heard to many bad stories, and either a fuge or algae scrubber, but not both, just my personal experience with them competing for nutrients causing one to grow and not the other. I like the diversity of critters in the fuge….also good skimmer. I would only use GFO when needed…and a good quality carbon can be run 24/7.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

The GFO and bio pellets both conflict with the algae scrubber.
I use an algae scrubber, and that sucks up all N and P so I have zero of both. The GFO will adsorb P so the algae won't grow, and the biopellets will suck up N, which is also need for algae scrubbing.
In regards to total capacity, the scrubber is much higher. The only way for GFO or pellets to compete with scrubbing, is to use SO much of it or have high turn over rates for the media, that you'll be swapping them out weekly or biweekly, to get the same result as a scrubber.
Chaeto in a refugium also conflicts with scrubbing.

 

[Timfish]

Yup. Maintenance on this system was a 10% - 15% water change every other week (with tapwater ), no skimmer, refugium, ato or reactors. Baking sodium was added as needed to makup water for alkalinity. Evaporation was controlled by lowering the salinity of the new saltwater (hence the 10% - 15% number)