Both of these systems have their merits but they also have their downfalls. You will also find that both of these systems have their ‘loyal followers’.

Basically a protein skimmer based system removes dissolved organic compounds from the water before they have had time to break down and be processed by the aquarium filtration. The upside of this type of system is that as long as the device is correctly maintained it is very efficient. The downside is that the protein skimmer is not selective as to what is removed. Therefore good stuff may be removed from the water as well as the bad stuff. Note that I did say may as this has never been scientifically proven.

The ‘miracle mud’ system is actually a very simple concept. The mud in use in the sump is loaded with minerals. The mud is placed into the sump and macro algae is also planted into it. A lot of water movement through the mud chamber is employed as this encouraged rapid algae growth. When the algae grown various nutrients are removed from the water simply by the uptake of the algae. Very slowly over time the minerals are released from the mud which allows for algae growth as well as adding various elements into the water. The downside to this is that this type of system cannot remove everything from the water therefore some bad stuff will be left behind. Another downside is that eventually the mud will need to be replaced as will the lighting as there is a requirement for the algae to be lit 24/7/365.

Personally I have tried both methods and for me both worked. I did not good polyp extension in the miracle mud based system and I also noticed a lot floating around in the water. But then I have also had very good results from a protein skimmer driven system.

The only worrying thing I have is that I have seen the foul brown skimmate that the skimmer pulls out and I always have the thought – would I want to leave that in my aquarium!

You do not need to use a sump. This is entirely up to you. As with all things there are pro’s and con’s of using one.

The pros are that a lot of the equipment can be hidden from view (skimmer, reactors, heaters etc) plus if you wanted to you could create a refugium/cryptic zone to assit with nutrient removal.

The cons are that you need to get water down to the sump and back again. This means that you need to either drill the aquarium or use an overflow. This will mean more expense in pipework, pumps and drilling.overflows. Plus you will need to design your stand so that a sump can be fitted.

For me the pro’s outweigh the cons. If you do not decide to use one then I would consider setting up the aquarium so that one can be added at a later date if required.

IMO: Tanks > 40 gallons need a protein skimmer or refugium, tanks < 40 gallons can get away with a HOB Power Filter.

We always advise that dry salt should be mixed with RO (reverse osmosis) water. This way you avoid pollutants and get the most from the salt. There are articles on it on this site – click on’ Articles’ at the top of the screen.

When salt first mixes in it can sometimes cause cloudiness. This should not last for long however. Run the sytem for a while to allow the salt to thoroughly mix and heat up.

Make sure the aquarium bio-filtration is properly cycled (again see the articles) and use ammonia and nitrite test kits. When stocking commences it should be done very slowly and the seawater checks continued, with the addition of nitrate and pH.

Thanks