sump filtration

[DJ88]

Hey John,

thick filter pad first, then bio-balls

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Both of these in time will become a little nitrate factories if you go this route. You don't need to use them. If you have enough filtration(live rock and a good skimmer for now) you can ditch those two.

Make an area where you can run carbon for about one week a month if need be. I run carbon quite infrequently. basically if the water looks a bit yellow to my eyes. I put the bags between the baffles in my sump so the water has to go by it.

Here is what I have in my sump. Two heaters, drain from tank & return from skimmer. That is it equipment wise. I do have a large area with a Deep Sand Bed(DSB) for naturnal filtration and to grow Mangroves for added filtration.

AS for Phostphate chips. Unless you are noticing you have phospates that aren't suspended in algae these won't really do a lot. It is a good thing to do from time to time if you feel you need to . Otherwise don't worry about them. I haven't used them in ages. Don't even think I have any around.

With the phospates the best method of control of these things is prevention. Make sure your water is pure. ie get a Reverse Osmosis/De-ionozing unit(RO/DI). This will cut of any possible phosphates enetering your water in this manner. Another way for them to get into your system is by food. Flake foods and some dried foodsa re notorious for this. I make up my own fish food with squid, shrimp, brine, selcon, nori(un-seasoned seaweed)(Dulce would work great as well), clams, ysters. anything fresh and you think a fish would eat in nature basically. Blend it up a bit so it is mainly smaller pieces and then freeze it.

HTH