sump filtration

[Aquattro]

I have a skimmer in my sump. Once in a while I'll throw a bag of carbon in for a couple weeks. Nothing else. Bioballs are used more for wet/dry filters, and can/do produce a lot of nitrate. Your rock and sand should be your primary filtration with a skimmer cleaning out the gunk. Some people use macro-algae to give additional nutrient export.

[Jack]

I have a 33 gallon All Glass tank that I will be using for my sump, Im going to go to an acrlyic shop and see if I can pick up some cheap scraps for baffles. I will just throw a bag of carbon in the sump near my skimmer output to clean the water even more.

I was thinking of sectioning off a refugium part, but with more thinking, I am going to go with a top drilled 15 gallon tank above my sump and have it gravity fed by a Maxijet 1200 or have a T off my return pump. It should work good.

As for mechanical filtration, Im not going to have any, I dont really think it does much. Plus if you use thinks like those DT's they would just get stuck and become usless.

[johnmac]

I dont know what to use for filtration in my sump, ive read about carbon and the regular filer medias, and the bio balls....So what are you guys using, is there one that I should stay away from or stear towards?? Im gonna have the tank driled out in both corners wiht overflow kits, then prob either a 25-35 gallon tank, which ever I can pick up used...I saw one sump built before with pices of plexi glass glued into place to contain the filter media, so thats what I thought I would try to do...So any ideas on what to do about the filter media??

[titus]

Hello,

The minimum requirement is to run a good skimmer and that is just about all that you'd really need. However, to make things nicer, you can use carbon, phosphate sponge, and a refugium full of macro algae as well.

[johnmac]

Yeah Titus I think thats what Im going to do is use carbon, phosphate sponge, and a refugium with macro algae. This is all so new, Ive kept freshwater for years but the set up with a sump system is so new to me. A little overwelming at times.. :(

[johnmac]

Hey guys can you check out the way Im going to set up my sump and get your opinon on it...Thanks

Im going to use a thick filter pad first, then bio-balls then carbon and phosphate chips, then an overflow in to the area for plants and algae, heater and hang on skimmer.

Here is the link:

http://johnmacfish.tripod.com/cichlidtank/id7.html

[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

[titus]

Hello,

I second what Darren just said. You don't need bio ball or filter pad. At the most, you only need carbon and phosphate removing material. However, both of these are not needed on a constant basis, just occasionally when it's needed to. And by the way, this is when a good sump design comes in. If your sump is designed well, with areas where you can place media such that water must flow through it, or special canister connnected directly to the main pump, the carbon and phosphate sponge will be more effective, and you can activate the use of these material when needed with ease.

[johnmac]

I want to do the deep sand bed. Does Jl aquatics carry that stuff? Ive looked but im not exactly sure what it is I should order. Mineral mun, fine sand, so much to choose from and ive never seen this stuff before. The stores here dont carry this stuff, id have to order it from them or order it myself. Can someone tell me what I should be ordering??

[StirCrazy]

North Atlantic Fish
Nothing against J&L, there a excellent store with excellent prices, but when you are dealing with sand the closer to you the better as shipping is by weight and it can make it a lot more expensive, there are a couple places out that way, Aquariums pro, and Saltwater connections, give them a try, they might be a few bucks more on the sand than J&L's price but the shipping will probably make up for it.

Steve