Confirmation of setup as complete

zincoxide

zincoxide

Member
I just bought a 90g tank with a trickle filter for $300.
I was wondering if a trickle filter is considered a sump or refugium.
Also, I'm under the impression that plant life helps to break eliminate nitrates - is this correct?
I was thinking of adding live rock and plant life of some kind to the sump/trickle filter (after the bio-balls but before the water leaves the sump). I' would probably also think that some type of substrate (ie. sand/cc) would be good in the sump/trickle.
Am I on track here or am I out to lunch?
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Well, your sorta on the right track. Your trickle is a sump. A refugium has plants, substrate etc and is usually added to a tank for breeding pods, or unwanted critters such as crabs you are unsure about. It does help with nitrates, HOWEVER, the fact that you are already looking to battle trates before your tank is even set up kinda worries me.
I will sound like a book, but ..."The best way to keep nitrates low is to have a proper bioload, do not overfeed, do your water changes, and remove dead animals...along with some others, but those are the most common.
Nitrates aren't just simply a part of a saltwater tank... something we, as hobbiests do, contribute to the trate increase, so if you research correctly and maintain your tank correctly, you should not have trates.
Live rock is another story. Thart is, in my opinion, an absolute necessity for a stable clean healthy tank, so yes add that!! 1.5 pounds per gallon of water will be your best filtration.
If you have that much LR then your bio balls will be redundant. You will not need them.
Substrate in the sump?? Not sure of any pros or cons except that it may stir around and clog up equipment.
If you DO add a substrate, and some LR and some plants, then you officially have a refugium. Although, you have it for the wrong reasons.
HTH
 
zincoxide

zincoxide

Member
The trickle will be below the tank.
10 years ago, I had a FO tank with a sump. in the Sump all I had was crushed coral and a protein skimmer which I make myself using a 4" PVC pipe (capped) and an air pump with a wooden block to create the air bubbles. It seemed to do the job well though. In the overflow box I had floss. I was going to put some plant life in the sump but it was only up for a few months before I had to move and get rid of the tank. So I never got that far.
This filter system is a trickle filter which is below the tank. I know that it has bio balls.
My concern for the trates is just that pre-concern. I'm just trying to plan for the best success. I figured if plants do help with trates then put them in - regardless of how little they help... Every little bit helps (I was thinking anyways).
I realize that I should do a 20% water change weekly. And taking out dead animals. I didn't realize that over feeding contributed to trates but now that you mention it, it makes sense.
Should I turn the sump into a refugium? Or, is it a waste? What is the benefits to pods??
 
cgrant

cgrant

Active Member
IMO...One of the best things i did was throw some macroalgae into my trickle filter until i get my fuge in and done. (chaeto)
If you keep the bioballs until you get enough LR make sure you clean ~25% of then monthly (after tank has been established(done cycling)
You need some type of filtration and if you dont have enough LR now keep the bioballs until you do.
Like anything you need to maintain the equiptment!
Think about it this way,
Would you go 1 year without changing the oil on your car?
Dont ask my wife that question!

edit: forgot to mention dont do water changes until your tank is done cycling, IMO unless you have a heavy bioload do bi-weekly water changes, every 2 weeks should be fine unless you have a specific reason to do weekly.
 
zincoxide

zincoxide

Member
Sounds good.
Question: I was looking on swf.com and I like the look of Maiden's Hair. Is this something that you can put in the display tank or is it something that goes in the sump/fuge? Also, is this considered macroalgae?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by michael_t
Is your trickle filter above the tank or below the tank?
Below....
 
cgrant

cgrant

Active Member
Originally Posted by zincoxide
Sounds good.
Question: I was looking on swf.com and I like the look of Maiden's Hair. Is this something that you can put in the display tank or is it something that goes in the sump/fuge? Also, is this considered macroalgae?
i had maidens hair in my tank on some LR and it didnt last long cause my tangs devoured it, i think maidens hair might be a plant but not sure, i would use chaeto or caulerpa (spelling?) macroalgae in a fuge.
 
colourmop

colourmop

Member
a good fuge with nice plants=take out nitrates, also a DSB will help because the water inside the DSB wont have enough oxygen, so bacteria have to use nitrate as their source of energy (nitrate->nitrogen)
 
zincoxide

zincoxide

Member
Originally Posted by colourmop
a good fuge with nice plants=take out nitrates, also a DSB will help because the water inside the DSB wont have enough oxygen, so bacteria have to use nitrate as their source of energy (nitrate->nitrogen)
What is DSB??
So... Plants/macroalgae does help reduce SOME nitrates??
 
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