fluidized bed systems'' your experience /opinion

[newfishliny]

I know many of you are involved in reef keeping , and like myself have mostly fish but will be getting some coral . skimmers we mostly agree about and are helpful for fish and reef.
I have seen these fluidized beds on the retail market , I think by lifeguard and another brand they seem to make sense to me but look cheaply made:
Today I found a store in brooklyn new york run by a family , the two sons about 25 are both engineer students and the father is a engineer from china. They design glass tanks for banks and your home of any size / shape, they took me through there shop .
well great stuff, high quality great craftmanship. they where even building this 8ft plex tank , so great looking.
There biggest concept or what they do for Ideal condition is custom fluidized beds , these units are free standing glass built units that are run from a mag 5 and up, there custom tanks have bulit in units in back of the tanks they build( like reef ready tanks from tenecor and others. the free standing ones sit besides your sump and then recirculate back into it.
I am going to purchase one because it makes sense as bio chamber that out performs wetdry, so much more surface area
also I can have a larger amount of fish in my tank.
Yes you still are going to use live rock but not as much is needed,
lets say half. there track record to me shows great sucess based on the custom business they are doing .There retail store is full of great tanks of coral and fish .
SO HAS ANYONE USED QUALITY SANDFILTERS BEFORE, i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW . ALSO THEY WHERE NOT CHEAP BUT I THINK I FOUND A NEW LIFE ON MY AQUARIUM :
aprox 300$ with a mag 5
DON LI/NY

 

[bang guy]

Don,
Just an opinion.
The problem with most tanks isn't breaking Ammonia and Nitrite down to Nitrate, The problem is Breaking Nitrate down to Nitrogen gas and eliminating it. I don't care if the surface area is a million times greater than a wet/dry, it will still only detract from allowing a DSB to remove Nitrates.
Guy

 

[chainsaw5vent]

i used a lifeguard fbf and could never get it dialed in. it eventually blew all the sand media out. on my next tank it won't be installed or i'll operate it on its own pump that flows much less gph.

 

[wamp]

They are also hazerdous if left off for a while and then started again without being cleaned out first. By that I mean, water ran threw them for a while.

 

[newfishliny]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Don,
Just an opinion.
The problem with most tanks isn't breaking Ammonia and Nitrite down to Nitrate, The problem is Breaking Nitrate down to Nitrogen gas and eliminating it. I don't care if the surface area is a million times greater than a wet/dry, it will still only detract from allowing a DSB to remove Nitrates.
Guy
Guy,
what I'm getting at is by useing the fluid system will i get a larger amount (bio load to handle more fish rather than wet dry .
I'm not sure what you mean by detract from allowing a dsb to remove nitrates. I thought the protein skimmer is going to lower or control nitrates. But in a fish only tank is it that the nitrate level is not as a issue as to reef keeping, but yes they should both be low.
I see in alot of quality reef keeping /fish stores they have this large fluidized systems, along with other skimmers ect. I even ask in commercial aquariums (NEW YORK AQUARIUM) THEY DO USE THIS TYPE ALONG WITH OTHERS.
I just was looking for people who use a quality system like the one I came across, not the pet store style but more high end and had good response
thanks for your thoughts
Don

 

[bang guy]

Ahhh, somewhere I missed the Fish Only attribute.
I still believe that the Nitrogen cycle is not the limiting factor on haveing more fish. I believe it's space, fishy elbow room.
One benefit of a Fluidized bed filter is the surface area. It's immense. One advantage of a Trickle filter is the gas exchange. I would put them about even as far as benefits if a DSB is not a good fit for your application.

 

[newfishliny]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Ahhh, somewhere I missed the Fish Only attribute.
I still believe that the Nitrogen cycle is not the limiting factor on haveing more fish. I believe it's space, fishy elbow room.
One benefit of a Fluidized bed filter is the surface area. It's immense. One advantage of a Trickle filter is the gas exchange. I would put them about even as far as benefits if a DSB is not a good fit for your application.
thanks for the reply , I do have a live sand bed of 100lbs and aprox 80 live rock, as for the nitrogen the way they have the fluidized system, it works along side the wet and dry.
let me draw a pic for you - its a tower aprox 24 inch high by 7 inch square, it has to 1inch bulkhead fittings side by side, elbows are attached to them pointed downwards, so the elbows are right above the wetdry. water from the tower empties on to the top of the wet dry.
reason for that is , it replenish the oxygen from the sand bed or from the water . because i was told the fluidized system removes the oxygen in the process. does this make any sence
well anyway I going to make that investment and see the results,
right know its better then the stock market:
Don
have a good day

 

[bang guy]

Don,
Could you do me a favor? Since you have a DSB. I believe that the Nitrates must be created locally (on the DSB) for a DSB to efficiently remove Nitrate from a system. If you could test your Nitrate level before you add the Wet-Dry and the Fluidized Filter and then a month after, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you
Guy

 

[marinemarty]

Don, what stores in new york city or the 5 boroughs do you go to? sorry if this is off the topic.
thanks
martin

 

[newfishliny]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Don,
Could you do me a favor? Since you have a DSB. I believe that the Nitrates must be created locally (on the DSB) for a DSB to efficiently remove Nitrate from a system. If you could test your Nitrate level before you add the Wet-Dry and the Fluidized Filter and then a month after, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you
Guy
ok no problem but my wetdry is running for the past month, i will test it now like always , then i will keep tract with the bed. then maybe remove wet dry and test it. also forgot to tell you I will be running a protein skimmer shortly. now which one should go , wet or fluid. seems I might be doing to much , I think wet dry .
the skimmer will be a aqua c. then I will be finished
I will keep in touch
happy holiday
Don

 

[pmauro]

how would a fluidized bed filter work on a q tank to keep the bio load in check? any thoughts?

 

[newfishliny]

Originally posted by MarineMarty
Don, what stores in new york city or the 5 boroughs do you go to? sorry if this is off the topic.
thanks
martin
Martin : I went to one that is located off of I think 3rd and 62 st , is 3rd off the 59th st bridge or that is second( for got).I will look up in the yellow book , but a great top end store($$$$$$$$) over priced. also went to one sunday in brooklyn, off of utica ave
thousand island aquarium, great people, chinese people that build custom tanks at off glass, beautiful made tanks and stands. great coral /fish they also make custom filters. there 2 sons are engineer students they no there stuff
Don

 

[wamp]

how would a fluidized bed filter work on a q tank to keep the bio load in check? any thoughts?
The same as any other Bio-Filter.

 

[bklynz00]

NewFishLINY......
How are you.. I was reading your post back and forth. I have a question. First, I just ordered Dec 20,02 a "Aqua Medic Turboflotor 1000 classic" you proably have yours by now. How do you like it ?? What made you descide in that particular model with all thats out there ?? Just curious ? Also, I go to the 1000 Island Aquarium on Utica myself.. there pretty cool ! I see that your user name have LI in it are you from there ? If so, have you gone to any Marine shops on the Island ?? Iam from Baldwin I have gone to quite a few like country critters.. I was kinda curious about the Fluidized beds my self.. good question.. did you get yours and what are your thoughts on it ?? Iam considering on it my self.....

 

[newfishliny]

I am at work but tonight when I have more time , we will chat about shops near us ect .
Later
DON LINY

 

[bang guy]

My statement was only an opinion. I'm still researching the theory but so far it hold water
A remote DSB will work fine according to the theory. The Nitrite would be converted to Nitrate on the remote DSB and slowly work its way to the anoxic bacteria lower in the bed.
For the Nitrate converted on the live rock I believe the Nitrate would be converted to Nitrogen deep in the rock, not in the sand bed.
No proof...yet

 

[bklynz00]

Hey...
I think its cool to put a quote up in the post. Can you tell me how you did it ??

 

[bklynz00]

Originally posted by nolofinwe
yep,
there is a "quote" button under every post.
just cvlick the quote button under the post you want to copy.

Thanks.. Makes life much more easier when relpying to post !!