I would like to make a sump/fuge, can you tell me if these pics show a good design?
- Thread starter mmync
- Start date
reefsoe
Member
well, im not going to say its not. This is my first time using bioballs on a tank. But im thinkin with the refuge the macros will absorb most of it anyway. If you ever notice that it is becoming a problem you can either take out some bioballs rinse em or chang them for small rubble rock pieces.
In the past ive used Bio-stars and ive used other media... If someone was to claim it as a breeding ground for trates, then i would assume all media is apparently a breeding ground. If preventative measure are used like a good cleanup crew a nice fuge and waterchanges. I think everything will be ok in the long run.
Ive noticed those that fuss an fuss over tanks never let them settle in, and therefore never reach a balance within the water. I do my Kalk and a PH buffer, and waterchanges. I dont go nuts with allof of chemicles either. Let your fuge do the work, lots of macros which will bring pods and Boom next thing ya know ya find worms ( the good ones ) and then you add some criters to the fuge and you have a fully functioning mini eco system cleaning your tank.
You can also use mangroves they do a wonderfull job at suckin out trates.
In the past ive used Bio-stars and ive used other media... If someone was to claim it as a breeding ground for trates, then i would assume all media is apparently a breeding ground. If preventative measure are used like a good cleanup crew a nice fuge and waterchanges. I think everything will be ok in the long run.
Ive noticed those that fuss an fuss over tanks never let them settle in, and therefore never reach a balance within the water. I do my Kalk and a PH buffer, and waterchanges. I dont go nuts with allof of chemicles either. Let your fuge do the work, lots of macros which will bring pods and Boom next thing ya know ya find worms ( the good ones ) and then you add some criters to the fuge and you have a fully functioning mini eco system cleaning your tank.
You can also use mangroves they do a wonderfull job at suckin out trates.
reefsoe
Member
Wow... thats the most i ever posted... having said that i just thought of an idea.
Mangroves get big, "what if" you could take some sand or miricle mud and put it into a ceramic or an acrylic "flower pot" outside of your tank next to a window ( which is where my tank is but the angle is that so it doesnt get sunlight ) but if you could plumb a little powerhead into your sump and into the "flowerpot" then overflow back into the tank....
Hrmmmm imagine the cleanliness of the water, ive heard of similar live filters where a guy used a large clam as his sole filter.
I need mangroves bad!
Mangroves get big, "what if" you could take some sand or miricle mud and put it into a ceramic or an acrylic "flower pot" outside of your tank next to a window ( which is where my tank is but the angle is that so it doesnt get sunlight ) but if you could plumb a little powerhead into your sump and into the "flowerpot" then overflow back into the tank....
Hrmmmm imagine the cleanliness of the water, ive heard of similar live filters where a guy used a large clam as his sole filter.
I need mangroves bad!
justinx
Active Member
I have heard the same thing about the bioballs being nitrate factories, and something that i have thought might be a way around this would be to replace the bioballs with LR rubble like you said. What i would do would be to make sure that part of the rubble is completely submereged in near still water at the bottom of its chamber. This is harder to describe than to think. What this would create would be similar effects of a DSB. Sorry about the crappy drawing. Maybe someone else will have some more input on this as well cause i would like to get some opinions on this idea
P.S. Aquatic Discoveries is a great shop over there in Sterling Heights. Just dont let them sell you one of those things, WAY cheaper to make the same thing that is more effective.
P.S. Aquatic Discoveries is a great shop over there in Sterling Heights. Just dont let them sell you one of those things, WAY cheaper to make the same thing that is more effective.
mykgillespie
Member
Hello Mmync,
If your going to make the fuge yourself, why not just T off the drain, one end with a valve and spray bar (with the spray bar submerged) and the other end to the sump portion of the filter bypassing the refugium section. This way you can control the flow to your fuge and have more room for sand, critters, and macros. With a well established refugium you shouldn't have any need for bio-balls or any bio-medium for that matter, so why waste the space. If you use carbon make sure to only use it for a few days each month as the carbon will pull out beneficial things as well. Definitely use the carbon if you are keeping soft corals or anything else that will release toxins into the water. Be sure that with a heater you have the Thermostat end facing into the water flow and the heating element end "downwind" so to speak for accurate control of temperature. Hope this is helpful.
Later,
Myk.
If your going to make the fuge yourself, why not just T off the drain, one end with a valve and spray bar (with the spray bar submerged) and the other end to the sump portion of the filter bypassing the refugium section. This way you can control the flow to your fuge and have more room for sand, critters, and macros. With a well established refugium you shouldn't have any need for bio-balls or any bio-medium for that matter, so why waste the space. If you use carbon make sure to only use it for a few days each month as the carbon will pull out beneficial things as well. Definitely use the carbon if you are keeping soft corals or anything else that will release toxins into the water. Be sure that with a heater you have the Thermostat end facing into the water flow and the heating element end "downwind" so to speak for accurate control of temperature. Hope this is helpful.
Later,
Myk.
broncofish
Active Member
Skimmers do a couple of things that don't go with the fuge idea. One the add more water movement, and two they can suck up some of the things in your water column that are seeking "refuge" in the refugium. Skimmers are better put in thesump.
broomer5
Active Member
If this is a regugium/sump for a reef tank - I would not use the bioballs either.
Assuming your're going with a living DSB and live rock in the display tank ( or utilizing as DSB in the refugium ).
If not - then bioballs are very efficient at what they are designed to do - convert ammonia/nitrite to nitrate.
It all depends on your display tank - what you rely on for biofiltration - whether to include biomedia of any type in the sump/fuge.
Light loaded tanks vs heavy bioload tanks will also come into play when making your decision.
Assuming your're going with a living DSB and live rock in the display tank ( or utilizing as DSB in the refugium ).
If not - then bioballs are very efficient at what they are designed to do - convert ammonia/nitrite to nitrate.
It all depends on your display tank - what you rely on for biofiltration - whether to include biomedia of any type in the sump/fuge.
Light loaded tanks vs heavy bioload tanks will also come into play when making your decision.
richard rendos
Active Member
The reason bioballs are so efficient at converting ammonia and nitrites, is because in a traditional method they are not completely submerged in water. They have water running over them constantly. The super high oxygen levels cause aerobic bacteria to thrive, and that is what converts the ammonia and nitrites. I don't think you will run into the same problem in this design due to bioballs being constantly submerged.
mmync
Member
Ok well since I have a deep sand bed in my 180g tank and about 230lbs of live rock I guess I will just take out the bio balls and use some live rock rubble. I am planning on putting a dsb in the sump/fuge also. In my posted pic they use bio balls to keep the algae from coming over the devider, what should I use for that instead of the bio balls. A piece of filter pad or something?