Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wilioli http:///forum/thread/356556/sump-pumps#post_3318064
i don't mean to change the topic of this thread.. but i can't start new threads cause I'm a new member and there's a 'glitch' with new members..? anyways, can u explain the different type of filters to me? if you dont mind? Im waiting for my 40 gallon to come in a couple of months.. for now im 'experimenting/practicing' with a 10 gallon and am using an old aquaclear mini filter with a carbon filter in it... -- thats all i know bout filters.. lol thanks in advance
I am not an expert, but I will try to explain the best I can. I hope someone can correct me or chime in with more useful info.
1) Sumps are very beneficial since they add extra water volume to one's tank. They can be used to house protein skimmers and heaters. One compartment would be feed water from the tank known as dirty water and this compartment would house the skimmer. The skimmer would pull out waste from the water and the clean water would be feed into a second compartment that in turn would be feed to the DT. A prefilter is also used to trap large debris.
2)Refugiums can be incorporated in the sump or HOB. Sump refugiums have a compartment with sand, macroalgae, & a powerhead for flow. They are beneficial because the macroalgae will consume nitrates and aid in the balance of the tank. Some people also place critters that don't play nicely in the DT in the refugium. HOB can be purchased or HOB filters can be modded to create them. Some people will partition a small portion of the tank with a piece of eggcrate and house the macroalgae there. The macroalgae requires a light source as it is photosynthetic. Also, the macroalgae needs to be trimmed regularly.
3)Wet/Dry filtration systems
Wet/Dry filters, or “trickle” filters, work by trickling water slowly through
mechanical media, so that it builds up a good amount of oxygen before passing through the bacterial bed. Bacteria need oxygen to process waste, so this process - along with lots of surface area - makes these the best biological filters you can find. And you’re not sacrificing anything else - wet/dry filters usually offer (or can easily be modified for) complete 3 stage filtration. I'm not familiar so I cut and pasted this.
4) Canister filter are filters that have compartments for biological, chemical and mechanical filtraion. I will use the Fluval as the example. The Fluval has a compartment ceramic rings that house nitrifying bacteria. It has compartments for carbon which serves as the chemical. Then, it has foam sponges that serve as mechanical since they trap debris. Canister filters can be beneficial or they can become nitrate factories. They require diligence on the maintenance and IMO you must stick to a strict maintenance schedule with them.
5) Protein skimmers pull out organic compounds from the water by having a surge of air bubbles pumped into them. This is the only form of filtration that will pull out waste before it begins to decompose. Some choose to run their tanks with just a strong protein skimmer and utilize the live rock as their biological filter.