What do you all have in your agressive tank sumps?

[luv4jjt]

Are there any special recomendations for what you all keep in your sumps? I know predators have more of a bio load so what do you all have in your sumps. I currently have all the live rock that will fit in the chamber. And my intake goes into a sock. This is how it was set up by the person we comisioned for the build. He said this is all that is needed. I was wondering if this is true. What about charcoal, or that Chayo (i can't spell it) Is there anything else i should put in there?

 

[rcreations]

I don't have a sock or any filters at all, they just end up being nitrate factories IMHO. I do have live rock rubble and chaeto in my refugium and I have Matrix stones that "filter" the water as it goes through that chamber, plus a good skimmer. My tank is fully stocked and nitrates are always less than 20, doing a 10% water change a week.

 

[luv4jjt]

Without the sock what stops your solid waist? Very curious. Because my nitrate level right now is at 20 and i am having a hard time getting it down. Even with the water changes. So i am trying to find the culprit.

 

[erifish3]

I have a filter pad, then bioballs mixed with live rock and finally have some chaeto.

 

[cranberry]

I use socks with most my sumps for a little extra water polishing and to catch bubbles. It's probably less useful in a tank with our types of predators because food items are fed directly to the fish. Their poop pretty much will go to the bottom for your CUC to eat.
Some tanks I have LR rubble in the sump. Some I don't.
Most of my tanks with preds have fast growing macro algaes in them. I actually have grown to dislike cheato because of all the little wirely fragmented pieces it throws around.
Some of my tanks have a skimmers... some don't. I'm realizing I'm not being very helpful because of all the "some do" "some don't"... LOL.
All have carbon because of the macro and the fact I like to take pictures... helps with water discoloration.
If I were to set up a pred tank, ideally I would like macro algae, a nice skimmer, a filter suck and rock in the sump if there is room. Keep up on your water changes.
My pred tanks run at 20 on the old nitrates.

 

[luv4jjt]

i will have to go get some coal and macro alge, and a skimmer(that one hurts) lol. Ok now here is a duaaaa question but i have to. What is macro algea. Im sure my lfs would tell me but i have't asked.

 

[rcreations]

My skimmer gets most of the waste, the CUC and myself clean up the rest. A couple of years ago I was talking to a local reefer who's been doing this for a long time and he's the one who suggested I take out all the filters and socks, then see if my nitrates go down. I did and he was right.
btw, if your nitrates are at 20, then that's great for a FOWLR. Why do you want to lower it?
There are different types of macro algae. Chaeto is the most popular one.

 

[luv4jjt]

I was told by the lfs that it should stay at 0. I guess thats not right then. You and crandberry say the same thing.

 

[cranberry]

I should add I have a kazillion socks and swap them out several times a week. If you aren't up for that, it's best not to use them.
Mechanical filtration only works if you are willing and able to do the maintenance.

 

[luv4jjt]

Ya i have 6 socks and i change them every 2-3 days or sooner if needed.

 

[cranberry]

Then that won't raise your nitrates if you keep up on it. It's only when it's left to rot, it becomes a nitrate issue.

 

[luv4jjt]

I'll remember that. Maybe i'll start changing them everyday. Just to be safe.

 

[saxman]

i dunno if you know this or not, but it's worth a mention. take your dirty filter sox, turn them inside-out, and toss them in the washer (no soap, of course!). if you like them pretty white, you can add some bleach, but i never bother. just let them air dry.
as for macro, Cheatomorpha is really more of a "sump" macro, cuz it's just like a green brillo pad. if you look around in Cranberry's threads, you can see several examples of how we use macro in our DTs. i can't say enuff good things about it.

 

[luv4jjt]

I will have to look into the macro and see if my lfs has some. Is it the plant looking stuff thats in cranberry's lion tank? I also wash my socks in the washer but i do use a little bit of bleach. If i am going to change them every day though i think i will cut out the bleach seen as it will be more often exposed to the tank.