What to do with a chamber on my sump???
- Thread starter predator
- Start date
reeferx
Member
I think we are going in circles here, but I think you are saying that you don't know what to put in the empty chamber?
Well if you have to put something in it, I guess I would throw some chemi-pure bags in it, or filter floss, or maybe an occasional poly filter.
Your tank looks great, I don't know if I would mess with it too much. Although your skimmer may need adjusting. That looks like a lot of wet foam. You built that though, right? Cool.
Well if you have to put something in it, I guess I would throw some chemi-pure bags in it, or filter floss, or maybe an occasional poly filter.
Your tank looks great, I don't know if I would mess with it too much. Although your skimmer may need adjusting. That looks like a lot of wet foam. You built that though, right? Cool.
predator
Active Member
No, listen. I have a 12in by 12in by12in box in my sump, that if I wanted to I could take out and throw across the yard. The chamber has a filter pad, drip plate, bio-balls and a waffle plate insert that keeps the bio-balls from falling threw.
That pic of the skimmer came from when I first hooked it up. There was only one mag drive 1200 running my return and the skimmer. Since then I'v hooked a velocity 1200 to the skimmer and let the mag-drive run the return.
That pic of the skimmer came from when I first hooked it up. There was only one mag drive 1200 running my return and the skimmer. Since then I'v hooked a velocity 1200 to the skimmer and let the mag-drive run the return.
predator
Active Member
Please do not take me as confrontatinal. I really did not mean to come off that way. I'm just at a loss as what to do. I mean, I could just leave the bio-balls in there. But they will cause a problem in the long run. Could I just take the bio-balls and rinse them or something??? I'm open to any and all suggestions.
predator
Active Member
I just went to your link, and that was a nice set up. I'v only been keeping a reef tank for 6 months now and I started with a 30 long. Since then I jumped to a 75 and then to the tank I have now. I never had any fish or anything til' I decided to get a reef. How long was that tank up? Any advice you could give me? I can critizem well...
reeferx
Member
That's cool. I figured I ticked you off with the wet foam comment. I would be proud too if I built that skimmer. What a monster!
Anyway, to go back to your other thread, how much rock do you have? Just eyeballing your tank, I would say you have about 1 lb / gallon?
Personally, I wouldn't sweat it so much and might even leave them in because 1 lb / gallon is a little low for this conversion in my opinion. What are your nitrates now? If they are not that high, what is to worry about?
Perhaps the best approach would be to take some out, maybe 20-40 percent and check your nitrates again over the next few weeks or so. If they go down, great! Then leave it alone and keep checking, eventually removing more and more. Is this what fsshub was saying? I am not sure.
Or if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There is something to be said for that too. Once I overharvested some maco-algae from my tank because I was sick of doing it all the time. Then nasty micro-algae moved in and took its place. That sucked.
Anyway, to go back to your other thread, how much rock do you have? Just eyeballing your tank, I would say you have about 1 lb / gallon?
Personally, I wouldn't sweat it so much and might even leave them in because 1 lb / gallon is a little low for this conversion in my opinion. What are your nitrates now? If they are not that high, what is to worry about?
Perhaps the best approach would be to take some out, maybe 20-40 percent and check your nitrates again over the next few weeks or so. If they go down, great! Then leave it alone and keep checking, eventually removing more and more. Is this what fsshub was saying? I am not sure.
Or if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There is something to be said for that too. Once I overharvested some maco-algae from my tank because I was sick of doing it all the time. Then nasty micro-algae moved in and took its place. That sucked.
fshhub
Active Member
if you are talking about taking out the media and bioballs, then you could use some lr or ls to aid with filtration a bit more, or you could use it as an empty water chamber, which still has it's benefits too, liek more water volume(better stability, not much water but still), a place to put your heater and skimmer(if not already in sump). but i would still remove the balls
predator
Active Member
I'v got 175lb of live rock. There are a few pieces in there that way over 20lb. But, My water is always good. Amn, nitrates, nitrites all at 0 consistantly. My ph is 8.2 and my calcium stays around 450 to 500. But this tank has only been up a month. I do agree with the phylosophy of if it is not broken, then don't fix it. But I also have learned to be prepared and I'm just making sure I am in fact prepared for a change if needed.
broomer5
Active Member
Predator - NICE TANK MAN !!!
If you see your nitrates begin to rise and feel the bioballs are the cause, you could slowly remove them from this chamber over several weeks, moitoring your water as usual.
Then - as mentioned, just use the chamber for carbon or polyfilter placement, but your need to get small sheet of acrylic, and make a slanted slide for the water to run down in this chamber.
Otherwise - it get's pretty noisy with the water just falling to the sump, with no bioballs.
Just an idea buddy.
Cracked me up with the "if I wanted to I could take out and throw across the yard" comment
If you see your nitrates begin to rise and feel the bioballs are the cause, you could slowly remove them from this chamber over several weeks, moitoring your water as usual.
Then - as mentioned, just use the chamber for carbon or polyfilter placement, but your need to get small sheet of acrylic, and make a slanted slide for the water to run down in this chamber.
Otherwise - it get's pretty noisy with the water just falling to the sump, with no bioballs.
Just an idea buddy.
Cracked me up with the "if I wanted to I could take out and throw across the yard" comment
reeferx
Member
175 lbs? Then I would go with fshhub (hi fsshub) and say you could take them out. Don't take them out and rinse them and put them back in like you had thought about before.
My tank?
I started that tank in Manhattan when I worked at a lfs. It was there with me for a year, then I moved back to Chicago. This took two trips, the first with all my stuff. And the second was just for my tank! Everything made it amazingly and I had it with me in Chicago for 2 more years. I miss it a lot.
I have some freshwater stuff going now (plant tank) but it is not the same. Unfortunately, I am just another dot com guy who recently got severely humbled financially. So it will be a little while till I have a setup like I used to.
Until then I am living vicariously through you guys!
My tank?
I started that tank in Manhattan when I worked at a lfs. It was there with me for a year, then I moved back to Chicago. This took two trips, the first with all my stuff. And the second was just for my tank! Everything made it amazingly and I had it with me in Chicago for 2 more years. I miss it a lot.
I have some freshwater stuff going now (plant tank) but it is not the same. Unfortunately, I am just another dot com guy who recently got severely humbled financially. So it will be a little while till I have a setup like I used to.
Until then I am living vicariously through you guys!
save a fish, eat chicken
Member
Cool setup, I just built a very primative skimmer and I am going to test it today. I may be back for tips
As far as your extra chamber, maybe use it to grow corals? or as seperate area for problem or injured fish or corals?
You could use it as an intake and exhaust for a canister filter for floss or charcoal.
Let us know what you decide!
As far as your extra chamber, maybe use it to grow corals? or as seperate area for problem or injured fish or corals?
You could use it as an intake and exhaust for a canister filter for floss or charcoal.
Let us know what you decide!
