Sump or Trickel filter?

target001 · 11-28-2007, 11:18 PM

just wonderin which way to go

im about to get my new setup goin and im not really sure which way to go
ill go either way aslong as i can get rid of these dam canisters!

what are the good and bad of both types of filters?
what are the cleaning requirements?

over all which would give the best results?

my LFS uses trickel filters and recomend them but they seem a lil un-natural to me so im leaning towards to sump idea.

thnx in advance

reef_guru · 11-28-2007, 11:37 PM

the wet/dry i use has live rock in it instead of balls and is also a sump. a wet/dry is not needed, and have had systems in the past without them. if you baffle the sump to keep the bubbles from going back to the main tank, it shouldnt be a problem.

target001 · 11-28-2007, 11:45 PM

the other thing i fergot is if i go the trickel filter the dripping water should cool off as it enters threw the bio balls, i have a heatin issue at the moment when the house heats up i have trouble keepin the temp down in the tank

having a chiller at this point is out of the question

will the above maybe solve my heat issues?

reef_guru · 11-29-2007, 08:25 AM

dought it, the wet/dry if anything will aerate the water. could DIY a chiller?

Tangster · 11-29-2007, 08:33 AM

A wet/dry will allow for more animals and better airation of the water but to use rock in place of Bio Balls is just defeating the pourpous of the rocks (: I'd go with the proper bio media be it the baslls or DLS or squeidge the black plastice mesh looking stuff I have used them all and all where great I use the Balls now.. here at the shop

ReefPlayground · 11-29-2007, 08:52 AM

I don't believe a trickle system increases your bio-load at all. It does a good job of supporting bacteria to convert ammonia an nitrites, but your nitrate levels will just sky rocket. unless you do larger water changes of coarse. Putting Live Rock instead of the bio balls provides he same, if not more, surface area for bacteria and the rock, depending on the individual piece sizes and types, does not trap as much detritus as bio-balls would.

As for the temperature, it wont see any kind of temperature change. If you are going for a reef, and cannot afford/do a chiller....i wouldn't do a reef at this point ;p. Don't rush into something that you will not be able to control 3/6/9 months down the line. You'll simply run into problems that you could have easily avoided.

Tangster · 11-29-2007, 10:27 AM

A average bio balls have close 200 sq ft of surface area per square foot thats about how many that will fill a old gallon paint can.

The squige or bio bale or bio wire offers 300 ft or surface area per cubic foot.

Look at a rock and do the math.. I did once its not close even. watermelon sized is what you are talking about.

Rock are more to offer a place for anaerobic bacteria to live with in the rock and not so much for aerobic on the rocks surface .

Bio media breaks up more water to smaller droplets and that is where the bio load increases from the W/B rocks don't quite do the same thing and they will hold waste also. But thats not an issue either as I have never seen a Nitrite problem from using either and I have a system here right now with a 6 ft bio tower full of Bio balls and never a sign of NO3's and its been running for 15 yrs. Bottom line is if your wet dry is producing NO3's then you would over run a non W/D system from the over feeding or over stocking waste. But there is a simple fix if anyone has to feed the systems to death .

As for the need of a chiller ? never used one in a home setting never needed one unless you live in a tropical area with little evaporation of the tanks water.

target001 · 11-29-2007, 01:10 PM

i dont plan on making a chiller for the tank becaues i just plain dont have space how ever my temps generally get to about 28 deg C on a 40 deg C day

ill consider a DIY if i can think of a way to make a small effective 1 i have ideas but no room

at this point im thinkin about making a trickel style with some baffles at the bottem so i can add some sumpy type stuff if required but i have to do more research on that before i plan it out

when i get it drawn up ill post it and get some opinions

thnx guys

120gallons · 11-29-2007, 02:21 PM

What type of tank? Fish only or Reef?

ReefPlayground · 11-29-2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tangster

Look at a rock and do the math.. I did once its not close even. watermelon sized is what you are talking about.

Rock are more to offer a place for anaerobic bacteria to live with in the rock and not so much for aerobic on the rocks surface .

It's not the outside surface area. Live Rock is Porous. It provides ten times the surface area for bacteria to live on.

And i didn't say nitrite, i said nitrate. You can stock a 100gal tank to the gills and with proper water flow and bio-filtration you will have Zero ammonia and nitrites, but your nitrATES will spike through the roof.