What to add to a sump

[tpasche]

I have had my sump running for about a week now.

Here is a link to how the sump looks:
Sealife Systems Berlin

I have the BER125 which is 24"L X 10"W X 18"H

Currently in the drawer i have the filter pad (no carbon).
In the secondary filter media area i have a filter pad (no carbon) with ceramic rings on top of that.

Should i replace the ceramic rings with something or is this setup OK?

-Tim

[Phayes]

ceramic rings, bioballs, liverock- all arguably perform the same task. Everyone has their own opinion on effectiveness of the different lots- however I have yet to see quantifiable proof of one being better than the other. People will argue that bioballs are nitrate factories and lose effectiveness after 6-12 months if not properly changed/cleaned.

Aside from your mechanical/biological filtration, carbon addition is great- however many people use it on a regular schedule, and not all the time. Myself, I only use it for one week every month- and find it works well as such. I would also invest in a protein skimmer and put it in sump if you don't already have one. In addition, toss your heater, etc, anything else that affects your water parameters. Sumps are a great way to clear out that DT!

[tpasche]

Originally Posted by Phayes

ceramic rings, bioballs, liverock- all arguably perform the same task. Everyone has their own opinion on effectiveness of the different lots- however I have yet to see quantifiable proof of one being better than the other. People will argue that bioballs are nitrate factories and lose effectiveness after 6-12 months if not properly changed/cleaned.

Aside from your mechanical/biological filtration, carbon addition is great- however many people use it on a regular schedule, and not all the time. Myself, I only use it for one week every month- and find it works well as such. I would also invest in a protein skimmer and put it in sump if you don't already have one. In addition, toss your heater, etc, anything else that affects your water parameters. Sumps are a great way to clear out that DT!

Yes, thats partially the reason why i got a sump- my Super Skimmer 125 is too large for the DT (which is only 46 gal) As far as putting carbon in the tank - should I put a carbon bag in the media drawer?

The sump works great especially since i paid ~$150 with the prefilter included - only problem is that the recommended level of the sump is too low for the skimmer. - i need to modify the bubble diffuser box.

Thanks for the reply!

[Phayes]

the bubble diffuser box really isn't necessary in a sump. I realize that in the Coralife manual, it has it shown in the picture. But the diffuser is just to prevent bubbles from being splurged back into the display tank. Being as it's in the sump and not the display, it shouldn't be as much of an issue. Just point the output away from the return pump... preferrably making sure that the output is long enough that it reaches the water level in the sump- just to prevent excess "waterfall noise". I also have a coralife 125 in my sump, and I have done this exact task, with no ill effects. Plus, who wants to waste valuable sump room by putting the diffuser in?

[Phayes]

and btw, yes, putting a carbon bag in the media drawer would work fine. Ultimately you want as much water to pass through the bag as possible. Any resistance will inevitably cause water to pass by it- but work with what you have, even if it means less efficient carbon filtration- it's better than nothing. Try to find a media comparment bag that is big enough that it fills up as much of the media tray area as possible- and fill it with carbon, and at the same time- making it as flat as possible so that there is no central mass of resistance in it. (Hopefully that makes sense).

[tpasche]

Thanks for the advise. I bought some PVC pipe today to replace the bubble diffuser and the output tube (i had to cut it when i first had the skimmer in the DT). That idea saves me a lot of headaches. +karma for you!

THanks!

[reefer Bob]

I always take out the block sponge that sits on the bottom, cause the detrius will collect down in there. I prefer the skimmer to pick it up. I have the same skimmer and I took off the diffuser also, but I point the hose towards the filter sock or else it does get bubbles in the tank. Do you hang it on the sump or did you set it in the sump? If your water level isnt right in your sump, than the skimmer wont run properly. The skimmer pump has to be so many inches under water to skim right. And if its to deep it wont work either.

[Phayes]

Originally Posted by reefer Bob

I have the same skimmer and I took off the diffuser also, but I point the hose towards the filter sock or else it does get bubbles in the tank. Do you hang it on the sump or did you set it in the sump? If your water level isnt right in your sump, than the skimmer wont run properly. The skimmer pump has to be so many inches under water to skim right. And if its to deep it wont work either.

I sit it in the sump and point the outlet to one of the acrylic walls in my sump, allowing it to flow down the wall back into the sump. Works well with minimal noise. And I find as long as there is 2-3 inches of water on top of the skimmer pump, always works like a charm.