Applying marine filtration on FW

Discussion in 'General Freshwater Information' started by mikejrice, Nov 13, 2009.

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  1. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    My next big project is going to be putting some overkill marine style filtration on my 80 gallon FW tank. I'm planning on getting a 10 gallon sump to run a protein skimmer in and some mangroves. I currently have a rubbermade sump on the tank with mangroves in it. They are by far outpacing the ones I have in my marine tank, and they're doing it without light!

    Ill hook up the pictures as soon as equipment starts to arrive at my house. I might build the sump tomorrow.
     
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  3. Robman

    Robman Great White Shark

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    Skimmer will not work....freshwater does not foam like saltwater--The sump will work fine, as well as the mangroves.
     
  4. yamaharider73

    yamaharider73 Kole Tang

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    I am not sure about the protein skimmer in FW tho. When I would pull my old skimmer out to clean it I would fill the sink up with water and set it down in the after I cleaned it and turn it on. NO bubbles the water would just spin around in the tube. the whole sump setup I think would be great IMO
     
  5. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    Interesting, I did not realize this. I was always told it's not necessary as nitrates in FW don't matter as much anyway. It's already on order though so I'm gonna give it a shot anyway lol. If it doesn't work I have the first piece of my next reef tank.
     
  6. Robman

    Robman Great White Shark

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    True--Nitrates in FW just need to be kept under 40ppm (I have 5 FW)
     
  7. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    Guess we will see when it all gets here.
     
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  9. LucBB

    LucBB Bristle Worm

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    Yes. Skimmers in FW do not work. hahaha. I was going to take a skimmer back before because i did a fresh water 'dry run' and the skimmer wasnt working. It was only when i came on here and stevewright told me they dont work in freshwater.

    But hey..like you say, now you have an excuse to start a new SW tank :D
     
  10. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Skimmers don't skim in freshwater because of the pH.
     
  11. LucBB

    LucBB Bristle Worm

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    Really? But there is a lot of freshwater tanks that have pH as high as marine. Like african rift lake cichlid biotopes for example. 8.4pH is good for them. But i still cant see a skimmer working there. But i guess ill have to test that theory when i set up my chichlid tank in my office soon. If it is the case where it works, that might be a great discovery in the fight against the messy chichlid family.
     
  12. oceanparadise1

    oceanparadise1 Fire Squid

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    My buddy has a gold fish tank with a sump, filter sox, carbon, mangroves the whole nine yards, clean as can be! Its the CLEANEST looking gold fish tank ive ever seen water is litterly crystal clear! Its in a starfire tank so it looks invisable lol