ok so i need some advice not sure if this setup i have is even doing anything i have a 20 gallon acrylic sump tank in the first bank is where the overflow water comes in then there is a divider with 10 holes the size a a pen to slow the water i guess in the second bank is bio balls and a peice of filter floss then another divider with around 30 holes smaller than the first. finally in the last bank there is a protien skimmer surrounded by a pile of bio balls with two pumps a pump for the skimmer and a return pump my question is i guess is it really doing anything i looked on youtube at alot of differnt styles i just dont know what works and what doesnt any advice on what i can change in the sump tank is helpful thanks
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sump system help
- Thread starter newtoreefguy
- Start date
I'm having problems figuring out what your question really is, I think you mean will that sump setup you described work? The question I ask in return is what are you trying to achieve? What type of tank is it under? The bioballs came become detrious traps and raise your nitrate levels, which could be a problem if you are trying to raise some of the more fussy corals.
The only way I would allow the bioballs to stay in there is if I had a 100 micron filter sock on my
overflow water. It seems like you have a situaltion where your incoming water goes through a lot
of "filtration" before it gets to the skimmer, but it also sounds like overflow water is in contact with
Bioballs pretty fast. In GENERAL, reefers do not like bioballs, but I guess if they are getting only
filtered water, they are OK. I would figure out a way to have my water go through ALL filter floss
in that first chamber with no balls in line until it gets to that skimmer chamber. You need to come
up with a way to seive out all detritus, crumbs, fish food, etc, before ever getting to bioballs, or you
will have nutrient spikes out the ying yang. Even then most people would tell you to ditch em. But
it is YOUR deal, and there is a way to keep em if you want em. CLEAN WATER ONLY surrounding them.
And remember that if you DO get a filter sock to seive your overflow, you still have to clean it every
other day or so, or THAT becomes a problem. But once you see that gunk, you will KNOW exactly what
your bioballs will look like in a few weeks.
overflow water. It seems like you have a situaltion where your incoming water goes through a lot
of "filtration" before it gets to the skimmer, but it also sounds like overflow water is in contact with
Bioballs pretty fast. In GENERAL, reefers do not like bioballs, but I guess if they are getting only
filtered water, they are OK. I would figure out a way to have my water go through ALL filter floss
in that first chamber with no balls in line until it gets to that skimmer chamber. You need to come
up with a way to seive out all detritus, crumbs, fish food, etc, before ever getting to bioballs, or you
will have nutrient spikes out the ying yang. Even then most people would tell you to ditch em. But
it is YOUR deal, and there is a way to keep em if you want em. CLEAN WATER ONLY surrounding them.
And remember that if you DO get a filter sock to seive your overflow, you still have to clean it every
other day or so, or THAT becomes a problem. But once you see that gunk, you will KNOW exactly what
your bioballs will look like in a few weeks.
thanks for the help im gonna build a new fuge no bio balls its gonna be mud live sand live rock and a few extras but first things first this fuge tank i have needs to be rebuild youtube was very helpful in ideas too one question that i do have is should i have lights on all the time in new fuge or just on when my tank lights come on?
I just use plastic storage containers for my sump/refugium so can't talk to your specific design.
But FWIW there are some basics in setting up a sump system which applies to all.
First test power out to insure the sump does not overflow. The thing I forgot was the return lines form a siphon so I had to either have the return lines above the display water level or drill small holes above the water line to allow air to break the siphon on the return lines under power out.
Second insure normal operation results when power returns.
Third fail the overflow through blockage or siphon break. Then check to insure the sump runs out of water before the display floods. If the display floods then remove water from the system untill it does not flood. If the display does not flood you can add more water to the system. Then return the overflow to normal operation power on and let things settle down. Then mark the water level in the sump. From that point on insure the water level in the sump never is above that point.
After that basic setup and adjustments then you can decide about bio balls, skimmers, live rock, mud, and the like. I prefer macro algaes in my refugium but that's just me.
And my .02
But FWIW there are some basics in setting up a sump system which applies to all.
First test power out to insure the sump does not overflow. The thing I forgot was the return lines form a siphon so I had to either have the return lines above the display water level or drill small holes above the water line to allow air to break the siphon on the return lines under power out.
Second insure normal operation results when power returns.
Third fail the overflow through blockage or siphon break. Then check to insure the sump runs out of water before the display floods. If the display floods then remove water from the system untill it does not flood. If the display does not flood you can add more water to the system. Then return the overflow to normal operation power on and let things settle down. Then mark the water level in the sump. From that point on insure the water level in the sump never is above that point.
After that basic setup and adjustments then you can decide about bio balls, skimmers, live rock, mud, and the like. I prefer macro algaes in my refugium but that's just me.
And my .02
newtoreefguy":2wnigcn2 said:thanks for the help im gonna build a new fuge no bio balls its gonna be mud live sand live rock and a few extras but first things first this fuge tank i have needs to be rebuild youtube was very helpful in ideas too one question that i do have is should i have lights on all the time in new fuge or just on when my tank lights come on?
Most people run the sump lights reverse to when the tank lights are on. This can help keep PH from dropping. Also no need to run them 24hrs, 8-10 is plenty.
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