bioballs

[seabass]

what do you guys think of using bio-balls in your sumps? and also like to here what other guys are running in there sumps and whats working for them?

[bobipema]

I don't have a sump because I think they are out of date. I have a refugium with a 5" DSB. I am very fond of DSB's and think Bioballs are a load of crap. :P . There that should start something going :)

[Dman]

I'm with bobipema, bio balls are the wave of the past. My sump is currently empty. I do plan on adding some sand, macro algae and some LR.

[Daniel Schubert]

Hi

My sump has 2 1/2-3" DSB (will add more later), Grape Calupra, a couple of live rocks. Using it to grow little critters for the main tank and Grape Calupra (Kinda my own version of the ecosystem with no Miracle mud) . Also using the reverse daylight in the sump with a 1-2 hrs overlap.

[Kenzy]

First lets keep in mind what bio-balls were intended for in the first place. They were brought out as a place for bacteria to colonize in a trickle filter that has a high oxygen capacity. The bio-balls were suspended above the water and water splashed(trickled) over top of them. This converted ammonia/nitrites to nitrates (very simplified)

Today most/all trickle filters are out of fashion and the trend is refugiums with Deep Sand Beds.

To me a sump is any secondary tank that is connected to the main tank and used as a place to house equipment to support the main tank, including refugiums and DSB's.

Sooo... unless you are using BB's in an actual trickle filter they ain't much good for anything except Xmas tree decorations.
:D

For myself my new tank will have a DSB in the main tank with a refugium in the sump on a reverse daylight. This has worked for me in the past and is pretty simple to set up.

[angel]

Kenzy:

Could you explain how you go about setting up a refugium in the sump?

Especially if you want to get rid of the Bioballs and just use the sump as place for the skimmer and heater, and as a refugium?

[Mitchell]

Angel

To set up a refugium in the sump all you have to do is partition it with glass or plastic.
Put some sand in, some macro algae and a light over top.
The light should be on a reverse cycle ( they come on when your main lights shut down and shut off when the mains go on )
This will help with ph balance as your ph tends to drop when the lights go out.

Do I think this is the best setup for a refugium? Not really

Water current is pretty fast in a sump Or at least it is in mine and that only tends to stir things up.
Also any critters that are going to be put back into the tank from the refugium risk the chance of getting chopped up in the return pump.

I have a 10 gallon above my tank with a hole drilled in the top and a return line ( gravity fed) going back to my tank.
A maxijet 400 pumps water from my tank to the refugium and the it simply drains back down into the tank taking any critters with it ( unharmed)

Water flow is very slow and my macros seem to like that.
It's also easier to watch all the critters in the fuge this way

Just my opinion.

[Dman]

Well so much for a refugium in my sump, or anything else for that matter. The water in my sump is so turbid it looks like Niagara Falls on steroids

[angel]

Thanks to Reefin Geek for the reply. Seems a refugium would be best set up separately from the sump and above the tank. Think I'll try it that way.

Angel

[Mitchell]

no prob.
if you need help or have a ? then email me