New tank with sump.. question

Neenie

Neenie

Upgrade has arrived people!!
Jan 19, 2007
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Romford, UK
Hi there..

We should be getting our new tank in the next couple of weeks.. I think my husband worked it out to be just over a 100 uk gallons with a 10 gallon sump.

Not had a sump before and after much research still have no idea of the best way to go.. LR, DSB, sponges or BIO Balls.. everyone says Bio is bad, nitrate factory etc our LFS shop says rubbish.. LR can be just as bad as it is porous and can hold nitrate just as much as bio balls.. bio balls can be washed etc.

soooooo In your humble opinions, as we are starting from scratch with the sump what's the best way to go.. Also I know we can move media over from our original canister filter to help with the new cycle and we have LR also but is this advisable when we have quarantined everything because of Ich.

And should we have a DSB in the tank as well? sorry loads of questions! :)

Thanks neenie
 
If it was me, for the refugium in the sump, i would go for a deep sand bed of about 5 inches, live rock rubble and macro algae. Yes, i believe bio-balls are bad as when left unchecked, can generate high levels of nitrate...I have never come across anyone who has said that live rock is comparable to bio-balls for nitrate levels...wow

i would not both transfering media over, just use the live rock in the main tank with an additional raw shrimp or prawn for the ammonia source..

Sand bed in the tank if preference again...some like a shallow bed of around an inch, others like a good few inches in case they buy sand burrowing live stock, like the watchman goby and shrimp partnership...

A happy medium for me is 2 inches of sand in the display...

Niko
 
From all that I've read both bio balls and live rock rubble will work. The difference is that you'll have to do regular cleaning maintenance on the bio balls and you won't with the rubble. Makes the rubble a winner for many people.
 
Hi Niko..

Sorry what are the advantages of all three. I know my husband said the DSB helps with the bacteria, LR I know, what about the Macro Algae

Also I guess this tank would have to go through another cycle even though we've had our LR for 7 months already?? hence the prawn..

we were hoping we could just transfer everything and it would be OK?

Thanks again
Nicola
 
Macroalgae will use up the nutrients that the microalgae use to grow, by keeping them in your fuge you'll have the benefit without the risk of them taking over your display.

The DSB has the same benefit as it does in your display, it will help the nitrate cycle.

I'd think your cycle will be relatively small, a mini cycle.
 
Neenie said:
Hi Niko..

Sorry what are the advantages of all three. I know my husband said the DSB helps with the bacteria, LR I know, what about the Macro Algae

Also I guess this tank would have to go through another cycle even though we've had our LR for 7 months already?? hence the prawn..

we were hoping we could just transfer everything and it would be OK?

Thanks again
Nicola
Click to expand...

On the deep sand bed, it will provide all the advantages that a shallow sand bed will; like a habitat for pods and critters, but it will also provide nitrate reduction capabilities aswell...

Live rock rubble is always best in my opinion as its porous and has a really great ammount of surface area, no cleaning is required as they will look after themselves..

The advantages of Macro is that it will provide a great natural way to remove nutrients such as nitrates from the water..

I may of missunderstood your previous post..If its simply all moving from from one tank to another, then all your going to experience is a quick mini cycle which should pass inside a week...no need to provide an extra ammonia source in this case...

Niko
 
ah ok makes sense now.. I think that LR seems to be the best option

also with the Macro Algae does that come on the rock or is that micro algae> do we just buy some, does it need light etc?....
 
Neenie said:
ah ok makes sense now.. I think that LR seems to be the best option

also with the Macro Algae does that come on the rock or is that micro algae> do we just buy some, does it need light etc?....
Click to expand...

You should be able ot buy macro algae ( caulerpra or Cheato ) from either a fellow reefer here, or from a LFS...It is "micro" algae that you are refering to there, which is common to be found on live rock..

Yes, lighting wise in the sump, around 50 watts of lighting if sufficient..

Niko
 
Grins said:
From all that I've read both bio balls and live rock rubble will work. The difference is that you'll have to do regular cleaning maintenance on the bio balls and you won't with the rubble. Makes the rubble a winner for many people.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's necessarily true, at least not 100%

If you have low flow and lots of crap going through your live rock, it's not going to magically make that crap go away any more than the bioballs would. It's just going to hide it better.
 
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