Pictures of my new 90 gallon overflow setup!

[mogurnda]

Also, how do I know that my powerheads are sufficient for circulation and filtration in my tank? Look at the pictures posted in this thread of my tank and please let me know. On the top right I have a Maxi-jet 900 and on the top left is a Maxi-jet 600. I also have the return pump aiming out towards the front glass (been thinking about using loc-line Y to split that into two outputs as Mogurnda mentioned). So is my tank circulation enough to ensure the live rock is doing enough filtration?

There are two potential answers. First, you want to have about 10-20X the tank turned over every hour. The second half of the equation is whether you have eliminated dead spots, where junk can accumulate. Even better is surgy motion, generated by aiming powerheads at one another or using wavemakers like seaswirls, oceansmotions or scwds.

I was always under the impression that the best biological filtration takes place in oxygen rich environments - hence my thinking that wet/dry bioball filters are the best.

That's partly true. Oxidizing ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate requires oxygen. Converting nitrate to N2 or NO, which thens leaves the tank requires anoxic or hypoxic conditions, which occurs inside the rock or deep in the sand bed. That's why bioballs are great for detoxifying ammonia, but often called "nitrate factories."

 

[macphoto]

Now I am wondering if my bioball compartment is maybe useless. Its not that big to begin with. I have about 35 lbs of live rock, but as you guys can see my tank is 90 gallons... so I might need the bioballs for now, but once I get another 30 lbs of live rock, you think the bioballs can come out? If so, then i can place a nice refugium in the bioball compartment which might benefit me a little more.

I'm wondering the same thing... I'm considering this same sump, and I'd like to utilize that space for a refugium if possible. I suppose some modifications would be necessary... isn't that compartment designed to only allow water to "trickle through" over the bioballs then drain out?

--Mike

 

[yamanjazz]

I for one am one of those who had bio-balls in my sump and took them out after 8 months and saw a differance. I was very confused when my friend tols me about taking them out too, but i must tell you that(but i cant explain why) i now have a much slower build up of nitrates since i took them out. it solved a big problem i had. And now i have a big space in my sump that does nothing but creat bubbles(which is probably good for adding oxygen). Im still a bit confused but ill tell you one thing im sure of... Ill never put them back again

 

[Mahlhavoc]

If you can picture a tank, with nothing more than a few live rocks & sand, plenty of micro organisms, small crustacia, and worms, with plant life you would actually need to thin out every month or so, you have pictured a refugium, a secondary tank that fish and larger organisms can't infiltrate nor disturb and disrupt, and that is what your aiming for. This tank essentially cleans all the nutrients from the water, not only that but if you have the lights on when the lights are off in the primary tank, you can keep the PH stable when primary tank lights are out.

This will also prove valuable in feeding your fish NATURAL and live foods out of your refugium, be it plants, or small animals or even feeding the corals with the offspring of these organisms that are small enough for most coral to intake and will flow right out from the refugium into the main tank without needing to be introduced manually.(phytoplankton–microscopic plants and bacteria & zooplankton–microscopic animals) Add all this to having more water that will turn into a more stable water system, a refugium is more than just a filter, it is a filter, food source, and makes your water alot more stable because it is now a larger volume.

With this in mind, I do not see how you could possibly do this in a bio-ball type compartment.

Hope this gives you a better insight.

 

[senos]

Well thanks for the tips so far... I guess I couldnt really build a refugium in a bioball compartment. At least, I guess I could try but it probably wouldn't be that successful. Anyhow I have another problem im dealing with at the moment. Remember when my submersed Magdrive 9.5 pump was overheating the water? Well I plumbed it externally (photos are earlier in this thread), and it STILL overheats the water!! Even when I turn everything else off including the lights, the temperature stays constant above 80 degrees (once it got up to 82) and when i shut the pump off the water slowly cools down again almost to room temperature. What the heck is going on?? I spent all this money on PVC plumbing pipes, fittings and ball valves to plumb the pump externally and its still heating my water like crazy. My room temperature is a constant 72. Help!

By the way, I have added some hermit crabs and snails... (pictures later tonight)!!

 

[FishFreak101]

*Whistle* NIIIIIICE! I want it!

 

[macphoto]

Remember when my submersed Magdrive 9.5 pump was overheating the water? Well I plumbed it externally (photos are earlier in this thread), and it STILL overheats the water!! Even when I turn everything else off including the lights, the temperature stays constant above 80 degrees (once it got up to 82) and when i shut the pump off the water slowly cools down again almost to room temperature. What the heck is going on??

I wonder if this pump just tends to run hot? One of the websites that had info on sumps mentioned that he saw a several degree DROP in temperature when he added a sump to his system.

--Mike

 

[mogurnda]

Anyhow I have another problem im dealing with at the moment. Remember when my submersed Magdrive 9.5 pump was overheating the water? Well I plumbed it externally (photos are earlier in this thread), and it STILL overheats the water!! Even when I turn everything else off including the lights, the temperature stays constant above 80 degrees (once it got up to 82) and when i shut the pump off the water slowly cools down again almost to room temperature. What the heck is going on?? I spent all this money on PVC plumbing pipes, fittings and ball valves to plumb the pump externally and its still heating my water like crazy. My room temperature is a constant 72. Help!

No idea. I use one internally and don't see that much heating. To raise that much water that many degrees requires significant wattage. On top of that, using the pump externally would limit the energy transfer to the chamber with the impeller.

 

[senos]

well... I think I figured it out partially. I removed the glass covers and the temp dropped a few degrees. What is everyone using over their tanks? I completely removed the glass from mine. Is this ok? or will the fish jump out? I still have the wood canopy over the tank but it lets air escape easily. I may install some fans as well, but I wanna make sure its ok that I leave the glass covers off. I can deal with the evaporation. Opinions?

-Dave

 

[macphoto]

If you're worried about jumpers, perhaps a screen over the top?

--Mike