Sump Help.

[mutantbigman2000]

I have a sump and pre drilled tank on its way to me.

What should be in the 3 chambers of my sump? cheato, miracle mud, live rubble, ceramic and carbon?

any recommendations for a return pump from the sump back to the tank?

 

[kj23502]

We'll need to know how big the holes are and if you have 1+ holes.

I'm going to do a skimmer, some cheato, and some additional lr, I think.

oh yea..i'll put a sumbersible heater or 2 down there also...gets that stuff outta the tank and imo would make it look better.

 

[Nalaundi]

hey... from all the research I have done... and still doing... this is what I have seen the most. though you will have to decide on which chamber as I dont know your layout.

in one chamber return pump, heater

, in another chamber Lr (skip the mud use a deep sand bed instead (4") the mud it seems is just a gimick. and cheto,

in another chemical filtration( some skip this step entirely) skip the ceramics as they are said to be a nitrate factory.. and they serve the same purpose as the LR and the deep sand bed. most use purgien and sea-gel, or chemi-pure, and a phosphate remover.

and in the 3rd your protein skimmer

 

[kj23502]

o yea...LOL. I forgot the pump

 

[BigC]

I only have 2 chambers in my sump/refugium.
Usually it would go
1st chamber ...Protein Skimmer, Intake from tank, ( I use a bio-ball tower with a juwel course sponge and some Rowaphos sandwiched between some filter wool.
(There's gonna be a lot of turbulance and bubbles in there)
2nd chamber...Refugium (I wouldn't go with miracle mud or a substrate) Live rock and Cheato, perhaps a few snails and mithrax crab perhaps
3rd chamber...Pump return, Heater/Stat.
I personally use an Eheim universal pump outside the sump. I light my sump with an energysaver Daylight spectrum 18w bulb.
Hope this was of some help
Regards
BigC

 

[mutantbigman2000]

thanks big c.

With regards to the lighting. Is it lit 24/7/365?

 

[BigC]

With regards to the lighting. Is it lit 24/7/365?

Yup! That way the Cheato uses up all the neutrients in the water column and the Display remains devoid of algae.
Some folks use a reverse cycle to the main tank lighting, but I find this way works best for me.
Regards
BigC

 

[Crazy fishes]

Has anyone thought of using a mangrove in place of chaetomorpha. I know it is a little more work but is really quite attractive. Just an idea.

Regards

 

[mutantbigman2000]

By reverse cycle do you mean turn on sump lights when it is lights out on the tank?

 

[Crazy fishes]

Yes, lights on sump/refugium when display tank lights are off. Alternatively just leave the refugium light on 24/7.

Regards

 

[SkiFletch]

Has anyone thought of using a mangrove in place of chaetomorpha. I know it is a little more work but is really quite attractive. Just an idea.

Regards

Plenty of people with "designer" refugiums do this. Trouble is, mangroves require LOTS of light (think T5's or Halides) and are significantly more difficult to keep than Chaeto

 

[mutantbigman2000]

Sump has arrived and is looking pretty shoddy.

Now i am thinking about the external cannister route.

Will i be able to utilise the drilled holes on the tank for this? i.e. can i get attatchments for the pipework thats already in place to connect the external filters inlet and outlet tubes to?

 

[BigC]

Now i am thinking about the external cannister route.

Dont even consider that method, I tried it... wore the tee shirt...and it simply doesn't work (As Skifletch, god knows I pestered him for ages over this topic)
Regards
BigC

 

[Anguilla82]

whats wrong with using an external canister?
i run a reasonable sized eheim on my nano with live rock and phosphate remover in. seems to work ok for me?

 

[BigC]

run a reasonable sized eheim on my nano with live rock and phosphate remover in. seems to work ok for me?

I run exactly the same as you with an Eheim 2217 on my nano and algae was prevailent, no matter how much phosphate remover I used.