filter media

do i need to use filter media in my sump? if so what should i use? i have been told that i don't need it and i have been told that i do need it. can any body help?

 

Opinion is divided on this subject

some people like to use filter pads/ Micron filter socks on the end of the overflow in order to remove any floating detrius that gets carried down there - this can help to ensure tank clarity is maintained
this media requires cleaning/ changing regular in order it does not become the source of later nitrate issues

in a reef set up with adequate live rock in the DT, there should not be any need for additional biological media such as bioballs, ceramic or sintered glass etc in the sump

many people feel that the sump is purely for accomodating extra water and locating equipement such as skimmers, reactors, heaters etc

any extra biological filtration such as nitrate reduction, is often achieved using a fuge or refugium which can either be part of the sump or a second add on unit
in this fuge, deep sand beds, or mud, along with macro algaes such as Chaeto are kept and this can often help facilitate nitrate reduction

Steve

 

makes a lot of sense thanks steve

chad

 

Hi, Steves' answer, although thorough, is not all encompassing. Many of us (myself included) run PhosLock and Carbon in a reactor. It depends on the demand of the tank. I house mostly all soft coral and have to deal with toxins so I run carbon. Bio balls are one of those contentious issues, people either swear by them or swear at them, I use them, have for years, as long as a pre-filter is used with them they are one of the best filtration media out there as an adjunct to the live rock and substrate. Everyone works these things out as they go along and as their tank evolves.