Sump Questions

Hi Everyone!

Just a couple of questions:

1. Does a sump have to (or should be) a certain %age of your tank i.e. 20%?

2. This may be a dumb question..... a wet/dry filter is just a mechanical filtration method something like bioballs? are there -ve affects from those bio balls? I thought that I had read some thing that they were

2a. if making an above filter in the sump should there be a certain size of it? So 1 ball per whatever gal? or.... fill me in!

3. last one! some people refer to the sump under the tank as a sump/refugium.....is it just a sump or is it a refugium once a plant is added??

thanks!
Bunner

 

just make to biggest sump possible.if thats 10 gallons,so be it.

 

1. I've heard that 15-20% is all that you really need. More is not needed but won't hurt either.

2. Wet/dry is biological not mechanical and some seem to think that there are problems, I'd disagree. You just need to stay up on maintenence.

2a. Not sure what you mean. Are you talking about the overflow? Re-read that and there are ratios for the different brands of bio-balls. Check the box they'll advise on how much to use.

3. Refugium is in a sump and it is bascially a place to grow or propagate things all american marketing at your service for that name!

 

ok thanks. for your great insight!

yay for marketing!

 

ok the largest sump you can do is your best bet. Like said above, if you can only do a 10 well then that's all ur gonna do.
BioBalls......well..... you just don't need them. They are supposed to harbor denitrifying bacteria, which they do, but they also hold onto organics that eventually rot in your system and become ammonia. now I know that the bacteria needs the ammonia to feed on but enough is enough. the best filtration is going to be your live rock and your skimmer. Filter floss is good if you want to change it every other day but I don't recommend it.
Refugiums are a different story. IMO it depends on what kind of tank you are doing. I have a diy fuge on my 55 gallon softie tank and it works great but I can do one on my sps tank as there aren't enough nutrients in the water to feed the macro so I run a bare sump and bare bottom tank. My clam gets rid of any other nutrients that are floating around. Does any of this make sense???

 

1. Some ppl say a certain %, but bigger is better. adds to the total vol.

2. The Bio-Balls(BB) have always been under the microscope. Some like it and some dont. I have them and dont see a problem. I know many ppl that have had them for over 15 yrs and still going strong. Its a personal pref.

2a. I dont know what you mean by an "above filter"?

3. The sump/refugium is a combo set up that some ppl make and buy. Im about to do the same. Wet/dry---sump---refugium tank. Luna

 

Thanks for the info. I meant by just the "above filter" was about the statment above it....sry confusing.

does it matter if i put the protein skimmer after or before the wet/dry? anyone know?

 

i'm not 100% on this but I beleive you'd want the water to come through the wet/dry and then into the skimmer chamber, then to the return pump

If you're planning on a fuge also you'd want to do that in a separate tank

 

Ya, i've seen a couple different designs for a sump. but i was wonder what the best setup would be.