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Sump Set-up

Joined
Jul 24, 2003
Messages
525
Right then

Im developing my sump and do not want a deep sand bed anymore (Colin - You've convinced me along with witnessing a mates not working)

ok then so im thinkin.....

1st section - live rock

2nd section - refugium

3rd section - equipment - skimmer, rowaphos reactor, carbon filter,
return pump. (i may need to sit rowaphos or
carbon above due to lack of space or other section)

Now the questions i have are......

1) how will this set-up benefit above using a dsb and why inparticular for celaphoids

2) what is octopus skin made of i.e. discarded and is there anything that will eat this that i can put in my sump

3) why do people use external filters or is that what im talkin about when reffring to the pro-posed rowaphos an carbon filters?

4) why would anyone wanna use a wet/dry filter (forgive my naivety!)

5) Does anyone have any opinions on miracle mud or know anyone thats used it successfully?

6)any ideas what else to use in me sump


Cheers in advance
 
Right then….

Just this morning, I had an email from Nancy discussing the fact that Ollie has been constantly digging in the sand right down to the glass, there is no way a DSB could work here. So there is a good reason J

My suggestion for this is…

1st section… physical mechanical filter, EG filterwool with some bioballs to catch large bits of crap and prevent them going through the rest of the filter, this needs cleaned weekly.

2nd section… The refugium and this is where you want the live rock too.

3rd Section… perfect

1) All the equipment is out of the tank, nothing for Mr octo to bugger about with/break. Cant disturb the filters. The sump can be as big as you can make it and make the water volume bigger than the tank by itself. Nothing to say that your refugium cant have 2 – 3” of miracle mud in it as a hiding place for worms etc. Maybe able to use the sump as a place to hold extra buffering materials too?
2) Unsure exactly what it is made of but all of the small amphipods, copepods and worms will eat bits of dead skin. One reason for having a prefilter with filterwool in part one of your sump is to catch all those discarded suckers that can easily clog a filter if left in large amounts.
3) They are powerful, and that type of filter is also out side the aquarium and easy to maintain. Several different types of media can be used at once, EG you could put your rowaphos in there.
4) I use them because I can build huge ones for hardly any expense at all. They offer a huge surface area and I cant complain about them at all… Some people may not have the space for them.
5) Yes, I think it is a good idea if overpriced for a bag of mud!… You could seed your own sump from someone else’s mud quite easily!
6) Aquarium heater? Thermometer? Caulerpa? Small aquatic badgers?

Cheers
 
Colin your a diamond mate

Nice one for your comments which has, as you already guessed sparked a million other questions!!!!

Ive printed the beuty out to make me comments an thoughts whilst on the tube, and will come back to ya!!!

In the mean time, a quick question or two to help me along the way.......

I was thinkin of makin my fuge caulerpa based as it happens with a few different types, I like the idea of includin the live rock in there. BUt But But what other ways can you base a fuge? I presume you were thinkin of some other methos to ask about caulerpa????

Also what were you referring to with regards to including buffering bits in the sump, as the only methods of buffering im aware of is either a calc stirrer or addin some sort of chemical. What others are there??

Nice one mate, much appreciated!!!!!

Have a good weekend!! :heee:
 

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