Bioballs or live rock in a sump?

[woltersb]

Hello, setting up my sump (oceanic 30 gal sump) I planing on putting live sand in the refugum portion but I was wondering if I should run bio balls or live rock pieces in the 'filter' section.....

[cyberwollf]

Reef or Fish only?

I would say youre ganna want to get rid of those bioballs if its reef.  They will collect crap, and Im sure lots of people have had the nitrate factory thing. 

[woltersb]

Reef

[cyberwollf]

Yea live rock sounds like the way to go.  Are you going to be running a filter sock? I have seen sockless sumps that have bad collections of crap that has settled in some of the baffels.  If you wont have enough flow through the sump to keep it supspended, Id put a sock on it.

[woltersb]

ya I am not sure about flow yet... I have a mag 5 pump on it but I was reading I could put a mag seven impeller on it and increase the flow? It only has one set of baffels its a oceanic sump. Also not sure what kinda of lighting to put down there or to run the pump in the sump or out (it can be done both ways on my sump).. Was going too look and see if anyone had some pics of one similar to mine set up.\

By using live rock is it going to need any certain kind of light I wonder.

[cyberwollf]

I wouldnt run a mag5 outside, seen plenty that leaked when used external.  There are a few other threads on the site about fuge lighting. A 23w 6500k CFL floodlight with built in reflector is simple and i get great growth.  let me find the thread

[Viggen]

definantly no bio balls if it's a reef

my FO tanks I use lots of bio-balls

[ReefGurl]

ya I am not sure about flow yet... I have a mag 5 pump on it but I was reading I could put a mag seven impeller on it and increase the flow? It only has one set of baffels its a oceanic sump. Also not sure what kinda of lighting to put down there or to run the pump in the sump or out (it can be done both ways on my sump).. Was going too look and see if anyone had some pics of one similar to mine set up.\

By using live rock is it going to need any certain kind of light I wonder.

Not for the rock, your asking for algae growth. If you have chaeto or some other macro algae in a fuge then its a good idea. I have about 80lbs of live rock in my sump.

[woltersb]

I've herd of many people using the cheato...wanted to try it and see how it does..any light work?

[hamiltro]

I dont want to hi-jack but why not just run Live rock even if it is a fish only tank, whats the plus of running bio balls?

[woltersb]

Good question....I. was wondering that too

[wolfeden3]

i just switched from bio balls to cheato and live rock. bio balls have to be cleaned or they become a bacteria problem after 6 months or so. bio balls are more of hassle than they are beneficial. Just remember all the comments are just opinions.
  Garry Wolfe

[cyberwollf]

I dont want to hi-jack but why not just run Live rock even if it is a fish only tank, whats the plus of running bio balls?

They are VERY efficient at what they do.  designed for max surface area and O2.  They take crap and turn it into Nitrates.  which is great in a  low light FO tank, but in a Reef algae will tend to take off.  Filter sock for example will catch the same crap but not break it down nearly as quickly.  If you swap them out fast enough, you are exporting stuff that never was converted to nitrates.

[cyberwollf]

I've herd of many people using the cheato...wanted to try it and see how it does..any light work?

Heres that link: http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=6940.0 doesnt have to be that one, but any of the CFL floodlights thats 23W range and 6500k "daylight"

I just use a $2 walmart daylight CLF in a clipon shop reflector.  GReat growth on my Macro

[woltersb]

how does the light affect the ph?

[cyberwollf]

how does the light affect the ph?

If you put the fuge light cycle opposite from the DT, it will lower the pH swing at night due to photosynthesis and cellular respiration

[jd]

...it will lower the pH swing at night due to photosynthesis and cellular respiration

He blinded me with science!


WITH SCIENCE!

[woltersb]

Then why use filter socks? wont they collect more nitrates? also the same with live rock?


so sand, macro algae, live rock and a light and im golden?

[cyberwollf]

Then why use filter socks? wont they collect more nitrates? also the same with live rock?

the filter sock will collect the stuff that will BECOME nitrates. If you swap out your socks every few days you will get rid of the stuff BEFORE it is broken down to nitrates

[jungliztkruger]

be sure that there is plenty of flow in the areas in your sump that are hold the live rock, detritus that collects in the rocks corners can be an alk sink. when i tore down my 37 i had a ton of rubble in my sump with almost all the flow moving over the rock instead of through and the detritus in everything was unreal.

[cyberwollf]

be sure that there is plenty of flow in the areas in your sump that are hold the live rock, detritus that collects in the rocks corners can be an alk sink. when i tore down my 37 i had a ton of rubble in my sump with almost all the flow moving over the rock instead of through and the detritus in everything was unreal.

Same thing here, thats when i decided to start running a sock 

[woltersb]

My sump has a black plastic container that is there to hold live rock, and the intake from the tank is two pipes that flow from the top down onto the rock... would 2-3 inches work of sand?

[jungliztkruger]

4+ for nitrification if i remember correctly