Best sump media?

[Thomascl]

Im setting up a new sump in a few days and i was wondering what you guys think is the best media for sumps these days?

Bioballs ect,ect

I like the sounds of that CELL-PORE but i can not find it in Australia.

 

[swannee]

G'day Mate, I am at the same stage you are seting up a tank and sump and have had the same problem trying to figure out what would be the best media for a sump? and what I have come up with is bio balls work well, in fact (so I'm being told) that you use more surface area with them immersed than you do in a wet/dry set up, you just don't supply near as much oxygen! and I have also found out the @%#* things are not cheap at any of LFS I have checked here in Melbourne, but here's a link that might help a little
CHEERS

 

[cchhcc]

If the intent is to use the media in a wet/dry application, bio-balls or some other non-porous media (cut up straws, plastic army men, etc.) works best. You don't need a lot of surface area in such an application. You need a lot of oxygen (hance the "dry" part). Porous media just clogs up eventually (of course, that could take years).

If you intend to use a submerged type of filter, porous media (lava, etc.) works best. There is less oxygen in such setups, so you need more room to colonize bacteria.

 

[Oddball]

Bio-balls have roughly 160 sq/ft of surface area per gallon of media. And, it takes 2.2 gals of media to filter 100gals with a moderate bio-load. Plastic pot scrubber pads have 370 sq/ft of surface area. If you can't find the scrubber pads, the stripping pads used on floor buffers works just as well. I just cut the stripper pads into rectangles and pile them into the sump.

 

[cchhcc]

Yep, that kind of stuff works too. Just make sure they're not treated with anti-mildew agents. Usually, the cheaper the scrubber, the less likely it is to have chemical treatment.

 

[Thomascl]

swannee there was no link,

Thanks guys i like the sounds of the Plastic pot scrubber pads but i have never heard of these things what kind of shop would i find them in? or are they the scrubbers you use to do your dinner plates with? LOL POST SOME PHOTOS.

 

[Thomascl]

Is it these?

 

[messiner]

as long as they dont have a sponge in them, yes that is them. get them at your local dollar store for cheap

 

[gomezladdams]

Im tring out the scrubbers in my diy sump so far so good
I didnt think of floor stripper pads I have access to an unlimited supply of the excess from a shop that die cuts the pads.Ill see if they know about any mildewcide or Ill do an experiment

 

[hillbilly]

I using SeaChem's "Pond Matrix" in my largest tank's sump. It's like regular Matrix except it's much larger for use in ponds. It's worked well for me. Good stuff.