I have seen people use more deep sand beds in their sumps, I was just wondering how many people here use them? Do you use sand or gravel in the sump, and how do you maintain it?
Deep Sand Beds and Sumps
- Thread starter dr_sudz
- Start date
In SW they are used to take advantage of the de-nitrifying (removes nitrate) capabilities of the bacteria that lives in the areas of the sand bed that have very little-no oxygen present... Sand is used to create a deep sand bed (as the name suggests), gravel is too corase and allows a lot more oxygen into the lower layers of the substrate. This concept might be able to work with a FW, but honestly, I don't have a good reason to find out, 'cause...
Really in FW, the best way to lower nitrate (and any thing else you don't want in the water) is just water changes... It's so simple I don't think any other way is worth my time to look into... If work is a problem, set up an auto water changer, or maybe get a python (if your still hualing buckets around).
Really in FW, the best way to lower nitrate (and any thing else you don't want in the water) is just water changes... It's so simple I don't think any other way is worth my time to look into... If work is a problem, set up an auto water changer, or maybe get a python (if your still hualing buckets around).
The idea is not to reduce the work going into the tank, but to have cleaner water parmeters. If you are able to reduce nitrates through a deep sand bed then why not use it? I am just trying to see what options are out there for filtration.