Freshwater sump set up 103 gallon

[1488]

Hi i bought a 300 gallon fish tank for my 3 stingrays. But the sump was only a 60 gallon with a crack in it. So i got a custom 103 gallon sump. I'm wanting to get this set up done right the first time. I'm wanting to run matrix seachem in one compartment and in another part I'm going to run EHEIM Substrat Pro Biological filter media and where that water enter I'm thinking of putting in EHEIM Mech Mechanical pre-filtering medium along with 2 7inch filter socks. But now my question is should i run k 1 as well? I hear that it has to tumble in the water to work right. And also I'll be adding in live plants into the last bay with the eheim compact + 5000 .But seprated if i do add k1 into the second last one bay. Should i be ok and also the tank will have have a 50 gallon drip system on it as well.

 

[twentyleagues]

K1 will be overkill. It's not needed and makes a simple design more complicated. Yes it needs to be tumbled.

 

[taksan]

K1 actually is less effective then Matrix or Subsrat pro type of media in a sump. It works ok ( but less efficiently) in pond filters for koi as the dwell time in the chamber is longer. I’d put in more Matrix or get some Marine pure blocks ... they work very well.

 

[narayanang76]

Filter socks would be sufficient for mechanical filtration. Any other empty space in sump, get more lava rocks, it will do the job.

Like other people have said, don't go for K1 unless you have fancy for that type of filtration.

 

[1488]

Filter socks would be sufficient for mechanical filtration. Any other empty space in sump, get more lava rocks, it will do the job.

Like other people have said, don't go for K1 unless you have fancy for that type of filtration.

So buying the EHEIM Mech Mechanical pre-filtering medium to go under the filter socks wouldn't be worth it? At this point money isn't a concern with the sump set up. I just want to make sure its done right thats all.

 

[1488]

For adding in more matrix i was allready thinking of filling up one whole chamber. So far in the sump i have 10 lbs witch is nothing really as you can tell by the pic. And for the k1 if do it i was also thinking that i could put it in a little slot right beside where my water output is. I was thinking of putting 2 smaller eheim pumps in there one to draw water in and one to draw it out. Also I was thinking of adding in a powerhead or wavemaker + and air stone's to get it moving. I'll take a better pic once I'm on lunch.

 

[taksan]

Nope you just don’t need it ... the socks will catch far more then the Ehiem mech stuff will. I’d just fill the whole sump up with more Matrix or Marine pure balls and stick a couple of Marine pure blocks in the pump chamber. As a freshwater set up goes that is going to be close to the best possible filtration period. It’s a great sump and well laid out ( not too dissimilar to my new ones). It’s going to work really well.

 

[taksan]

For adding in more matrix i was allready thinking of filling up one whole chamber. So far in the sump i have 10 lbs witch is nothing really as you can tell by the pic. And for the k1 if do it i was also thinking that i could put it in a little slot right beside where my water output is. I was thinking of putting 2 smaller eheim pumps in there one to draw water in and one to draw it out. Also I was thinking of adding in a powerhead or wavemaker + and air stone's to get it moving. I'll take a better pic once I'm on lunch.

You would need 25 gallons of actual K1 to get the effect of a handful of Matrix. K1 is a fad that came out of koi keeping mainly because it’s self cleaning and didn’t clog up when used in pond filters. But even koi breeders are now moving away from it now that affordable drum filters are on the market.

 

[1488]

You would need 25 gallons of actual K1 to get the effect of a handful of Matrix. K1 is a fad that came out of koi keeping mainly because it’s self cleaning and didn’t clog up when used in pond filters. But even koi breeders are now moving away from it now that affordable drum filters are on the market.

Ok sweat. I had made another post here like 3 4 months ago and some one told me to run k1 instead of matrix so i was just thinking about adding in both. Bit now that your saying its not the greatest i won't worry about adding it in. Keep the elc bill down that way

 

[1488]

Nope you just don’t need it ... the socks will catch far more then the Ehiem mech stuff will. I’d just fill the whole sump up with more Matrix or Marine pure balls and stick a couple of Marine pure blocks in the pump chamber. As a freshwater set up goes that is going to be close to the best possible filtration period. It’s a great sump and well laid out ( not too dissimilar to my new ones). It’s going to work really well.

I'll take a look into those other two things that i can add in. I'm trying to make this a powerfull sump that will take care of my water. I've bean doing 35 to 50% water change every day to keep my Amonina levels down.