MFK... I need your help, what filtration is this!?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Basically the water overflows into the sump (you mentioned the tank is drilled, so I will ignore overflow boxes) through the drilled holes. Obviously you need hoses connected, usually using bulkheads to get a waterproof seal on the tank.

The hoses feed the water into the sump over the blue "bio balls." With the model you have there should be a tray that a filter pad sits on (the tray is drilled with lots of small holes to drip the water over the bio balls). The water then flows through the balls and into the other side where you should have a pump that forces the water back into the tank.

The pump sits on the "empty" side of the sump and as this side fills with water the pump constantly pumps the water back through another hose where it returns to the tank (there are a few different ways to do this, so I just described what is probably the most likely way the previous owner did this and easiest way to do it).

Two things to really look out for is to make sure you don't allow your pump to run dry (will burn out the motor), just make sure you top off the water as necessary. The other thing is there should be some failsafe in case the power shuts off or your pump dies. Basically you want to make sure you don't continue to have water overflowing into your sump so that it overflows because water isn't being pumped back to the tank - I think this is bigger problem with overflow boxes (which I don't think you have), but something to look into so you don't end up with water everywhere.
 
Basically the water overflows into the sump (you mentioned the tank is drilled, so I will ignore overflow boxes) through the drilled holes. Obviously you need hoses connected, usually using bulkheads to get a waterproof seal on the tank.

The hoses feed the water into the sump over the blue "bio balls." With the model you have there should be a tray that a filter pad sits on (the tray is drilled with lots of small holes to drip the water over the bio balls). The water then flows through the balls and into the other side where you should have a pump that forces the water back into the tank.

The pump sits on the "empty" side of the sump and as this side fills with water the pump constantly pumps the water back through another hose where it returns to the tank (there are a few different ways to do this, so I just described what is probably the most likely way the previous owner did this and easiest way to do it).

Two things to really look out for is to make sure you don't allow your pump to run dry (will burn out the motor), just make sure you top off the water as necessary. The other thing is there should be some failsafe in case the power shuts off or your pump dies. Basically you want to make sure you don't continue to have water overflowing into your sump so that it overflows because water isn't being pumped back to the tank - I think this is bigger problem with overflow boxes (which I don't think you have), but something to look into so you don't end up with water everywhere.

Hey thanks so much for the response. The tank does have the "overflow" boxes on it! These giant black boxes that go to the top of the water. I'm assuming that these are water tight as I had water in the tank when I was cleaning it and they did not fill up. Is this the protection against the tank overflowing should the power go out and the water not be returned? Also. There's 2 over flows and inside them each has 2 drilled holes. One was for the skimmer I'm assuming. This pump that puts water back into the tank, does it refill through the other side overflow, or does it use some type of separate hose that sits inside the tank itself an pumps it in that way. Like an overhead piece?

Also what does a protein skimmer do, and is it beneficial for freshwater?


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