NEWBS-STOP OVERTHINKING SUMPS!!!

[USMCSS]

This guy...I like this guy.

My 2 cents! I can see both sides of this argument but as previously stated if you have ammonia and nitrites in your system then its in all of the tank water...so if you have the habitat/space for bacteria to grow and consume said components then pushing the water through the media in a specific direction should be neither here nor there...NOW if you want to talk mech filtration then baffles and wet/drys etc are absolutely necessary if your end goal is to catch more crap...literally.

In a ray tank, it's all about catching more crap. 1. They're never ending poop machines. 2. Very messy eaters. Especially when you're power feeding for rapid growth.

In all honestly, I've never used baffles. My concept was always to use the tray system I mentioned as it was easy to work with and gave the greatest amount 02 to water exposure.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

In a ray tank, it's all about catching more crap. 1. They're never ending poop machines. 2. Very messy eaters. Especially when you're power feeding for rapid growth.
In all honestly, I've never used baffles. My concept was always to use the tray system I mentioned as it was easy to work with and gave the greatest amount 02 to water exposure.

and I completely get the use of baffles, trays, all that fancy crap for mech. filtration on large systems, it makes total sense and is way more efficient than a bunch of canisters or a filter sock or two. But in regards to bio, I don't see an advantage of forcing the same water over media if the media is submerged anyhow. The sump the OP posted wouldn't be optimal for mech but it would work on a less populated tank, but as for bio....just add more porous media to the sump and make sure its under water haha

 

[USMCSS]

But in regards to bio, I don't see an advantage of forcing the same water over media if the media is submerged anyhow.

That's just it. In the tray system I mentioned the only submerged media in many people's ray tanks would be what's in that bottom tray which was lava rocks. Many ray keepers as well as other large fish keepers keep bare bottom tanks so no media in the tank itself. I wasn't a fan of that but people do it.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

That's just it. In the tray system I mentioned the only submerged media in many people's ray tanks would be what's in that bottom tray which was lava rocks. Many ray keepers as well as other large fish keepers keep bare bottom tanks so no media in the tank itself. I wasn't a fan of that but people do it.

ya I don't play barebottom tanks ever, looks terrible to me. I get it for ease of maintanence but eh...I'd rather the tank look good as well as the livestock.

 

[framcosco]

Call me crazy, but these are the types of threads that keep me coming back to MFK. People who are passionate about the hobby discussing different opinions on a particular subject. As someone who's about to set up my first sump soon, I got a lot out of this thread.

I am glad to hear this!!

 

[freshisbetter]

Happy Friday everyone,I will share that I personally like the OP's setup for my Adult fully grown out Discus display tanks that are not overstocked. If I size the sump correctly I can keep a mag pump and vinyl hose in the tank stand cabinet and simply do water changes into and out of the sump where I can use most of the available sump volume out of the tap with Prime. I have less chances of issues with microbubbles or PH changes overrunning the tank changing out only the sump volume and can get away not aging or storing water nearby in my living areas of the house. I quickly net out the fish poop from the DT and spending 15 minutes a day for a water change seems reasonable for me and simple to execute consistently.

I run a drip and moving bed on my 300g with a small ray and medium tigrinus but i do it because i think it looks cool, i have no data to support the sump design. This was a fun thread for me to read. I hope it keeps going.

 

[Pharaoh]

I'll admit I haven't had time to catch up on posts, but I think to carry this discussion further, you have to split it off into two topics. Necessary levels of mechanical filtration: What is the min/max?, and then Necessary levels of bio-filtration; What is the min/max?

We could easily get into an discussion arguing two different topics in detail and force ourselves into an impasse without realizing we are taking about different things.

 

[rodger]

I'll admit I haven't had time to catch up on posts, but I think to carry this discussion further, you have to split it off into two topics. Necessary levels of mechanical filtration: What is the min/max?, and then Necessary levels of bio-filtration; What is the min/max?

We could easily get into an discussion arguing two different topics in detail and force ourselves into an impasse without realizing we are taking about different things.

There is no max. There is no such thing as over filtration. The minimum depends on your particular set up and the livestock. Pretty simple, huh?

 

[pops]

sure there is over filtration, if your fish is plastered to the sides of the glass from all the filtration current, you may be over filtered.

 

[rodger]

sure there is over filtration, if your fish is plastered to the sides of the glass from all the filtration current, you may be over filtered.

That only means too much flow. Please educate me on overfiltration.