Stacking Media In Sump

[HUKIT]

I’ve played with blue dye a few of times while setting up sumps. This was an interesting video on different methods of media placement and how it affects the flow patterns through the sump. It’s not Earth shattering but I hope it may be helpful to someone.

This was the dye I used so if you’re bored it’s fun to play with. FYI a little goes a very long way.

Amazon.com

 

[duanes]

The illusion, is that more media provides better biological filtration.

The reality is , that it is not the volume of media, but the food to micro'organism ratio, and oxygen content thru the media (aeration) that determine its efficacy.

I use 3 three inch bags of rings, in my 125 gal sump as bio-media, and my testing indicates that
these 3 tiny bags detoxify all the ammonia and ntirite produced by my the fish in my 180 gal commint tank, which averages about 20, X 4 to 8¨fish.
80% of my sump is dedicated to plants, which alsp detoxify ammonia and nitrite, but also more importantly (to me) help detoxify nitrate, which most bio-media, ¨doesn´t do¨.

The recirculating flow thru my sump ia approx 1500 gph, so aeration is strong, keeping those 3 bags of bactreia totally oxygenated.

I agree with the video, stacking media on top of media does nothing positive, but that adding an airstone below media does help a lot, because it aerates the bacteria to make them more efficient at ammonia and nitrite detoxification

 

[Midwater]

I don't think it matters if there is uneven flow through the media, and I don't think it matters. I even think a few dead spots are good.

 

[triamond]

So, we can clearly see that water follows the least restricted path.
The internal surface of the media is unimportant because water flows around it.
That's why ceramic rings and balls are 4–6 times less effective than foams (or K1 - Kaldnes).

duanes
Once again, you forgot about the foam in the sump that does the filtration, not your bag of rings... Just remove all the sponges and watch the water clarity deteriorate...
I don’t have ceramics in my filter—only foams and some K1 around the pump to fill the space effectively.
The water is crystal clear, and the filter is maintenance-free!
The key is to have enough space for the biofilm, and it’s much more than what's needed for nitrification... because the filter’s purpose is also to oxidize dissolved organic carbon.

---

 

[duanes]

I did not forget abot the foam, that is used for mechanical filtration, if which I used used to wall. off the pump, and catch detritus.


And in many cases that mechanical filtration can also provide some biological filtration.

But water clarity, does not necessarily mean great water quality for fish.
Clear water, can also be toxic with a deadly combinations of chemical components, just at brown, or tinted waters can be healthy.

The water above was loaded with healthy fish
The river below was down stream from a pig farm, and although clear, with lots of algal growth, indicating high nitrate pollutants, but no healthy fish.

Once we found, and smelled the pig farm upstream, it was clear why no fish were found.
I realize it seems extreme, but indicatess that clear water is not always an proof of good water quality

 

[HUKIT]

So, we can clearly see that water follows the least restricted path.
The internal surface of the media is unimportant because water flows around it.
That's why ceramic rings and balls are 4–6 times less effective than foams (or K1 - Kaldnes).

---

It’s funny you mentioned that as they did that test too and with the porosity of foam it did indeed colonize bacteria faster than bio-rings. I have never tried any MBBR systems so I can’t comment on that. I do have big old slabs of Poret foam in all my sumps but honestly I placed them there to catch detritus before it hits the media.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

It’s funny you mentioned that as they did that test too and with the porosity of foam it did indeed colonize bacteria faster than bio-rings. I have never tried any MBBR systems so I can’t comment on that. I do have big old slabs of Poret foam in all my sumps but honestly I placed them there to catch detritus before it hits the media.

Yeah, if I was building a setup like that I'd be very tempted go with a bunch of fine sponges instead. You can much more easily make it tight fitting so water can't sneak around them.