Sump filter in a planted tank?

[Rockhoe14er]

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/5809-Needle-wheel-DIY-modifications here is a link to a diy needle wheel modification if you're interested.

 

[Liquidplants]

I would get rid of that airstone that's going to cause a lot of co2 to be lost from the system. You don't need it. If you have a sump you will never need an airpump.

DONE - I'm removing the air-stone. What is it about a sump that makes you never need an air-stone/pump?

The only way you can avoid gassing off is to completely seal the sump, make sure it's air-tight. That, or you can use ceramic media and get rid of all the drip trays.

How comparable to bio-balls is ceramic media? Do I need a larger quantity of ceramic to achieve the same filtration? Should I introduce anything else, such as activated carbon?

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread...-modifications here is a link to a diy needle wheel modification if you're interested.

Perfect this means more bubble smashing!
~LiquiD~

 

[jcardona1]

How comparable to bio-balls is ceramic media? Do I need a larger quantity of ceramic to achieve the same filtration? Should I introduce anything else, such as activated carbon?

Ceramic media has like eleventy-hundred times more surface area. I don't know about the generic ceramic media most of use, but Seachem Matrix says the following (generic ceramic media should be similar):

Each liter of Matrix™ provides as much surface (>~700 m2) as 170 liters of plastic balls! Plastic bio-materials provide only external surface area, whereas Matrix™ provides both external and internal macroporous surface area

Summary, ceramic media is the bees knees. You can use much less and have more surface area than bio balls or scrubbies, and you can use it completely submerged, avoiding the need for baffles, drip trays, and dividers. And no, carbon isn't needed.

 

[Rockhoe14er]

first off air stones don't really put much air into the tank. You can reach a much higher oxygen saturation from your plants then an air stone will ever do. All an airstone does is cause surface agitation and this effect causes your tanks gasses to equalize with the atmosphere this put close to 5 ppm of oxygen in your tank and 3 ppm of co2. Any time you get surface agitation you get an equalization of gasses and by having a sump your surface agitation is in the sump and the output returns nice oxygenated water into the tank. An airstone is pointless and just causes more of your co2 to off gas. You need to find a nice balance. Turn up your bubble count a bit and see if you're able to saturate the water with more co2. Do this process slowly though.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

I thought Bio-Balls only work if they are exposed to air, like a bio-wheel. in your design they are submerged.

Nope they will still float

 

[jcardona1]

Nope they will still float

all of them? Only a few will be above the water, the rest will be submerged, which isn't good for bio balls. ceramic FTW

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Oh yar, I forgot to draw an extra pump which would circulate the balls...

 

[Liquidplants]

OK I did another sketch reusing a lot of the sump that I have already...

Looks like a simple fix ... Let me know what you think...

~LiquiD~

 

[Rockhoe14er]

Ceramic media has like eleventy-hundred times more surface area. I don't know about the generic ceramic media most of use, but Seachem Matrix says the following (generic ceramic media should be similar):



Summary, ceramic media is the bees knees. You can use much less and have more surface area than bio balls or scrubbies, and you can use it completely submerged, avoiding the need for baffles, drip trays, and dividers. And no, carbon isn't needed.

How expensive is ceramic media?

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

How expensive is ceramic media?

Depends on the size of the sump and brand of ceramic media.