Sump Idea
- Thread starter andy1985
- Start date
The bio balls will still be submerged. The height of the second baffle will set the height of the water in the first two compartments. The height of the third baffle will set the water height of the third compartment. The third compartment will never have a higher water level than the first two compartments... unless you find a work around for gravity...
You don't need any BioBalls! I like Bio Balls because the break up the stream of water into very little drops and then agitates the drops as they hit the next piece of plastic causing a huge water surface for oxygen exchange. Your sump design doesn't lend itself to the use of bioballs. Add a couple filter bags to the first compartment instead of bioballs to improve the mechanical filtration.
Since you want a plant filter I would not worry about the bio media much at all. Let the plants have the nitrogen compounds and covert them to plant growth. I would take a plant filter over a bacteria filter any day! Plant filters take the nitrogen compounds and convert them into plant growth... bacteria converts the nitrogen compounds into Nitrates!... In an aerobic (With oxygen) environment at least.
Definitely put the air stones under the media as suggested above!!!! I also like designs that have the air bubble flowing in the opposite direction the water is flowing as it suspends the bubbles and yields a better O2 exchange.
You don't need any BioBalls! I like Bio Balls because the break up the stream of water into very little drops and then agitates the drops as they hit the next piece of plastic causing a huge water surface for oxygen exchange. Your sump design doesn't lend itself to the use of bioballs. Add a couple filter bags to the first compartment instead of bioballs to improve the mechanical filtration.
Since you want a plant filter I would not worry about the bio media much at all. Let the plants have the nitrogen compounds and covert them to plant growth. I would take a plant filter over a bacteria filter any day! Plant filters take the nitrogen compounds and convert them into plant growth... bacteria converts the nitrogen compounds into Nitrates!... In an aerobic (With oxygen) environment at least.
Definitely put the air stones under the media as suggested above!!!! I also like designs that have the air bubble flowing in the opposite direction the water is flowing as it suspends the bubbles and yields a better O2 exchange.
you could try putting a power head in there and making a fluidized bed. I have seen it done with bio balls, the other thing you can do is knock down the walls so the bio balls were not submerged. If you go with pothos, you won't need deep water any ways.
I have seen the having bio balls submerged or not debate on several forums. I don't know of how you could test so I can't say which way is best, but at the very least having the bio balls submerged should give more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow, would it not?
I would put them in the original location you had planned for them. Right under the overflow pipe without a filter bag or something... they will collect debris.
A Fluidized bed is where the media is in constant motion. Think of it like filling the tank with loosely packed bio balls and water, putting the air line from an air compressor under the bio balls and blasting the bio balls with air so they are constantly moving.
"Whats a fluidized bed?"
idea is moving media, if you can use a neutrally buoyant media (K1 as an example) in a chamber that is filled with water and media swirling around. The beneficial bacteria grows on the media, but only the healthy media thrives as it is tumbled and knocked about. If you do a youtube search there are several different methods/ media. Zeros out the ammonia spikes with feedings.
idea is moving media, if you can use a neutrally buoyant media (K1 as an example) in a chamber that is filled with water and media swirling around. The beneficial bacteria grows on the media, but only the healthy media thrives as it is tumbled and knocked about. If you do a youtube search there are several different methods/ media. Zeros out the ammonia spikes with feedings.
For me the advantages of a sump over a canister falls into 2 categories:
1) Easy access for maintenance.
2) Oxygen exchange.
With this in mind I like to put air stones under all my bio media in a sump. Feed the bacteria with what they need at the source (O2). In my theory of filtration the filter becomes a source to induce oxygen vs. a drain on your tanks oxygen levels like a canister filter.
1) Easy access for maintenance.
2) Oxygen exchange.
With this in mind I like to put air stones under all my bio media in a sump. Feed the bacteria with what they need at the source (O2). In my theory of filtration the filter becomes a source to induce oxygen vs. a drain on your tanks oxygen levels like a canister filter.
