dont think they are that much compared to the K1 and they work. i had a 60 gallon tank that i could not keep the nitrates down put a gallon of the 1.5 spheres in my FX6 and i was able to almost double the time between water changes after that i have and will use them in every tank. 2 8x8x4 blocks are about $90 shipped. dont know if you pay for water where you are but if i can do less water changes and still have healthy water i am going for it. looking at it this way they will pay for them self. also just ruining a 25 watt air pump will cost about $30 a year to run plus you have to but the K1 so in 3 years the blocks pay for them self this way to.
Sump sizes for 125 and 99g
- Thread starter Lyferxb9s
- Start date
There are really no rules about how big a sump should, or must not be, just as there are not rules about what media to use. Lava rock, bio balls, old hair curlers, Dollar store Scrubby Pads, it really doesn't matter, I use whatever is available and cheap, if it supports beneficial bacteria that use up ammonia it's good.
The only thing that matters is gravity, and whether or not the pump you use will keep up with the tanks over flow, or the overflows keep up with the pump, and these factors can usually be dealt with with a valve.
It also doesn't matter if you want your media partially emerged, or totally submerged, both work equally.
I have used a 1500 gallons of ponds as a sump for a 50 gallon tank,
But at the moment I'm using 2 boxes that hold no more than about 20 gallons each, for sumps on my 180 tank .
It also doesn't matter if the sumps are directly below your tank, in another room or closet, or on a floor below, as long as gravity is taken into account.
My current sump has a combination of bio balls, Poret foam, lava rock as the bio media, some is covered in algae, and i also have some of the overflow cascading over ocean sea shell to help buffer alkalinity.
It also doubles as a refugium for the algae, and a breeding colony of fresh water shrimp.
It is set off to the side of the tank so more sun hits the media to grow algae.
Any amount of extra water, extra water movement, and media you add to you system (especially if your tank is over stocked) will be a positive.
The only thing that matters is gravity, and whether or not the pump you use will keep up with the tanks over flow, or the overflows keep up with the pump, and these factors can usually be dealt with with a valve.
It also doesn't matter if you want your media partially emerged, or totally submerged, both work equally.
I have used a 1500 gallons of ponds as a sump for a 50 gallon tank,
But at the moment I'm using 2 boxes that hold no more than about 20 gallons each, for sumps on my 180 tank .
It also doesn't matter if the sumps are directly below your tank, in another room or closet, or on a floor below, as long as gravity is taken into account.
My current sump has a combination of bio balls, Poret foam, lava rock as the bio media, some is covered in algae, and i also have some of the overflow cascading over ocean sea shell to help buffer alkalinity.
It also doubles as a refugium for the algae, and a breeding colony of fresh water shrimp.
It is set off to the side of the tank so more sun hits the media to grow algae.
Any amount of extra water, extra water movement, and media you add to you system (especially if your tank is over stocked) will be a positive.
