sump- wet/dry design help

[sbrady5pts]

Attached is a pic of a modified Wet/Dry Filter. Last time i used the filter I kept the very top with Mechanical filtration and bio balls under neath. The results were ok, but not great.

My plan this time is to use mostly Seachem matrix filling both chambers.

I know it is a bit unusual but the section between the glass and the Egg crate I plan to fill with layers of vertically placed Mechanical media. I am worried about this being after the Bio Media, but i am thinking it will still help clean the water.


I saw a large sump with Mechanical media placed vertically and loved how easy it was for them to change it. Do you think it will still be productive to have it like this even though it is after the Bio Media? Or should I use it for something else?

 

[tlindsey]

Attached is a pic of a modified Wet/Dry Filter. Last time i used the filter I kept the very top with Mechanical filtration and bio balls under neath. The results were ok, but not great.

My plan this time is to use mostly Seachem matrix filling both chambers.

I know it is a bit unusual but the section between the glass and the Egg crate I plan to fill with layers of vertically placed Mechanical media. I am worried about this being after the Bio Media, but i am thinking it will still help clean the water.


I saw a large sump with Mechanical media placed vertically and loved how easy it was for them to change it. Do you think it will still be productive to have it like this even though it is after the Bio Media? Or should I use it for something else?

View attachment 1417303

If you use a filter sock or a sponge prior for mechanical it will be fine.

 

[esoxlucius]

Something for you to think about.

When I first set up my sump I had those sheets of poret sponge that you can cut down to size. I had them positioned vertically going from coarse to fine. All the sponges were underwater apart from the top inch or so which I used as a handle when pulling them out for cleaning. I soon realised there was a slight flaw with them being vertical.

Simple gravity meant the sponges didn't get clogged evenly, the bottom half of the sponges got clogged first. Then when I tried pulling them out for cleaning some of the crud would come away as I gently eased them out. This crud then settled on the bottom of the sump and when maintainance was over and and I switched my pump back on the crud would get dragged into my bio section, which is not good.

This was a few years back now, I changed everything round and haven't looked back since.

 

[sbrady5pts]

That is great feedback Esox. Would you think It would be better to use that last part for BIo,and just stack more mechanical in the top?

 

[esoxlucius]

There aren't any strict rules for setting up your sump. You do what works best for you. For me it's all about simplicity, efficiency and ease of maintainance. If it's a pita to work on the chances are you'll start slacking at maintainance time.

For example, the picture below is the side of my sump where the water flows in from my display tank. That first section where that bucket is used to house all my vertical poret sponges, which I spoke about earlier, didn't work for me one bit.

It made me realise I needed a way to keep all my dirty sponges and filter floss in a contained area so that when I moved them for cleaning all the crud didn't come away and contaminate my sump. So I placed all my sponges and filter floss in that bucket. On maintainance day I just whip the bucket into the kitchen and empty it. Sponges get thoroughly rinsed under the warm tap until all the gunk has run free, and my filter floss gets tossed and replaced with new. Then I return the bucket to its rightful section (it's sat on egg crate on plastic stilts to raise it up).

That middle section you can just see is full of bagged up rings and old chunks of discarded sponge and what not. Then I have my return section, which is out of view.

It's so basic and yet it's perfect for me.

 

[sbrady5pts]

I really like how you set it up to to have the media chamber so easily removed.

 

[DN328]

Something for you to think about.

When I first set up my sump I had those sheets of poret sponge that you can cut down to size. I had them positioned vertically going from coarse to fine. All the sponges were underwater apart from the top inch or so which I used as a handle when pulling them out for cleaning. I soon realised there was a slight flaw with them being vertical.

Simple gravity meant the sponges didn't get clogged evenly, the bottom half of the sponges got clogged first. Then when I tried pulling them out for cleaning some of the crud would come away as I gently eased them out. This crud then settled on the bottom of the sump and when maintainance was over and and I switched my pump back on the crud would get dragged into my bio section, which is not good.

This was a few years back now, I changed everything round and haven't looked back since.

That would drive me nuts LOL. I sometimes don't change my filter socks when I should and I get a little detritus on the bottom of sump nd it's annoying.