Sump newbie questions

[Schnertzel]

Hi everyone,

I have recently (January) upgraded my tank system to a 65 gallon tank with a sump - my first time ever having a sump. And things are going pretty well! A few questions that have arisen, however:
- There is a blue "sponge" that came with the sump between the baffles directly before the return pump . Within the last couple of weeks, water has stopped passing through the sponge and flows over the last baffle into the return area instead. Rinsing the sponge has not fixed the problem. Is this sponge important? Do I need to replace it? Or remove it?
- I am using 8" 200 micron filter socks, and they begin overflowing instead of keeping up with the water flow within 24 hours. Is that normal?
- The water in my tank is slightly cloudy, but all the corals and fish seem to be thriving. Is this indicative of a problem?

Thanks for your help!

Most recent test specs:
Ph 8.1
Salinity 1.024 (low, I'm working on it)
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 465
Alk 9.5
Mag 1240

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

The sponge is to prevent anything getting to the pump.
The socks need to be changed when they overflow so you need enough in reserve to go roughly 2 weeks. This will allow washing & drying after about a weeks use.
Overflowing in 24 hrs. is quick on a 200 micron sock.
IF you maintain that schedule there would be no need for the sponge, otherwise replace it.
A good rinse should clear the sponge enough for reuse though.
Nitrate & phosphate should NOT be run @ -0-, under 10 & under 0.1 would be better.

 

[Schnertzel]

My nitrates and phosphates have been at zero for weeks. I test using a Red Sea kit that's under a year old. I had a serious problem with hair algae, and I had assumed I was getting 0 results because the algae was absorbing all the free floating particles. I've made a number of changes to lighting/feeding/water changes, and have been using small daily doses of nopox, and the algae is all but gone. Do I need to be worried about the 0 values?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

After everything straightens out you can feed a little more to raise values.

 

[ROlympia]

Any type of filter you place in the water will foul quickly. It will cause your ATO to dump water into the sump to replace the slowed flow which in turn lowers the salinity. I personally don't use socks but sometimes filter pad just before the return pump.

 

[Schnertzel]

I kinda wish I had the ATO problem. I lug my own water to the tank as needed from my basement.

 

[ROlympia]

No ATO? That's gonna get old quick.

 

[outssider]

it sounds like you may be using too much nopox. The water should not be cloudy. You may be getting excess bacteria due to the carbon dosing, this in turn is clogging the sock and the sponge. The sock should not be overflowing in one day, I think it's clogging with bacteria....try lowering the dose slowly on the nopox