Sump/refuge question

[ElectronRider]

Currently my tank has a 20 gallon sump, divided in half, with one half filled with bio-balls. I was wondering, could I throw a ball of chaeto into the open area, put a light on it, and call it good? I have a plastic screen on my pump inlet, and my heater is currently in this part of the sump as well. would all this be ok? I cant really afford much else as far as a fuge goes, but would like to get the added benefits of the macroalgae.

 

[Physiofish]

Why not try!!! What do you have to lose? Try it and see how it works

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

IMO i would rid the bio balls and only stick with the cheato. the cheato is there to export nitrates and the bio balls are just gonna produce them so your not helping much IMO

 

[Fast Fred]

Bioballs are bad news. For better bio-filtration, get 1pound of live rock per gallon on water in your tank. Once that's established, you can slowly, over a few weeks, remove the bioballs and in the space you have left, you can make a refugium.

 

[ElectronRider]

I have the live rock ratio covered I belive, I will find out this weekend when I move my tank, by weighing all my live rock, to make sure.

So I should just take out a handfull of bio-balls every few days, when empty, throw in the macroalgea and slap a light on it, call it good?

 

[Ironsheikh]

I have a mini intank refugium w/ chaeto thats doing a fine job, so I think your idea is fine.
as far as the bio ball theory -- ammonia is the #1 killer of fish according to any book or pet catalog, so unless you have a reef I wouldnt be hardcore about getting rid of them so quickly.
My fishonly is set up with a eheim 2229 wetdry and I have no problems
just figure out what's right for your tank and how YOU want to set it up

 

[robster]

Ironsheikh, Will you post a pic of your intank refugium? I am thinking of getting one and would like to see how yours looks.

 

[nemo g]

hey now! odnt go givin dem bio balls such a bad name

me luvs to play with mine

nemo g

 

[otterpop510]

i currently have a similar 2 chamber wet/dry sump that i took out the bioballs, threw in some chaeto where the bioballs were, put a HD light on the side.. other side is for my return sump, heater and skimmer. provisional fuge works great for me. hope that helps.

 

[robster]

Otterpop510, put a pic in your gallery please.

 

[Fast Fred]

Yes, slowly remove the bio-balls over the course of 6 weeks or so, if you have the amount of live rock you think you need. By removing them slowly, you'll give the aerobic bacteria on the live rock time to reproduce and take the place of you new found cat toys.

 

[tsutherland]

Bio-balls and bio wheels can both become heavy nitrate producers over time from what I have seen and read. I just got done building my own refugium and return for my 55gal reef tank out of two 10gal fish tanks. One complete 10 gal is the refugium with a deep crushed coral bed, live rock, and then there is also cheato in there and the other 10gal is where the water goes go get skimmed by a coralife super skimmer 220 and returned to the tank by a mag seven pump. Thought I was going to use a bio-ball set up on here till I read all the post about them. And the nice thing now is I dont Have to worry about cleaning a mechanical filter, which is great IMO. But like it is stated is what you want in YOUR tank since you have live with it and pay for it.