Reef nutrition

Sump media and chiller pump size?

IOnceWasLegend

IOnceWasLegend

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Two questions as I progress through my frag tank build:

1. I'm planning on using ceramic media in the sump for my beneficial bacteria. Is there any benefit/drawback of using the 'plate' media versus the ceramic balls/blocks?

2. xcaret was kind enough to provide me with a 1/4 hp chiller. I'm having trouble finding any information on it, and it seems like it will need its own pump. Is there a general rule of thumb for how much flow each size of chiller needs, or will this just need to be something I tinker around with?

Thanks!
 
@NanoCrazed mentioned his ceramic blocks being large enough to work like a Deep sand bed (DSB). So an anaerobic environment for denitrifying bacteria (I think).
Based on that I would think a larger plate/block vs the small pearls would provide more or less nitrate reducing ability.
I had a media cup for my RSR 170 that I filled with the pearls and it was a nice way to build pod population, but they were probably too small for that anaerobic environment and the benefits that can bring.
@RandyC has been using the maxspect blocks I believe and has mentioned they seem to be less brittle than other ceramic media which is definitely a benefit, some of my ceramic pearls were really eroded/broken down.
 
@IOnceWasLegend -- yup, the 8x8x4 blocks of marinepure gives you lots of surface for beneficial bacteria PLUS, because its deep, there's an anaerobic region to suck up nitrates... worked so well in my tank, I have 0 nitrates... so need to dose nitrates...

I have 2 in my tank which is probably part of my problem...

Folks are concern over Al leaching from Marinepure blocks but I haven't had issues... my latest ICP showed no Al in fact
 
@max_nano and @NanoCrazed : Iiiiiinteresting. I hadn't even realized that - I just didn't want to shove a ton of live rock into my sump, but that's a benefit I hadn't considered. For 'Al' leaching: I'm assuming you're referring to aluminum?

EDIT: Also, thanks! I'd been planning on just getting one plate of the 8x8x1, but after your responses I decided on the 8x8x4 and got one off Amazon for $32.

Max: when using the media cup, how did you get the pods from the cup into the display? Dumb question, maybe, but I know you can grow pods in the sump, just not how to transfer them...
 
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Srt4eric said:
So for the 8×8×4 blocks do you just sit them in the bottom of your sump?
Click to expand...

That is my understanding. It basically takes the place of live rock and/or sand, so the filtration is accomplished by allowing the bacteria in the ceramic media contact with the water in your sump, rather than the biofiltration happening in the live rock/sand in the DT.
 
IOnceWasLegend said:
@max_nano and @NanoCrazed : Iiiiiinteresting. I hadn't even realized that - I just didn't want to shove a ton of live rock into my sump, but that's a benefit I hadn't considered. For 'Al' leaching: I'm assuming you're referring to aluminum?

EDIT: Also, thanks! I'd been planning on just getting one plate of the 8x8x1, but after your responses I decided on the 8x8x4 and got one off Amazon for $32.

Max: when using the media cup, how did you get the pods from the cup into the display? Dumb question, maybe, but I know you can grow pods in the sump, just not how to transfer them...
Click to expand...
Yup -- Some folks have reported that their ICP using marinepure came out with Al readings but they also noted that the Al readings from Triton are inconsistent. I had my ICP with ICP-analysis and the results showed no Al present. But even if there were, there's been no known reported negative impact from Al in the water.

One block is really all you need. I use 2 blocks in a 120G system and it's overkill... I only really started with one but added a second one cuz I needed a stand for my skimmer (some folks say it's a no no to use it for a stand since vibration might deteriorate the blocks but so far so good). Since I am battling 0 nitrates, I might pull one out and stick it into another system.

@Srt4eric -- to benefit from the DSB effect, to basically stick it into a low flow area to maximize contact time of water with the block... These days, I keep LR for aesthetics (and sand too) but if I ever wanted to go bare, I'd just rely on the blocks... I use the balls too...they're convenient and can fit into a lot of places universally vs the blocks but you will have less of a denitrifying effect... you might still get some dead center in the balls but not as significant.

I run systems with just the balls and my nitrates hover in the 15 - 20... this was the same in my larger system with the blocks... with the blocks, nitrates are 0 at the moment...
 
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