question to advice in the best filter medium to use in freshwater sump.

[clambert122]

So, I have attached a very crude totally not to scale drawing of my two chamber sump.

Each chamber is about 20X20 square, and about 40" deep.

water comes down intake, hits T intersection, and spills out the sides.
Question 1.) Worth it to put a filter sock on the sump intake over the T section?

Water hits first chamber, where there is a mesh plate that splits the chamber half way up. In top of that mesh platform, are bio balls and ceramic medium, then sucked down through some really crappy cheap filter fiber i got by the big roll at my local shop. represented by the yellow crap in the pic.

Question 2.) Can anyone recommend a better material? Should I be using a sponge here instead? This stuff is just super crap though and falls apart to easy in cleaning, and gets into the water. So, looking for a better recommendation.
It layers across the top of my heater which lays across the bottom of the sump there diagonal to fit ( remember pic not to scale ) so please keep that in mind that it might come in direct contact with the heater.



Question 3.) ( off topic for sump )
Can anyone recommend a good breeder separator? I have a Swordtail that is going to give birth soon. I don't have a second tank atm. so I want to use a separator. I do not have a rimless tank or anything, so I cant really hang anything that would go over the lip. It would have to be magnet / suction cup driven device.

I have found a bunch of these things on line but most of the reviews for the ones i have found say they are cheap pieces of crap. I was wondering if someone knew some wonder device thats actually quality my research hasn't yet been able to uncover before I buy a cheap piece of crap.

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

So, I have attached a very crude totally not to scale drawing of my two chamber sump.

Each chamber is about 20X20 square, and about 40" deep.

That's a big sump! What size tank is this for? (This has nothing to do with advice, I'm honestly just super curious.)

water comes down intake, hits T intersection, and spills out the sides.
Question 1.) Worth it to put a filter sock on the sump intake over the T section?

I have found that I like mechanical filtration as a first stage. I've read that well maintained mechanical filtration can reduce the biofiltration needs by up to 20-30% (given all the other variables). I've futzed around with different sorts, but in my current two builds I am going with socks. For me the balance is how easy is it vs. how long can I leave it. I want to be lazy, but then if I don't get the gunk out in a timely manner, it rots and there goes the benefit to the bio media. Plus, I do think it helps with water clarity a bit.

Water hits first chamber, where there is a mesh plate that splits the chamber half way up. In top of that mesh platform, are bio balls and ceramic medium, then sucked down through some really crappy cheap filter fiber i got by the big roll at my local shop. represented by the yellow crap in the pic.

Question 2.) Can anyone recommend a better material? Should I be using a sponge here instead? This stuff is just super crap though and falls apart to easy in cleaning, and gets into the water. So, looking for a better recommendation.
It layers across the top of my heater which lays across the bottom of the sump there diagonal to fit ( remember pic not to scale ) so please keep that in mind that it might come in direct contact with the heater.

My first inclination was to say, who cares if it's crappy. But if it's so poorly constructed as to fall apart and gum up your sump, or worse get into the tank, then perhaps other options are warranted. You could go really cheap but effective with pot scrubbies. They do work well. But, any open cell foam, or matting can work. In terms of biofiltration the bio-balls, ceramic media, and various foams do pretty much the same task. So, theoretically you could just add more of those if you like them. On the other hand Poret foam pads work very well, and...

Question 3.) ( off topic for sump )
Can anyone recommend a good breeder separator? I have a Swordtail that is going to give birth soon. I don't have a second tank atm. so I want to use a separator. I do not have a rimless tank or anything, so I cant really hang anything that would go over the lip. It would have to be magnet / suction cup driven device.

I have found a bunch of these things on line but most of the reviews for the ones i have found say they are cheap pieces of crap. I was wondering if someone knew some wonder device thats actually quality my research hasn't yet been able to uncover before I buy a cheap piece of crap.

Poret foam at about 2" thick can be used as a divider for tanks. Probably will want smaller cell to keep fry separated if you go this route. Just a thought that you could place one order and it would do double duty.

Sumps are so much fun to tinker with!

 

[clambert122]

That's a big sump! What size tank is this for? (This has nothing to do with advice, I'm honestly just super curious.)

I have found that I like mechanical filtration as a first stage. I've read that well maintained mechanical filtration can reduce the biofiltration needs by up to 20-30% (given all the other variables). I've futzed around with different sorts, but in my current two builds I am going with socks. For me the balance is how easy is it vs. how long can I leave it. I want to be lazy, but then if I don't get the gunk out in a timely manner, it rots and there goes the benefit to the bio media. Plus, I do think it helps with water clarity a bit.

My first inclination was to say, who cares if it's crappy. But if it's so poorly constructed as to fall apart and gum up your sump, or worse get into the tank, then perhaps other options are warranted. You could go really cheap but effective with pot scrubbies. They do work well. But, any open cell foam, or matting can work. In terms of biofiltration the bio-balls, ceramic media, and various foams do pretty much the same task. So, theoretically you could just add more of those if you like them. On the other hand Poret foam pads work very well, and...

Poret foam at about 2" thick can be used as a divider for tanks. Probably will want smaller cell to keep fry separated if you go this route. Just a thought that you could place one order and it would do double duty.

Sumps are so much fun to tinker with!

This is my first sump build, but so far, I am a convert. It just gives you so many more options to hide stuff out of sight. This is for a 150 gallon tank. It was a reef tank, but I converted it to fresh water.


Ill check on the cell foam. That is kind of along the lines of what I was thinking anyways. Seems like its a lot easier to maintain.

The tank is to big to separate though unfortunately so I need a stand alone separation option.

 

[cdelly]

hi

40" deep is one hell of a tank

i would build it like my crappy pic. bare in mind that if you have fine filter floss or foam you will need to replact this every 3 or 4 days ( about same for socks)

are you going to have a return pump or is the sump going above the tank for gravity feed?

if using return pump, dont forget to put in a siphon break

 

[clambert122]

hi

40" deep is one hell of a tank

i would build it like my crappy pic. bare in mind that if you have fine filter floss or foam you will need to replact this every 3 or 4 days ( about same for socks)

are you going to have a return pump or is the sump going above the tank for gravity feed?

if using return pump, dont forget to put in a siphon break

Its just gravity fed from an overflow in the tank that sits above it.


pump pulls water out at the bottom of the sump. sends it out to a chiller, and then back into the tank at the top, where the overflow also is.

 

[cdelly]

so the return pump(to the chiller) will sit in the last chamber, the water level in this chamber will drop over the day from evaporation. so will require topping up

is the return pipe under or above the water level?

 

[clambert122]

so the return pump(to the chiller) will sit in the last chamber, the water level in this chamber will drop over the day from evaporation. so will require topping up

is the return pipe under or above the water level?

Water flow goes a such.



My sump has a water change system / auto top off system in there, I didn't bother to illustrate. Both pull water from the 15 gallon reserve you see on the side there. Chiller is in the black cabinet off to the side.

 

[cdelly]

it's the same set up i had on my marine tank.

drains into the first section need to use socks (check what micron size they are) or fine filter floss

then i would still use K1 fluid bed in the first chamber, you may need a powerhead to turn this over

then from the last chamber, pump feeds the chiller then to tank

still need that siphon break as well

 

[clambert122]

it's the same set up i had on my marine tank.

drains into the first section need to use socks (check what micron size they are) or fine filter floss

then i would still use K1 fluid bed in the first chamber, you may need a powerhead to turn this over

then from the last chamber, pump feeds the chiller then to tank

still need that siphon break as well

I really don't plan to move to a fluidized filter. To loud. My bio balls and ceramic work just fine. My water tests out perfect every time.

My problem is the cheap crappy fiber floss that I have been using. I was hoping that there was a better higher quality material to use there in place of it.


I bought this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SWTV62B/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Stan510]

I will always say to people...Aquarel poly filter in a bag is the best polyester you will ever find. Springy for months and months,doesn't matte down like a wet dog like quilt batting and for sure is better then poly cut into sheets or rolls.
Amazon has Aquarel for a good price.