2 questions...

nathan_unsane · 06/27/2006, 09:15 AM

i want to install a sump... currently i'm running a canister filter with charcoal media in it...

will my system crash if i put a sump on it without slowly taking the canister filter away?

2nd question....

i've had high nitrates for awhile, and couldn't figure out why... but i have a new theroy that i didn't think of before... and that is die-off on my rocks, sponge or somthing... but

will the nitrates eventually go down, or do i have to cook the rock?

it's been about 4 months with this new rock, and my nitrates have been sitting around the 10-20 range ever since...

will they go down by them selves or, should about 4 months been long enough that die-off wouldn't effect the tank any longer...

please help...

thanx

Beastmaster · 06/27/2006, 10:16 AM

The charcoal does not provide biological filtration so should not affect the normal biological processes if taken offline at once. However, activated carbon will take out all sorts of nasties and it is worth running it in addition to installing a sump. Put some in a mesh bag in a high flow area of the sump.
Your nitrates don't sound too high but if you have some caulerpa/chaeto growing in your sump you should see this come down.

nathan_unsane · 06/27/2006, 10:25 AM

i'm glad to hear that, for i was going to use main componates of my filter to cut down on cost of buying new hose, pump, and such...

one more thing, does anybody disagree to run the powerhead of your skimmer in your display tank, and water exit the skimmer to the sump, or would that not be enough flow???

i hope that made sense...

nathan_unsane · 06/27/2006, 11:42 AM

??

nathan_unsane · 06/27/2006, 03:53 PM

bump one more time...
any help would be great

the power heads i'm using are aquaclear 4000

MCary · 06/27/2006, 04:01 PM

If I understand you correctly then the answer is no, you can't do it that way.

Running the pump in your main and then going through the skimmer into your sump would cause potential flood problems. Anytime you have a reservoir above another then the top one should always gravity feed into the bottom one. Whether thats a refugium above a tank, or a tank above a sump. If you pump from one to the other then the return pump has to be in perfect tune with the feed pump. And if either pump stops the the remaining one floods the tank its feeding.

Proper way is to have the pump in the sump, through the skimmer, and back into the sump.

Mike

nathan_unsane · 06/27/2006, 04:54 PM

thanx mike... i'll have to build a hang on overflow system then...
i've seen melv's design anybody have any luck with this system...

Beastmaster · 06/28/2006, 03:23 AM

I don't use an overflow but I have seen many and they work pretty well. One thing to add to the design is a piece of airline tubing to the very top of the inverted U-bend (where it says 2.5") - connect the other end to the venturi nozzle on a powerhead. This will suck out any air bubbles that might accumulate at the top and break the syphon. These are pretty vital bits of kit though to get right so might be worth investing in a manufactured one and I am sure you could get a used one for a reasonable price.

06/27/2006, 09:15 AM	#1
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	2 questions... i want to install a sump... currently i'm running a canister filter with charcoal media in it... will my system crash if i put a sump on it without slowly taking the canister filter away? 2nd question.... i've had high nitrates for awhile, and couldn't figure out why... but i have a new theroy that i didn't think of before... and that is die-off on my rocks, sponge or somthing... but will the nitrates eventually go down, or do i have to cook the rock? it's been about 4 months with this new rock, and my nitrates have been sitting around the 10-20 range ever since... will they go down by them selves or, should about 4 months been long enough that die-off wouldn't effect the tank any longer... please help... thanx

06/27/2006, 10:16 AM	#2
Beastmaster Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: London, UK Posts: 38	The charcoal does not provide biological filtration so should not affect the normal biological processes if taken offline at once. However, activated carbon will take out all sorts of nasties and it is worth running it in addition to installing a sump. Put some in a mesh bag in a high flow area of the sump. Your nitrates don't sound too high but if you have some caulerpa/chaeto growing in your sump you should see this come down.

06/27/2006, 10:25 AM	#3
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	i'm glad to hear that, for i was going to use main componates of my filter to cut down on cost of buying new hose, pump, and such... one more thing, does anybody disagree to run the powerhead of your skimmer in your display tank, and water exit the skimmer to the sump, or would that not be enough flow??? i hope that made sense...

06/27/2006, 11:42 AM	#4
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	??

06/27/2006, 03:53 PM	#5
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	bump one more time... any help would be great the power heads i'm using are aquaclear 4000

06/27/2006, 04:01 PM	#6
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	If I understand you correctly then the answer is no, you can't do it that way. Running the pump in your main and then going through the skimmer into your sump would cause potential flood problems. Anytime you have a reservoir above another then the top one should always gravity feed into the bottom one. Whether thats a refugium above a tank, or a tank above a sump. If you pump from one to the other then the return pump has to be in perfect tune with the feed pump. And if either pump stops the the remaining one floods the tank its feeding. Proper way is to have the pump in the sump, through the skimmer, and back into the sump. Mike

06/27/2006, 04:54 PM	#7
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	thanx mike... i'll have to build a hang on overflow system then... i've seen melv's design anybody have any luck with this system...

06/28/2006, 03:23 AM	#8
Beastmaster Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: London, UK Posts: 38	I don't use an overflow but I have seen many and they work pretty well. One thing to add to the design is a piece of airline tubing to the very top of the inverted U-bend (where it says 2.5") - connect the other end to the venturi nozzle on a powerhead. This will suck out any air bubbles that might accumulate at the top and break the syphon. These are pretty vital bits of kit though to get right so might be worth investing in a manufactured one and I am sure you could get a used one for a reasonable price.