Need help changing my sump

[ReeVo]

Hey guys, I must be crazy or out of my mind thinking of this now but i need some help or encouragement about this.

I just spent quite a few dollars building my new sump for my tank. My tank came with a sump that will not a hold skimmer wider than 5", can barely have a refugium, or any room for my reactores. So I built this new one to hold a bigger skimmer, refugium area, and a big enough space in the return for other things.

I have a DSB in my refugium now and I'm thinking about running bio-pellets and live rock in the new sump.
Now here is the problem. I dont have enough money for my bio-pellet reactor now and im worried about how I should step into making the switch.

Should i use live rock and cheato until i get my bio-pellet reactor, should i run the bio-pellet reactor in my old sump for a while once i get it. This is really giving my a headache thinking about it.

My refugium area is not that big, it's pretty small. It's about 6" long and 16" wide with about 3-4" of sand and like 3 pounds of live rock with chaeto. I dont know if my tank will go through an ammonia outbreak once I take that DSB out.

I can really use some help and advice on how to do this right.

[Hendogg0]

I guess it just depends on how long you've had your sandbed a had the same issue with my fuge ended up with a new refugium I added miracle mud but now I want to get rid of it and just use rubble rock and cheato I'm also running bio pellets using
Two little fishes reactor but u do have to use vynel mesh to keep pellets from flowing through reactor.

[ReeVo]

Well my tank has been running for almost 6 months. So, it's pretty new.
Everything in my tank now is perfect. I just dont want to ruin anything.

I dont have the bio-pellet reactor now. I'm planning on getting the Reef Octopus BR-110 for the bio-pellets.

[Metal Man 1221]

IME carbon dosing (bio-pellets, vodka, etc.) is really only necessary if your are trying to reduce nitrates.

I would put more faith in LR, Cheato and a skimmer. As long as you are not over feeding and keeping up with water changes, I wouldnt waste the money doing something like that.

With such a young tank I dont think that you will notice much effect. Unless of course your nitrates are high. Maybe as the tank matures and your bio load increases it may be a good idea down the road.

[dlterry85]

look into the reactors from BRS. they are much cheaper. if you buy the reactors, you can use them for carbon and gfo, and buy a another cartridge for the bio-pellets. i've read a lot of people do not have success with the pellets, so good luck. hth

[reefgeezer]

Originally Posted by Metal Man 1221

IME carbon dosing (bio-pellets, vodka, etc.) is really only necessary if your are trying to reduce nitrates.

I would put more faith in LR, Cheato and a skimmer. As long as you are not over feeding and keeping up with water changes, I wouldnt waste the money doing something like that.

With such a young tank I dont think that you will notice much effect. Unless of course your nitrates are high. Maybe as the tank matures and your bio load increases it may be a good idea down the road.

+1 - If you decide to carbon dose, the Cheato in the fuge will just stop growing as you get closer to UNLS. At that point I'd remove it. You can then let the live rock in the fuge be a home for pods. I wouldn't advise carbon dosing unless you can't control nitrates and phosphates with the fuge and maybe a GFO reactor.

[ReeVo]

Thanks guys,

I'll probably stick with having a refugium until i start getting more fish.

Should i still have a DSB or live rock and chaeto will do just fine?

[ReeVo]

Bump.
Anyone else want to chime in.