live rock in a sump?

[swflfisher]

If I have lots of live rock in a sump do iI need to keep lights on it? If so are cfl lights good enough? Will the rock die without light?

[surfer85]

I've got a few pieces of LR in my sump and it's fine. Life won't completely die on it just the stuff that needs lighting to survive. I've got a ton of little critters on/in it and see worms now and then.

[thegrun]

It's fine without light.

[Ron Reefman]

If you are keeping it in the sump to help with the ammonia/nitrite/ nitrate cycle you don't need lights. The bacteria that make the rock 'live' will grow in the dark. To grow coraline on them, you do need lights.

[gr1mm]

Originally Posted by ron reefman

if you are keeping it in the sump to help with the ammonia/nitrite/ nitrate cycle you don't need lights. The bacteria that make the rock 'live' will grow in the dark. To grow coraline on them, you do need lights.

+1

[Todd_Sails]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

If you are keeping it in the sump to help with the ammonia/nitrite/ nitrate cycle you don't need lights. The bacteria that make the rock 'live' will grow in the dark. To grow coraline on them, you do need lights.

And I had thought the 'live' part was the corralline.

All my rock is in the DT, PC lighting, nice and purpley.

[nctinter]

To add a question to this(sorry for hijacking). Where would be best placement in a sump for it. And I am designing a new sump with a filter sock chamber, skimmer chamber and return chamber. Should I partition another section to house live rock? A chamber for itself?

[cloak]

It doesn't matter, as long as it's submerged.

[swflfisher]

[QUOTE=Ron Reefman;19287215]If you are keeping it in the sump to help with the ammonia/nitrite/ nitrate cycle you don't need lights. The bacteria that make the rock 'live' will grow in the dark. To grow coraline on them, you do need lights.[/QUOT

Does coraline growth have any benefit to filtration?

[Fizz71]

Originally Posted by swflfisher

Does coraline growth have any benefit to filtration?

Personally I think coraline growth where it's not seen is a NEGATIVE thing. Its growth is a great indicator that your system is very healthy, but coraline growth consumes calcium just like coral growth which means you have to replenish it.

Another problem with lit sumps is it can cause a lot of algea. I like to have my sump rocks available for coral mounting so that's kind of a pain. I have a 100g sump and in the past I kept the left side lit for macro and right side dark...the left side was always littered with cyano.

One BENEFIT of a lit sump is more stable pH if you reverse the lighting cycle to your main system.

In other words...it's all about your preference.

[ryeguyy84]

benefits of a powerhead down there to stir things up a little?

[cloak]

Originally Posted by ryeguyy84

benefits of a powerhead down there to stir things up a little?

That would help, but if the detritus isn't being removed somewhere downstream, all your doing is just moving it from one place to another. You would have to be running a filter sock 24/7 for this to be effective. I just use a powerhead and stir everything up right before a water change. (DT/sump) It only takes 5 minutes or so. Hook up a filter sock for a few hours to polish the water and I'm set.

[swflfisher]

so to take it a little further would it be ok to have the live rock at the begining of the sump? I'm thinking then have it go thru a filter sock? then on to the rest of the sump.

[lordofthereef]

I'd put the sock before the rock. This way you catch all the large particles and greatly minimize the chance of detritus collecting amongst the rocks.

[cloak]

It doesn't really matter where you place your rock at, but the filter sock should be attached to the pipe that's coming from the DT. (your overflow)

[Fizz71]

+1 on the sock first. And flow through the rock is good too, plus you can ripple the surface for some air/heat exchange if you're not running a chiller.

[swflfisher]

Thanks.I'm sure Ill have more questions after some more reading