100MICRON FILTER SOCKS AND OTHER BIO. tO MUCH, OR A BAD COMBO???

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/12/2007, 01:19 AM

Here is the question. It was sparked by another member who could not decide to use a 200 micron sock, or if it took out the good stuff.

I want to know if I should make changes in my system.

It is a 330g with sump with single side over flow. In the corner over flow I took all the media from my old 150, ehiem media, and fluval media the good stuff. I have a 3 foot hard foam pre filter and i dumped all the fluval and ehiem media over it. Looking back not a great idea, I can not get it out and if i tried it would be a long task.

then it flows in to the sump and hits a 100 micron pre filter that gets swaped every 3-4 days, and flows through 6 cubic feet of kent bio balls and reef rubble. it is then skimmed by my trusty aqua c and sent back to the tank by the little giant at 1000gph.

if I plan to reef out this tank, and i am as it was prior a shark tank what changes will help, and I am not going to do a fuge I have over 300lbs of live rock and sand with a 4" bed.

please dont just read this and walk away. I am a avid shark keeper but after years of hard work would like to enjoy the peace of a calm reef with out having to fly 1/2 way round the world.......

thanks

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/12/2007, 02:08 PM

20 looks and no reply. Am i to assume that this is fine and just stick with it?? thanks

oct2274 · 09/12/2007, 02:27 PM

filter socks are fine as long as you do actually swap them out ever 3-4 days. i would definitely get rid of the bioballs and "3 foot hard foam pre filter" as they are only going to add to your nitrate levels = not good for reef tanks. I would just add more live rock rubble.

Wryknow · 09/12/2007, 03:37 PM

Well, the bio-balls and foam pad would concern me. They are going to trap a lot of debris that's going to decompose in your system and cause nitrate levels to be undesirably high. Filter socks work great for water clarity but they do need to be removed and washed fairly frequently, it's a decision that's dependant on your reliablity with keep ing them clean IMHO.

If it was me, I would do a new refugium with a DEEP sand bed (at least 10") and at least a couple of square feet of chaeto for pods and additional biological filtration. With the existing live rock in your tank and a good skimmer that's all that you're going to need.

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/12/2007, 04:54 PM

Thank you. I will start the process of removing the media, I hope this will not cause a re cycle of the tank. I may however keep the large foam pre filter as it was super expensive. The bio balls were also a lot of cash.

Thanks

OliverM3 · 09/12/2007, 05:00 PM

If you have a small dog the bio balls make great toys

I have a mini pin and Italian greyhound and my old bio balls work great.
I have a small trash bag full of bio balls that will probably last them forever.

I wouldn't try it with a large dog though

oct2274 · 09/12/2007, 05:21 PM

the sponge prefilter will probably be a pain in your *$$ down the road unless you clean it a couple times a week. It will be a massive source of nitrates.

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/12/2007, 05:50 PM

I have a jack but she likes to rip apart stuffed animals and eat the eyes, she did get a hold of a loose bio ball but it is just sitting in the side yard. She has major ADHD issues and for gets it. But great Idea. I still have the bucket and the lid so i'll sell it on line.

any one have some ideas as to what a good sump set up would be once i pull the bio balls, as it is right now I have 2 2" lines dumping on to a 12x24 acrlyic plate that has tons of holes so the water has a rain effect as it falls on to the bio balls. then I have a crate on the bottom to keep the flow and my skimmer in the 3rd chamber. so where do I go from here.

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/12/2007, 05:54 PM

ok so I'll pull the big sponge filter and just let if flow into the sump and only go through a sock and clean it 2-3 times a week. Could i keep the ehiem bio media in the over flow so i dont hear the water flow, as you can guess 300 gallons every 20 min droping 3 feet makes some noise

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/16/2007, 03:18 PM

any ideas on the question of if i should keep the bio media

oct2274 · 09/16/2007, 04:14 PM

basically you don't want anything that will trap detrius and cause nitrate problems down the line. I wouldn't put anything in the overflow. Show us how your over flow works and maybe we can help you make adjustments to keep it more quiet. Alot of people use to large of pumps on their returns which causes issues. Typically 3-5x is rule of thumb for your return pump, I like to go 5-7x personally. Just depends on how large your sump is.

OG SHARK BAIT · 09/17/2007, 10:57 PM

The overflow is 4x4x36 and as of right now has a 3 inch in diamiter by 24 inches high very thick foam prefilter pad. I was going to put only that in their but I had 3 canisters full of good fluval and ehiem media, and the Lfs said the more the better and I have never had any issues inthe past with what I have kept. So the overflow is 80% full and I have kent carbon, in large socks and that is the first thing the water hits, and it runs down in to the sump and the 2" line then t's off in to two more 2" lines that dumps into two individual pre filters and down into 40 gallons of kent bio balls, some where in the ball park of 2000 sq inches of media space as you can see I have a large amount of bio media, and I dread the day I have to TRY and remove it. But if I am going to get spikes, and so far I have not had any as I have good housekeeping I will make the change. As I may have said before This was a Shark Tank And water changes along with that much media was the only way. The refuge, slash berlin and sand and rock only is not strong enough for the mess the shark put out.

But diffrent tank diffrent set up. So how would you all do it for a reef and should I keep the one large foam pre filter in the overflow and clean it 2-3 times a week, or mod the over flow make it so i can put a sock in it and run phos guard and kent carbon and clean 2-3 times a week?? Or empty???

09/12/2007, 01:19 AM	#1
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	100MICRON FILTER SOCKS AND OTHER BIO. tO MUCH, OR A BAD COMBO??? Here is the question. It was sparked by another member who could not decide to use a 200 micron sock, or if it took out the good stuff. I want to know if I should make changes in my system. It is a 330g with sump with single side over flow. In the corner over flow I took all the media from my old 150, ehiem media, and fluval media the good stuff. I have a 3 foot hard foam pre filter and i dumped all the fluval and ehiem media over it. Looking back not a great idea, I can not get it out and if i tried it would be a long task. then it flows in to the sump and hits a 100 micron pre filter that gets swaped every 3-4 days, and flows through 6 cubic feet of kent bio balls and reef rubble. it is then skimmed by my trusty aqua c and sent back to the tank by the little giant at 1000gph. if I plan to reef out this tank, and i am as it was prior a shark tank what changes will help, and I am not going to do a fuge I have over 300lbs of live rock and sand with a 4" bed. please dont just read this and walk away. I am a avid shark keeper but after years of hard work would like to enjoy the peace of a calm reef with out having to fly 1/2 way round the world....... thanks

09/12/2007, 03:37 PM	#4
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	Well, the bio-balls and foam pad would concern me. They are going to trap a lot of debris that's going to decompose in your system and cause nitrate levels to be undesirably high. Filter socks work great for water clarity but they do need to be removed and washed fairly frequently, it's a decision that's dependant on your reliablity with keep ing them clean IMHO. If it was me, I would do a new refugium with a DEEP sand bed (at least 10") and at least a couple of square feet of chaeto for pods and additional biological filtration. With the existing live rock in your tank and a good skimmer that's all that you're going to need. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

09/12/2007, 02:08 PM	#2
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	20 looks and no reply. Am i to assume that this is fine and just stick with it?? thanks

09/12/2007, 02:27 PM	#3
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	filter socks are fine as long as you do actually swap them out ever 3-4 days. i would definitely get rid of the bioballs and "3 foot hard foam pre filter" as they are only going to add to your nitrate levels = not good for reef tanks. I would just add more live rock rubble.

09/12/2007, 04:54 PM	#5
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	Thank you. I will start the process of removing the media, I hope this will not cause a re cycle of the tank. I may however keep the large foam pre filter as it was super expensive. The bio balls were also a lot of cash. Thanks

09/12/2007, 05:00 PM	#6
OliverM3 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: PA Posts: 616	If you have a small dog the bio balls make great toys I have a mini pin and Italian greyhound and my old bio balls work great. I have a small trash bag full of bio balls that will probably last them forever. I wouldn't try it with a large dog though

09/12/2007, 05:21 PM	#7
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	the sponge prefilter will probably be a pain in your *$$ down the road unless you clean it a couple times a week. It will be a massive source of nitrates.

09/12/2007, 05:50 PM	#8
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	I have a jack but she likes to rip apart stuffed animals and eat the eyes, she did get a hold of a loose bio ball but it is just sitting in the side yard. She has major ADHD issues and for gets it. But great Idea. I still have the bucket and the lid so i'll sell it on line. any one have some ideas as to what a good sump set up would be once i pull the bio balls, as it is right now I have 2 2" lines dumping on to a 12x24 acrlyic plate that has tons of holes so the water has a rain effect as it falls on to the bio balls. then I have a crate on the bottom to keep the flow and my skimmer in the 3rd chamber. so where do I go from here.

09/12/2007, 05:54 PM	#9
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	ok so I'll pull the big sponge filter and just let if flow into the sump and only go through a sock and clean it 2-3 times a week. Could i keep the ehiem bio media in the over flow so i dont hear the water flow, as you can guess 300 gallons every 20 min droping 3 feet makes some noise

09/16/2007, 03:18 PM	#10
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	any ideas on the question of if i should keep the bio media

09/16/2007, 04:14 PM	#11
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	basically you don't want anything that will trap detrius and cause nitrate problems down the line. I wouldn't put anything in the overflow. Show us how your over flow works and maybe we can help you make adjustments to keep it more quiet. Alot of people use to large of pumps on their returns which causes issues. Typically 3-5x is rule of thumb for your return pump, I like to go 5-7x personally. Just depends on how large your sump is.

09/17/2007, 10:57 PM	#12
OG SHARK BAIT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 23	The overflow is 4x4x36 and as of right now has a 3 inch in diamiter by 24 inches high very thick foam prefilter pad. I was going to put only that in their but I had 3 canisters full of good fluval and ehiem media, and the Lfs said the more the better and I have never had any issues inthe past with what I have kept. So the overflow is 80% full and I have kent carbon, in large socks and that is the first thing the water hits, and it runs down in to the sump and the 2" line then t's off in to two more 2" lines that dumps into two individual pre filters and down into 40 gallons of kent bio balls, some where in the ball park of 2000 sq inches of media space as you can see I have a large amount of bio media, and I dread the day I have to TRY and remove it. But if I am going to get spikes, and so far I have not had any as I have good housekeeping I will make the change. As I may have said before This was a Shark Tank And water changes along with that much media was the only way. The refuge, slash berlin and sand and rock only is not strong enough for the mess the shark put out. But diffrent tank diffrent set up. So how would you all do it for a reef and should I keep the one large foam pre filter in the overflow and clean it 2-3 times a week, or mod the over flow make it so i can put a sock in it and run phos guard and kent carbon and clean 2-3 times a week?? Or empty???