Direction for Sump ?

[firsttime]

I have a 60g tank. I am in the process of changing sumps. I am moving from a 15g sump to a 30 g sump.

The tank has medium bio load with a skimmer rated for 180 gallons.

My current sump has sand and rocks

In the new sump I wanted to go with just Rocks .

What do you guys think?

 

[Troylee]

Sounds about right... Maybe throw some macro in the mix and you would be rolling... I personally just use mine to house equipment it has no filtration what so ever besides the skimmer...lol

 

[firsttime]

Sounds about right... Maybe throw some macro in the mix and you would be rolling... I personally just use mine to house equipment it has no filtration what so ever besides the skimmer...lol

Yup I should have mentioned the macro algae. I will transfer the grape calupra that I currently have. And might add some more variety to it as well..

Anybody else have any suggestions?? I am also thinking of putting a powerhead in the sump to keep the detritus in the water column.

 

[Troylee]

I'm sorta mixed on that idea... I would rather have the detrius easily availible for my disposal than scattered through out the tank...I know the skimmer picks it up but some gets trapped in rock work and on the sand bed... I know sonnyx talks about it but I feel duferently about it... Just my opinion...

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I don't like the power head in the sump Idea as the detris will settle in the lowest flow spot the tank IMOunless it is easier to clean it up in the dt then go for it.

 

[ReeferBen]

A powerhead in the sump is great if the flow in the DT is enough to keep it suspended as well. For me my sump is hard to clean and I would have an easier time getting it in the DT anyhow. I generally dont mix fuges and sump, when I think sump I think a tank for just the skimmer, heater, chiller inputs, etc. I would want that clean and perfer it with no LR, LS, or any thing like sponges that collect detritus. If I want a fuge, I make a separate one with chaetomorpha, maybe sand, and thats it. Pods and such seem to breed fine in the chaeto ball and no need to worry about regular macros going sexual. Keeping it separate from the main sump allow you to take it off line much easier if needed. I don't use any fuge any more though.

 

[reefsUP]

do live rock then algae with reverse lighting it keeps my nitrite/nitrates in the bottom and i have a good amount of bio load thanks to all the fish i like

 

[Troylee]

Pretty good advice reeferben...
my sump Is barebottom and 75 gallons it houses a reactor and a skimmer so I have plenty of room and cleaning is a piece of cake!!!!
I also don't run a fuge since, vodka dosing is all I need.... Honsetly I never was able to run a fuge, for the simple fact my macro never grew.... I strive to keep a lns. And always will..... Chateo is one thing down there but when people add sandbeds it becomes problematic than anything.... Surface area is key to a succesfull remote sand bed and for the most part people use small sumps that can not really do anything beneficial.... I'm a firm believer in big sumps at least 50% of the display it just makes for a all around healther system...