Media media media

[Sajacobs]

Hey guys

I have been running a AIO system but I decided I wanted to have a refugium. I couldn't fit it in the back so I stripped down one of my other tanks to make it into a sump. So now I'm looking at what media to put into the sump!

 

[Spare time]

Are you looking for biomedia, things like c!rbon or phosphate removers, or mechanical media like filter pads?


I prefer the refugium to be just the Macro so it's easier to keep clean, but I do run carbon, purigen, and matrix. I also have filter socks

 

[Sajacobs]

Are you looking for biomedia, things like c!rbon or phosphate removers, or mechanical media like filter pads?


I prefer the refugium to be just the Macro so it's easier to keep clean, but I do run carbon, purigen, and matrix.

Yeah sorry I didnt make it clear enough. I'm looking for biomedia! I run a reactor with carbon.

 

[Billdogg]

I use the "refugium" area of my 40b sump as a place to store extra pieces of live rock. That way if the need arises for a change, I have cycled rocks ready to go. An added benefit is that is seems to be a pod farm down there! Every few months I'll take the rocks out and rinse them in a bucket of tank water, siphon out the gunk on the bottom and put them back. I do the same for my FT in it's 100g stock tank sump. I could never see a reason to use anything else.

 

[Spare time]

Yeah sorry I didnt make it clear enough. I'm looking for biomedia! I run a reactor with carbon.

Ah ok. I would say something durable like seachem matrix or a sponge which you can clean with tank water during a water change. Marine pure is nice but is very delicate (I don't really buy into the aluminum thing as people in this hobby have a bad tendency to say correlation=causation when many dosing products and such may contain aluminum). I would avoid the brightwell bricks.

 

[Proteus Meep]

I have tried a few of the manufactured media's but each one has had an adverse effect in some form or other a lot of wasted money later.. I would just recomend live or dry rock now

 

[Sajacobs]

Ah ok. I would say something durable like seachem matrix or a sponge which you can clean with tank water during a water change. Marine pure is nice but is very delicate (I don't really buy into the aluminum thing as people in this hobby have a bad tendency to say correlation=causation when many dosing products and such may contain aluminum). I would avoid the brightwell bricks.

I was looking at the brightwell bricks so you saying avoid it helps me a lot. I have several fresh tanks and with those I have always used small tubes types or small rocks for media! Coming over to marine I was wondering if there was a better way!

 

[Sajacobs]

I use the "refugium" area of my 40b sump as a place to store extra pieces of live rock. That way if the need arises for a change, I have cycled rocks ready to go. An added benefit is that is seems to be a pod farm down there! Every few months I'll take the rocks out and rinse them in a bucket of tank water, siphon out the gunk on the bottom and put them back. I do the same for my FT in it's 100g stock tank sump. I could never see a reason to use anything else.

Would you put a sand bed in the refugium? Forgive me for asking what is a FT I am new to this?

 

[Sajacobs]

I have tried a few of the manufactured media's but each one has had an adverse effect in some form or other a lot of wasted money later.. I would just recomend live or dry rock now

This is why I thought I would ask you guys and then the big companies only get one persons hard earned $$/££ thank you for your honesty

 

[Billdogg]

FT = frag tank.
As for the sand bed in the refugium. Unless it is a very large fuge and a very deep - +6” - it really won’t help much with anything.

when I kept a 150dt/50sump with a 4’ moray, nitrates were uncontrollable even with weekly 75g water changes. I added a 120g fuge with 6-8” sugar fine sandbed and within a month or so nitrates went down to barely detectable. It was also home to a boatload of green palys and Kenya trees, both of whom love less than great water quality.

 

[Sajacobs]

FT = frag tank.
As for the sand bed in the refugium. Unless it is a very large fuge and a very deep - +6” - it really won’t help much with anything.

when I kept a 150dt/50sump with a 4’ moray, nitrates were uncontrollable even with weekly 75g water changes. I added a 120g fuge with 6-8” sugar fine sandbed and within a month or so nitrates went down to barely detectable. It was also home to a boatload of green palys and Kenya trees, both of whom love less than great water quality.

Ok thank you for your advice, my numbers have been steady for a couple of months! So if the sand bed is not gonna do much I will leave it out.