Alamodem Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 I was given an 80 gallon tank the other day with a sump / refugium in the cabinet below. Nearly everything is ready to set it up but im not shure what to put in the sump. Ive been reading about Kaldnes and have a very nice fellow in Vancouver that is going to be sending some out to me. From what Ive read, Kaldnes is nearly all I would ever need. Is there anyone out there with more experience on the topic? Ive got one of those closed up corner units in the main tank with the holes drilled through the bottom of the tank. There are some glass shelves in that peice and am wondering if Bio Balls would be good to put into there as well? Any more hints and tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cullymoto Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 In the tank you should place some sponges, floss or some other kind of item (Mechanical filtration) that will stop larger solids from entering your sump. bio balls and kaldness are basically the same thing in my understanding, and will not keep solids from entering (and accumulating) your sump. The sump is where you put the air pump system, the heater, and the return pump, This keeps the tank nice and clean looking. Happy fish keeping friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Znaika Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 From what Ive read, Kaldnes is nearly all I would ever need. David I think this is a big stretch, to put it mildly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamodem Posted December 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 Hello and thanks for the reply to my topic. Ive read alot and watched entirely to many You tubes on Kaldnes. haha Kaldness is a very porous an neutral buoyant medium that us used to grow/spawn good bacteria in sumps. All the You tubes I've seen has the Kaldnes in the last section of the sump. The idea is that there is so much surface area that the good bacteria spawns on the inside surface and as it grows (like a tree) the older layers get pushed to the outside surface and eventually sluff off as harmless waste. I've seen whole sumps just filled with Kaldnes. Others I've seen the first section with a sock on the down spout.(which i think is overboard for the first part.. I was thinking in that corner part of my 80 gallon tank (its boxed in so no one can see as the water goes through a baffle from the rest of the tank. there are 2 shelves in it where I was thinking bio balls to act as a wet/dry section of the tank. Would sponges be best say in the first section of the sump? There are 4 sections with the last being the biggest, where I would put the kaldnes. maybe the water heater. Does one also put the air stone there instead of the tank? I was planning on doing both. Also with the kaldnes I am not totally sure but I believe it was advisable to have a light source to enhance the growth of the good bacteria on the product. What are your thoughts on undergravel filters? Dang back in the day they kept my tanks so stable it was amazing actually. but they were home made back then too. hehe Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaykit Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 The idea behind a sump is that it is a larger version of a canister filter and you want to set it up in the same manner. 1. You need mechanical filters (sponge, sock, etc.) to remove the heavy particles first. So yes, a sock on the inflow to your sump is a very good idea. 2. Then you are going to want your bio and chemical filters (kaldnes, bioballs, carbon, etc.) to reduce the amonia, nitrite, etc. 3. In regards to your air-stone question, you can put all of your equipment in it so that your display tank is free of cords, heaters, airstones, etc. 4. And after its gone through all of that, then it will go through your return pump and back into your display tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 If you don't plan on putting any livestock on your sump, you'll want the pump in the largest area b/c the pump chamber is where evaporation will be realised. My sump feeds 5 tanks and an aquaponics system, and I've taken out all baffles; I just have a 2" thick piece of coarse foam protecting the fish and crud from going into the pump. I lose about 25gal per week to evaporation/transpiration - if I had any baffles at all, I'd probably have to top off the pump chamber every day. I would have a sock or poly in the first chamber to catch all mechanical waiste, then fill the 2nd chamber with as much biomedia as you can. The final chamber can hold your heater (submersible is the best for a sump) and airstone (if you want - I do) with your return pump. If your bio chamber has any space under it, place the airstone under it so the air goes up thru your biomedia. AFIK, nitrifying bacteria prefer the dark, which is why most canister filters are solid. You could add some light if you wanted to add some plants to help remove the nitrate produced by the bacteria. A pothos or ivy with just its roots in the water will work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamodem Posted December 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 Ahh.. wow. You peps are excelent. Thank you.. All clear on most of it. Last clarification ... only reason I would need a light would be if I had plants in the sump I am guessing. Not sure how to introduce plants. But think all the filteribg will bw good. Oh yes, in one compartment I am planning on reserving for bags of charcoal, amo chips and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 To introduce plants, just take a cutting of ivy or pothos, or some other house plant and just put the stem and/or roots (no leaves) in the water or wet/dry section of your sump. They will develop roots and will start to suck up nitrates. My aquaponics system has 0 nitrates on an ongoing basis - I either need to fertilise it or feed A LOT more! For adding chemical filtration, you can just throw a bag in your pump chamber if you want to fill the whole sump with biofiltration. That's the beauty of sumps - they're so versatile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamodem Posted December 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 Ok got the info you told me about the sump.. I have most of it set up. I have a corner of the tank is an encloser that overflows into it. I have the first shelf with Some course mesh I got from the local pet store, Below where I would prefer bio balls I have bought sponges rinced them out and cut them in cubes and they are below the filter acting as a wet/dry filter. The first part of the sump I have nothing but the water coming in. I have egg crate where I can put a protection grid at the bottom of each section of the sump. I have Kaldnes coming from Vancouver later this week. The kaldnes will go into the big chamger with the pump.. Still leaves me with 3 sections of the sump empty. haha will fivure out Im thinking biomedia such as those porcelian peices of tube, what ever they are called. and maybe those little brown balls I found in the ehiem filter I was given.. ive tried several materials for socks on the input side of the sump with no avail. Tried several types of batting sewen into a sock. The sock so far just forces off or gets destroyed. I checked the local fish store and they dont even know what a sump is... Hmmm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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