DSB size

[onehawksfan]

I was thinking about adding a 8" DSB in my sump. How big does it need to be to be worth while? Would a 1' x 1.5' space be too small?

A side question: What would be positive/negative of having your protein skimmer in the return chamber of your sump assuming that the return chamber is plenty big. Bubbles?

Thanks

 

[MikeS]

surface area of the DSB is as important as depth in many cases becasue of diffusion issues. Having said that, I know that smaller footprint DSB's (like the DSB in a bucket, for example) will provide nitrate reduction. I'd say you don't need 8", with that small of a surface area I'd opt for a more shallow one, like 5-6 inches max.

MikeS

 

[onehawksfan]

Thanks MikeS! Yeah, 6" might be better. Would growing a little Chaeto on top lessen it's nitrate reducing potential? What about lighting for a DSB? I was thinking about 130W CF. Suggestions and comments appreciated!

 

[ecobalance]

flow

make sure to not reley on your return pump for circulation in the main tank deep sand in the sump requires caculating sump volume per hour and not tank volume.up your circulation in display with power heads the more the merryer

 

[gman0526]

onehawksfan, as long as the chaeto won't become a detritus trap it will be fine to add on top of the DSB.

 

[onehawksfan]

Any suggestions about the flow rate for a DSB? Ecobalance, is there a calculator for this? As for flow in the main tank, I will also be using a closed loop so my total flow for my 50g tank will be around 1,000 gph.