csababubbles
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2007
- Messages
- 661
This thread may be quite interesting to some people while other will be really bored but if anyone can offer some input I would really love it. I am looking to optimize my sumps for my 220 display (fowlr). I'll give a brief description of the layout and then my questions on how I can improve it.
I have two drains flowing into a large 2 micron filter sock into a 40 gallon breeder. Water level is 8" and there is a skimmer in here. Water flows from this sump into a 300 gallon sump that has some live rock at the moment. Return pump is in the 300 gallon sump, and two Phosban reactors are being fed from my return line with the output flowing back into the same sump.
I have some ideas on how to make this work better but I would love your opinions on whether it will make any difference.
1) Move filter socks so that they filter the water before it goes into the 300 gallon sump instead of directly from the drain lines. This way the skimmer will get as much raw water as possible instead of being filtered first. But would this really make a difference? I change the sock literally every day or every other day. So it is not a nitrate factory since I switch so often, right? But I also hate siphoning my 40 gallon sump because of all the detritus that settles if I don't have the filter sock in place. Is it worth it to move the filter sock position to after the skimmer sump?
2) Lower or raise water level in the 40 gallon sump that houses the skimmer. The manufact. directions say between 6-10 inches no difference. But if the water level is too high then the proteins will get a chance to float to the top of never get skimmer since the pump input is near the bottom of the sump. So with a lower water level the proteins have a better chance of getting sucked into the skimmer. Am i thinking right here?
3) The drains from this 40 gallon sump are on the end of the tank via two bulkheads and elbows. Should the water leaving this skimmer sump be from near the top or the bottom of the sump? I would think lower is better because protein gather near the surface right? So I would want the cleanest water possible exiting this sump before hitting the 300 gallon sump, right?
4) Should I add sand to 300 gallon sump? How about a powerhead to keep the whole sump circulating? I have a batch of cheato I am quarantining now so that will go in the sump soon.
5) Only heater in the system is in this 300 gallon sump. Is that a good place for it? Or better to have one in display too? Temp is always 76F day or night. I know its a little low but I have limited amps left on my circuit so I really don't want to add another heater it at all possible. Is 76 fine? My other tanks all run at 80-82 but this tank is a fowlr if it makes any difference.
6) Phosban reactos get fed from return line and output is back into 300 gallon sump. Should I get a dedicated maxijet for them or is the return line feed ok? How about the output? Should I redirect to back to the 40 gallon skimmer sump? Or back to the 300 better?
7) 20mg/hr of ozone is being injected into skimmer. I smell absolutely nothing. Sump is in basement. Do I need to have carbon over air vent even if I don't smell anything and its such a low dose? Is the carbon reactor on the return line enough? Or do I need carbon filtration on the output of the skimmer pipe?
Anything you guys have to say would be most appreciated!
I have two drains flowing into a large 2 micron filter sock into a 40 gallon breeder. Water level is 8" and there is a skimmer in here. Water flows from this sump into a 300 gallon sump that has some live rock at the moment. Return pump is in the 300 gallon sump, and two Phosban reactors are being fed from my return line with the output flowing back into the same sump.
I have some ideas on how to make this work better but I would love your opinions on whether it will make any difference.
1) Move filter socks so that they filter the water before it goes into the 300 gallon sump instead of directly from the drain lines. This way the skimmer will get as much raw water as possible instead of being filtered first. But would this really make a difference? I change the sock literally every day or every other day. So it is not a nitrate factory since I switch so often, right? But I also hate siphoning my 40 gallon sump because of all the detritus that settles if I don't have the filter sock in place. Is it worth it to move the filter sock position to after the skimmer sump?
2) Lower or raise water level in the 40 gallon sump that houses the skimmer. The manufact. directions say between 6-10 inches no difference. But if the water level is too high then the proteins will get a chance to float to the top of never get skimmer since the pump input is near the bottom of the sump. So with a lower water level the proteins have a better chance of getting sucked into the skimmer. Am i thinking right here?
3) The drains from this 40 gallon sump are on the end of the tank via two bulkheads and elbows. Should the water leaving this skimmer sump be from near the top or the bottom of the sump? I would think lower is better because protein gather near the surface right? So I would want the cleanest water possible exiting this sump before hitting the 300 gallon sump, right?
4) Should I add sand to 300 gallon sump? How about a powerhead to keep the whole sump circulating? I have a batch of cheato I am quarantining now so that will go in the sump soon.
5) Only heater in the system is in this 300 gallon sump. Is that a good place for it? Or better to have one in display too? Temp is always 76F day or night. I know its a little low but I have limited amps left on my circuit so I really don't want to add another heater it at all possible. Is 76 fine? My other tanks all run at 80-82 but this tank is a fowlr if it makes any difference.
6) Phosban reactos get fed from return line and output is back into 300 gallon sump. Should I get a dedicated maxijet for them or is the return line feed ok? How about the output? Should I redirect to back to the 40 gallon skimmer sump? Or back to the 300 better?
7) 20mg/hr of ozone is being injected into skimmer. I smell absolutely nothing. Sump is in basement. Do I need to have carbon over air vent even if I don't smell anything and its such a low dose? Is the carbon reactor on the return line enough? Or do I need carbon filtration on the output of the skimmer pipe?
Anything you guys have to say would be most appreciated!
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