Remote XD Sand Bed in a bucket

[Gryphon]

Argh can't change the title, should be Remote XD

Has anyone tried one of these before? I know the basic idea is a 5gal bucket filled with sand, with a light flow of water pumped across the surface. It helps reduce nitrates and acts like a cryptic deep sand bed. I'm considering trying one, but I want to avoid putting another pump in my tank. Right now I'm thinking of using the out flow off my reactor to get the low enough flow needed for it to work.

Thoughts, suggestions, comments, etc...?

 

[user 26995]

fixed it for you.

 

[user 26995]

I would think it would work great. It should be easy to set up for those with fish rooms. or sumps in the garage.

 

[user 26995]

do you have a plan on plumbing it in? seems it would have to be before a return pump and the water would have to flow out by way of gravity.

 

[Gryphon]

I'm thinking trying to fit it inside my stand, maybe up on a small platform to elevate it high enough to gravity flow right back into the sump. I figure I'd run it inline with my reactor, so reactor out flow would go right into the bucket, then it over flows into the skimmer section of my pump. I need to find curved bulkheads next that will fit a 5 gal HD bucket, or find a square bucket to use a regular bulkhead on. I figure input through the lid, out the side should work just fine. Maybe hit the outside with some spray paint to further limit light getting inside. I will try to get a diagram up tomorrow for it.

Thanks for fixing the title as well!

 

[mfinn]

What size tank would this 5 gallon bucket sand bed be on?

I remember reading that using a deep sand bed in a small refugium had little effect on larger display systems.
That it was based on size of the area of the sand bed compared to the size of the display tank.

 

[Gryphon]

This will be going on my 90g. It is true that a deep sand bed in my sump wouldn't do much due to the sump area. However I can get a deeper sand bed in a bucket which is why I am considering it.

 

[mfinn]

This will be going on my 90g. It is true that a deep sand bed in my sump wouldn't do much due to the sump area. However I can get a deeper sand bed in a bucket which is why I am considering it.

From what I think I remember, it also has to do with total surface area of the deep sand bed.
Maybe I'm only remembering part of it.

 

[user 26995]

you are giving me ideas. I could do this on my 240 I think. not with a bucket though. I would need a larger container. hmm or I could just do a deep sandbed in my refugium. i'll have to think on doing that.
in the meantime, i'm following along.

 

[loohunter]

Mfinn is correct. I remember having this discussion with mojo years ago it's not so much the depth but the surface area.

 

[Gryphon]

So far everything I've read up on it on RC sounds like it works great. I may just try it and run a journal to log the changes I get, and with it only being sand, I don't see any potential for problems being caused by it. Also, someone on the thread mentioned a store using a 55g tank to drop nitrates in 2,000gal tank.

Here is the thread I've been slowly reading through:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109&highlight=calfo+sand+bed+bucket

 

[Gryphon]

Anyone have a spare square salt bucket they aren't using anymore?

 

[loohunter]

I don't think anyone would argue it is effective. The issue is the depth of the sand. Hypothetically let's say the anaerobic zone is from 4-6 inches deep. A typical 5 gallon bucket is 15" deep and12" across. You have a surface area of 1 square foot. For the amount of sand being used. You could increase your surface area by 2 and a half times and increase your efficiency if that makes sense

 

[mojoreef]

Remote beds like this always have a couple of things working against them. One is that it is remote and thus does not see the vast majority of detritus and waste coming from fish in the display, the second is that the surface area of a bucket as mentioned above is only a square foot at best, In order to denitrify you need the bacteria in the upper levels of the sand to nitrify in order to get the food (Nitrates) down to the bacteria below to do their reduction. So if you had only 1 square foot of that going on it wouldnt matter if the bucket really was 10 feet deep as it would simply not get the food/nitrates it needed?

Mike

 

[Gryphon]

I don't think anyone would argue it is effective. The issue is the depth of the sand. Hypothetically let's say the anaerobic zone is from 4-6 inches deep. A typical 5 gallon bucket is 15" deep and12" across. You have a surface area of 1 square foot. For the amount of sand being used. You could increase your surface area by 2 and a half times and increase your efficiency if that makes sense

Being in an apartment space is limited. If I had the room to do a bigger container I would, but the space just isn't available at this time.

 

[tat2z_21]

So if you were to have one of your drain lines from the tank feed into a 4 ft long 8 inch deep by 6 inch wide channel, would this be efficient at removing the waste for a 180 gallon tank. Then this channel could drain right back into the sump area, with the rest of the filtration. The reason I am asking is because I have all of this extra acrylic laying around and I am rebuilding my filtration room. This could fit right in.

 

[tat2z_21]

One more question, I know that it should be painted to block light, but should it be closed. I was thinking with the added surface area it would cause a lot more evaporation?

 

[Gryphon]

Good question, that is more for a sump deep sand bed, not a remote.