[stephaniesquires]

Here is an article originally posted by Dale (Nativevaman) that discusses the ongoing debate between bio-balls and LR filtration https://www.marineland.com/seascope/ss2003_issue2.pdf Here is a thread that discusses the same debate http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/e...ck-rubble.html This might help or confuse you even further!!! Personally (and I have little experience) I think there is enough maintenance with these tanks and I dont want to have to clean anything else so I (will) have LR in my sump and refugium and overflow and tank.....

[kgh9555]

Thank you. Maybe you can help me with some of the lingo used in this hoppy. I know what a sump is but I do not understand what a refugium is. I have an overflow tank so I beleive I understand that.

I also have not heard anything on what type of skimmer to use in the sump. I can only place it in the return water side. Do I need one sized for a 150 gallon tank or can I u se a smaller one since it will be going into the sump?

Thanks

Ken

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by kgh9555

Thank you. Maybe you can help me with some of the lingo used in this hoppy. I know what a sump is but I do not understand what a refugium is. I have an overflow tank so I beleive I understand that.
I also have not heard anything on what type of skimmer to use in the sump. I can only place it in the return water side. Do I need one sized for a 150 gallon tank or can I u se a smaller one since it will be going into the sump?
Thanks
Ken

A refugium or fuge has several uses. I think of it as a "pantry" where copepods and amphipods etc... can breed and then flow into the tank as food for fish. It also serves as a place to grow beneficial algae and plants that will either serve as food for the dt (display tank) or help clean out nitrates. Like dt's there are different set ups, some people use a true deep sand bed, some use mud etc... In my set-up (soon to be finished) my overflow splits into the sump and some into the fuge. The fuge then flows (slowly) into the sump (after it's been skimmed) to return to the tank.
Your skimmer should be rated to handle more than your total water volume - tank and sump volume. While it may sit in your sump, it is skimming (cleaning) the water from the tank (which overflow's into the sump) and then gets returned to the tank.
It's a whole new language - just wait till you tackle water chemistry!!

[thelastmucci]

Steph real good explanation. Glad to see your getting along just fine and dandy.

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by thelastmucci

Steph real good explanation. Glad to see your getting along just fine and dandy.

I remember when everything was foreign, now I've graduated to almost everything is still foreign!!! If I can explain it, then I know I actually understand it... And besides - I have you guys to let me know if I'm wrong!!

[wigo]

I have done business with Welcome to International Marine Fish - Premium Live Rock
They are very good. I even called the guy and asked for more shelf rock than base rock and I got great stuff. It had to wait in atlanta for a day so it got a little messy but it was still alive. It was how I cured my 90 gallon tank. I let the rock cycle with the tank cycle. It was very cool.
I bought around 100 lbs. He does deals all the time. Father & son outfit.
Great looking rock too.

[gcline87]

All that you have to do is remove the bioballs and replace them with live rock in the exact same location that the bioballs were previously in. You can use what ever size live rock that fits inside of that section of the sump, but I would recommend using smaller pieces that resemble bioballs because you will have more water flow and be able to fit in more live rock.
Here is a link to a diagram of what I am talking about. The picture uses the word "filter media," just place the live rock there.
http://w3page.com/fishline/gif/sump.gif

[ChocolateChipStar]

While we're talking about dead rock....

Can you buy small amounts of dead rock and add as necessary without having to recycle the tank as you would if you were adding uncured or partially cured live rock?

I have all the live rock I want for the moment, but I'm sure I'll be adding in the future, and I don't have a seperate place to set aside additional live rock while it's curing.

[wigo]

You can add dead rock sure but be sure it is dead. One way is to bath it in a vinegar solution to get all the dead crap out. Some of the dead rock I have seen can still cause damamge.
If you are unsure add small amounts. My sump is full of rock and I keep hermits in the rock as well to keep the sump clean. It works very well. Most of the rock I started with in the sump was dead.
I do not put the rock in as described earlier. I put it in an open area in the sump and have created a sort of fuge area. My sump has 3 sections and is 6 ft long but that is what I do.

[gcline87]

You can add dead rock to a running system. However, you are going to want to monitor your water chemistry more closely and do a few more water changes than you would normally do. This will allow you to cure the rock in an existing system. I would not add too many rocks at once because there can be a build up of quite a few ammonia compounds in the water. I have added uncured rock to my system before and it has worked out fine for me. I have never done this, but as an alternitive option you can allow the rock to cure in a bucket with a running power head. Again, not a requirement so long as you monitor you water chemistry. Good luck and have fun with your boys!!!