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Thread: Sumped tanks

  1. #16
    Registered Member 14Discus's Avatar
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    Bill G.

    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    Since ChrisHibs mentioned the quest for any advice, I’ll toss out a pic of my resin bed. It’s four TopFin 4x12 media bags stacked as pillows four high in the sump. I fill them w Cobalt Total Nitrate resin which is reusable. Water just percolates through and the resin does the work.

    720F2975-E437-4801-9DE9-2431C23DC976.jpeg

  2. #17
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    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    I love the idea of a refugium. I always ran one on my reef tank and it always gave me better nutrient control that stuff like rowaphos or NoPox. I didn’t even realise refugium’s were used in freshwater set ups!! Thanks again for everyone’s replies. I really appreciate all of your advice!

  3. #18
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    Don Speers

    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    I am just about the same place you are. From all I have read the Apistos are usually compatible with Discus, same with Rams, which is what I plan to go with. I was hoping to add both but the overall consensus was that the apistos would not do well with the Rams, although there were some authors that had not had issues. Unfortunately with cichlids, you can always get a particularly nasty fish that doesn't play well with others. In addition to Pothos, I have seen Sweet Potatoes used (bottom 1/3 in water) and strawberry plants (added bonus: pleasant odor with blooms) used with good success. I may even try cherry tomatoes, key is choose a fast growing plant to soak up nitrates, and prune vigorously. Discus seem to be highly sensitive to Nitrates so I intend to encourage anoxic deNitrification with a mix of Seachem denitrate in a low flow plenum on the bottom of the sump, and pond matrix under the pump in the final chamber. Want the pump high in that section on the off chance that the DT outflow gets blocked. There are also home made ways to address biofiltration of nitrates, see http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...one-tried-this for a multipage discussion. Also if you try nitrates in the title search you get two pages of threads, something new to read.....had not tried that till today.

  4. #19
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    Don Speers

    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    Also I fully agree with using a UV sterilizer, and yes, with sterilization at your sump's flow rate, not just clarification. Discus come from water with very low bacterial counts due to acidic water. Bacterial doubling times in the water column vary from fast growers requiring no more than 10 minutes to fastidious species that take all of 12 hours. Water changes will inhibit that somewhat by diluting required substrate, but UV will be much more effective. I have not found compelling evidence that this will actually prevent or reduce disease, but that would be fairly hard to demonstrate. Regardless, intuitively it strikes me that markedly reducing pathogen numbers in the water column is a good thing. Also for fun looked at Ozone, but you make a mistake with that and things you like die. Also, the best way to ensure that you have eliminated the Ozone is through UV.....so under the KISS approach (works very well for me, prior Army), why add the Ozone if you need UV anyway......

  5. #20
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    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    Quote Originally Posted by dspeers View Post
    Also I fully agree with using a UV sterilizer, and yes, with sterilization at your sump's flow rate, not just clarification. Discus come from water with very low bacterial counts due to acidic water. Bacterial doubling times in the water column vary from fast growers requiring no more than 10 minutes to fastidious species that take all of 12 hours. Water changes will inhibit that somewhat by diluting required substrate, but UV will be much more effective. I have not found compelling evidence that this will actually prevent or reduce disease, but that would be fairly hard to demonstrate. Regardless, intuitively it strikes me that markedly reducing pathogen numbers in the water column is a good thing. Also for fun looked at Ozone, but you make a mistake with that and things you like die. Also, the best way to ensure that you have eliminated the Ozone is through UV.....so under the KISS approach (works very well for me, prior Army), why add the Ozone if you need UV anyway......

    Yeah all of my big protein skimmers had ozone ports so I looked into it for the reef but I didn’t feel that the reward justified the risk of using it.

    Those are some really cool ideas for refugium plants, I’ll be looking into that this evening!

  6. #21
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    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    Another thing I was going to ask was what rock is best for aquascaping a discus tank? I don’t really want any wood in the tank but I like the look of either dragon stone or wood stone, would these be suitable? Not sure if I should be starting new threads for all my questions but I don’t want to spam the forum!

  7. #22
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    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    I like to use round river rock, as the fish will occasionally get spooked and dart around, and could get injured on anything with sharp edges. I do keep it to a minimum as dirt tends to get trapped there.

  8. #23
    Moderator Team AquaticNerd's Avatar
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    Jake

    Default Re: Sumped tanks

    I currently have (false) Seiryu Stone in my tank, but have considered Dragonstone. Dragonstone can be a lot sharper and very pointy depending on the pieces, so I went with Seiryu stone.

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