I tend to go overboard when I do things... my filtration for my O tank is no exception... I setup a freshwater sump with a refugium:







First chamber has spinner, filter wool, bioballs (still need more), biofloss, and then a grate down the bottom that has bags of matrix which the water has to go through.

Second chamber has a mid level divider (to slow down water and ensure circulation.) This is the freshwater refugium designed to keep nitrates at a low. It runs on a reverse photo cycle (lights on during the night), has fast growing plants and duckweed on the top (nitrate suckers!). I also have two tiny bristle nosed catfish in there to help keep any algae under control.

Third chamber is another filtration chamber with sponges and ceramic rings.

Final chamber is return.

So far is going really well - not only is it another 250 litres of water (helps stabilize things), the plants have had a noticeable effect on nitrate levels.

DAMN! i wish i could afford a setup like that!!!

Oowwhhiiiiii!
Very cool!
I suppose you leave it open?
Did some research lately on the subject cuz I didn't know refugium.
But this looks nice and gives you nice extra "Gallonage".
Do you plan to reduce your waterchanges now, compared to your previous setup?

Noddy wrote:


It does have doors on the front, so at night I close it all up (so light doesnt disturb the fish).

With waterchanges I have been monitoring mitrates very closely and (from about 2 weeks of watching) it looks like it will reduce my need for waterchanges by about 80%. Instead of weekly water changes I am going to see if I can get it to a point where I only have to do monthly.

this will be good for me, as my tank is fairly heavily stocked (although am getting a big 6' tank in the next couple of weeks...

that's pretty epic, just quietly...

Goob_Scooper wrote:

this will be good for me, as my tank is fairly heavily stocked (although am getting a big 6' tank in the next couple of weeks...[/quote]

Any plans for a refugium in the sump of the 6 footer?
(I suppose there is a sump under your new tank.)

Noddy wrote:


Any plans for a refugium in the sump of the 6 footer?
(I suppose there is a sump under your new tank.)[/quote]

With the 6 footer I am not sure whether it will be a completely new setup (with new fish) or whether I am going to sell my current tank and use the 6 ' as a replacement. If it is a replacement I will probably just use the same sump.

If it is a new setup I have been designing a new sump - very similar to the one above, however it will have 2 input spinners, and the water flow in the centre will be divided into 2 layers:

Top layer - SLOW moving water - floating plants and hydropoic setup (will use Spathlilliums as they are renowned as a nitrate sink).

The second layer would be typical refugium as pictured above, however I am thinking about incorporating a deep sand bed which is often used in marine setups - this would allow the growth of bacteria that live in oxegen deprived environments which breach down nitrates.

My ultimate aim is to also have a closed system aquaponic setup growing on the hood / behind the tank. With enough work, that sort of setup should almost remove entirely the need to do water changes (the amount of water to replace water taken out when vacumming substrate should be enough to provide nutrients in the water that are the other reason (apart from Nitrates) why you do water changes).

geeeze... u got it goin on! i hope that works out for you!

when you get it done make me a blueprint so i can duplicate your setup!

Win is impressed. no bs about it

Goob_Scooper wrote
if you need some idea, i think this will help

i just wanna grow some weed lol. wait i didnt say that... edit - you didnt read that. mentally erase it from your mind.

back in highschool i successfully ran a hydrophonics lab using the nutrient film technique, had 16 runners with 50 plants per runner, but the immersion and potted techniques are not something im familliar with.

Win wrote:

come to the Phillipines, we have plenty of that in Baguio and Mountain Province
although it is illegal, people still grows them sneakly...