Sump Questions

[aborrero4u]

Hey,

So I currently have a SWC 150 Skimmer in my first chamberr along with a bubble trap in my 2 chamber and a mag 7 in my 3rd chamber of my 10 gallon sump in my 46 bow front. Its 3 baffles in total. Its really tight in there and I plan on getting some man grove plants and chaeto really soon, along with a filter sock.I brought a BRS media reactor but don't know if I need it.I have not installed it yet.I have never seen my tank so pristine. Do I really need to have the reactor as long as my water parameters are in good condition? Any suggestions? And no I cant fit a bigger sump underneath, trying to work with what I got. I am getting decent skimmate enough where I am satisfied. You know how they say, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" well what do you think?

My tank is stocked with:

70 Lbs of live rock
6 Fish, YELLOW TANG, 2 CLOWNFISH, 1 CHROMIS, 1 Wrasse, Hippon Tang
Some red mushrooms that are doing really well and some palys that are also doing well.Had torch corals and frogspawn that were thriving as well.

PLAN ON BUYING MORE COLONY'S OF POLYS AND SOFTIES AND MAYBE LPS DOWN THE ROAD.Thanks in advance....

 

[KathyC]

With a Yellow & a Hippo Tang in a 46G (incoming tang police alert..) yeah, you should add the reactor.

The reactor can hang on the outside of the sump and you only need to make room for the pump to supply it, so it will take up very little space and will do far more toward the quality of your water than the mangroves will. I'm not saying don't add the mangroves, but IMO the reactor is definitely a more important addition.

Over time the quality of your water will deterioriate due to the phosphates that are in most of the food we feed. Flake & pellet food contains phosphates as well as gel foods and also include all of the yuckies you get when you don't rinse any of the meaty foods like mysis long enough.
Your rock & sand will absorb the phospates and the reactor will be very helpful in cleaning those out of your water.

While it may not be broken yet - and especially with your bioload...it will be down the road. Now is the time to get on top of it

 

[rkaragozler]

+1

 

[aborrero4u]

Thanks Kat. didn't take that into consideration. Don't mind the brownish look in the sump. I was messing with the reactor and didnt have the filter sponge so for a day I had a brown tank filled with gfo sppewing from my reactor.Haha

 

[aborrero4u]

Anyone else have input?

 

[dherrera83]

Thats more than enough input you got... lol Check your reactor and make sure its put together correctly and also remember that the GFO needs to have a slow tumble. You might have it too high and its causing your gfo to breakdown and going directly in your water. Dont think thats good for the fish.

Maybe this may help.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store...k-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide-phosphate-remover

 

[dherrera83]

Do you have a filter sock??

 

[aborrero4u]

Thats more than enough input you got... lol Check your reactor and make sure its put together correctly and also remember that the GFO needs to have a slow tumble. You might have it too high and its causing your gfo to breakdown and going directly in your water. Don't think that's good for the fish.

Maybe this may help.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store...k-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide-phosphate-remover

Thanks buddy, thats exactly what it was, I had to much flow and it was tumbling to much. I am getting a filter sock this week..