Biological filtration on frag tank

[jead85]

I am in the process of setting up a 40 breeder as a frag tank with a tel 6 bulb t5ho fixture. I would perfer to not have Any rock in the display. What do you guys/gals think the most effective method of bio filtration would be. Biggest sump would be a 20L including some sort of skimmer.
Biopellets?
Refugium?
Cheto?
Live rock in sump?

 

[cr500_af]

Live rock in sump. Chaeto does nada for biofiltration. It consumes nutrients, but you need to house denitrifying bacteria.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

cr500_af;660445 wrote: Live rock in sump. Chaeto does nada for biofiltration. It consumes nutrients, but you need to house denitrifying bacteria.

It will consume ammonia too, but won't fix it to nitrite.

 

[cr500_af]

jmaneyapanda;660528 wrote: It will consume ammonia too, but won't fix it to nitrite.

Very interesting to know. I had no clue it consumed ammonia.

 

[jennm]

Seachem Matrix in the sump.

1 liter of Matrix replaces 10 gallons of bioballs and also provides the anaerobic area for denitrification.

More efficient, more complete.

Jenn

 

[falos]

i use brightwell katalist/neozeo in my tank at 2x the recomded amount im able to dose 3ml amino acids and 4ml trace per hr with nitrate under 5ppm. frag tank is 30g long and 30g long sump small skimmer and no fish

 

[texhorns98]

Out of curiosity, why a skimmer on a frag system?

 

[jef4y]

JennM;660602 wrote: Seachem Matrix in the sump.

Exactly what I was thinking. You can't get easier & cleaner than this.

If you wanted to use liverock to have some cured for another tank or another use, fine, go that route. But if it's just for the frag tank and never anything else I'd use Matrix.

Edit: I'm thinking if I were doing this I'd also probably take the Matrix and poke/drill a ton of small holes in the matrix container itself and use the media in that to keep it in one place. You don't need it spread out and you don't need a TON of flow through it. Just gotta get some water flow through it. That would keep it contained, neat & clean.

 

[rbredding]

JeF4y;661059 wrote: Edit: I'm thinking if I were doing this I'd also probably take the Matrix and poke/drill a ton of small holes in the matrix container itself and use the media in that to keep it in one place. You don't need it spread out and you don't need a TON of flow through it. Just gotta get some water flow through it. That would keep it contained, neat & clean.

I've seen people fill their bubble trap with it.. (two birds/one stone)


I think the POND matrix is larger than the regular matrix.. (makes it easier to vacuum if you're not running filter socks) if food/etc gets stuck in there.. you're defeating the purpose..

 

[jef4y]

Rbredding;661067 wrote: I think the POND matrix is larger than the regular matrix.. (makes it easier to vacuum if you're not running filter socks) if food/etc gets stuck in there.. you're defeating the purpose..

Pull it & rinse it once a month to get the crap out of it. There's enough surface area that you won't kill too much of the bacteria.