Sump Filtration

[Kenya]

I was wondering what ya'll use for your sump filtration(bioballs, Live Rock, Carbon, etc..)? Trying to get an Idea what to put in my DIY sump.

[syncere]

I hear a lot of people say they prefer to use a Live sand and Live rock mixture. There seems to be a lot of negative feedback towards the bioballs.

[justahobby]

Personally, I'm a believer that LR will become a detritus trap just like bioballs, giving rise to nitrates, cyano, etc. Filter socks and floss will help though. I have 3 compartments in my sump.

1) Fuge w/ minimal LR some LS and macro and strong flow
2) Skimmer
3) Return pump

I keep media in the reactor, but used to have it in the filter sock. I usually only add the filter sock when I am cleaning my LR.

[StevenSeas]

Personally, I'm a believer that LR will become a detritus trap just like bioballs, giving rise to nitrates, cyano, etc.

Finally somebody that agrees with me, I just haven't ever said it outright. It just has less surface area but already already a bio filter is all.
But to answer Your question I have my sump split up. 2 drains from the DT one which goes through a larger pored sponge, smaller pores, polyfiber, and then skimmer. Then the other half is sponge, polyfiber, fuge w/ live sand and cheato (and some LRR, havent gotten around to removing it, plus works as a great storage space for rubble to glue frags on lol Then from there they both go out to the DT

[BA]

what do yall think about using lava rock which a lot of people use?

[Meslo]

ill spew back what I have read about lava rock but I have never used it. Some of it contains metals and toxins that can be released into the water and thats not a good thing.

[Big_Pun]

i dont like haveing sand in my fuge i keep a high flow and didnt feel like putting a bunch of baffles. i have mine bare bottom with just cheato and and other macro, on my weekly water changes i suck up all the detritus. unless its in a high flow area live rock will trap stuff.

[Bill S]

I prefer some kind of mechanical filtration, that can be removed and cleaned or replaced. Brian (Greenmako) used filter socks when he had is Reef Central TOM, and that is what I used on my tank as well.

[corkyGramma]

There is plenty dry rock available which is WAY cheaper than live and eventually will be live rock (especially if you do half live rock and half dry rock).

[sampsonndelila]

I put a filter pad and carbon occasionally to clear up the water, but I use live rock as well. Corky I did the same thing half live half dry in my sump. There is a lot in there. I also have 5? Inched of live sand. A large protein skimmer and some cheat-o. Mine is broken up into two tanks under there as well it’s about 100 gal combined.