# What exactly do I need ...



## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

I am still abit confused with filtration needs. I know Live rock is my biological filtration. With a protein skimmer, heaters, powerheads a need, I feel there is still a need for other method of filtration means in a SW/reef tank and that is mechanical and chemical. I've heard different opinions form several people and this confuses me to no end and don't know which is recommended. I hear canisters (I don't want), wet/dry, sump, etc ...

If the sump is the best way to go, what exactly do I need as far as equipment needed for it ? Does a sump provide me the mechanical and chemical filtration I need ? I know a 10G tank is a start but what other equipment is needed for it ? I need to rest my mind so I can sleep at night and find out what is this mechanical & chemical filtration set-up. I know I want to have beginner corals (mushrooms, polyps, zoas, etc ...). 

All I want is a simple answer for mechanical and chemical filtration method.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

what you are describing... liverock and a protien skimmer... is called the berlin method... a tried and true method... no problems there... no need for extra filtration


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

It never hurts to have mechanical filtration that you can hook up for running carbon, po4 removers and whatnot. You dont need to run it all the time though. Your sump can provide mechanical filtration depending on how its made. Some use a "sock" that prefilters the water right before entering the sump. 

A sump can be nothing more than added water for your system. A way to turn a tank of x volume into x+ sump volume. They can also be used as a refugium with some mud or sand, liverock rubble and some macro algaes. 

Either way you need a way to get the water down to the sump (overflow box or predrilled tank) and a pump to return the water. Many use PVC for the plumbing.


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

I'm still kinda confused. I understand the Berlin method. But what about the mechanical filtration in Berlin method ? Do you still need some type of mechanical filtration ? This is where I'm really am confused about. I guess what I'm trying to find out is, do I really need to have some type of mechanical or chemical filtration in a Berlin method ? If mechanical or chemical filtration can be used, what equipment do I need to have ?

Another question, besides a 10G tank, what parts do I need to get for a sump ? Please list them for me. As far as overflow boxes concerned, can you buy them for say to put them in a 46G BowFront tank ? I don't want to go the route of drilling holes on the tank. These overflow boxes, can they be done/created without drilling ?


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## Bear (Jun 8, 2006)

you can buy a HOB overflow box. For the sump you would need to some how connect the overflow box to the sump and then you would have to get a water pump so that it would pump the water back into the main tank.

where the filtration is concerned, as far as I know all you need is your LR and the skimmer. I have heard that the mechanical only gathers stuff and leaves your nitrates high.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Mechanical filtration includes your clean up crew 

Also, you could stock your sump with some pre-filters and whatnot. You can do anything you want, but its not always needed. Chemical filtration is taken care of by the protein skimmer, reactors, carbon, macroalgae, refugiums etc. its all up to your personal preference.


For the sump, youll need a tank, some baffles (dividers), some PVC pipe, an overflow box, a return pump and some water. In the sump you might want to add a refugium to allow macroalgae and pods to grow undisturbed. They do miracles for water quality.

HOB overflow boxes fit any tank. Whether it be bowfront, hex, or standard. It takes up around the same room as an HOB filter, maybe a drop more.


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## Bear (Jun 8, 2006)

how would you add a refugium to a sump?

I have not been completely sure of how this all works, every time I ask I am sent a site where some guy has made one, but could someone put up a few good detailed pictures of how to set everything up? 

idea:
how about someone makes a thread to be stickied, a clear step by step with tons of pictures (just an idea) showing exactly what a refugium and sump are, how to put them together, what pieces are needed, what sizes are needed for different sizes of tanks, etc (just an idea, but would be really cool and helpful)


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Oh yeah, That would be a great idea ! Put in stuff what component parts are needed whether it be PVC pipes/plumbing, pump, how it's connected to tank etc ... 

Is it possible to build a sump using a simple rubbermaid container ?

Are there vendors that do sell sumps tanks ? 

THANK YOU ! Now I pretty much understand a little better. 
Say harif87 - you should to come over to my house and help me set-up my sump ! LOL !!
I never actually really thought of it that my clean up crew is my mechanical filtration. Now finally the mechanical filtration part clears things up a bit for me.
I'd like to see something as Bear mentioned about how to make a refugium in a sump or a simple sump or a HOB overflow box connection to the pump with pictures or drawings step-by-step. Maybe mention what parts is needed to build/set-up different types of sumps. I think this is a great idea. 


How would the carbon of the chemical filtration work ? How often ? Is it usually necessary ? What are the risks and benefits involved with corals ? I don't want to go the direction of buying a calcium reactor due to its high cost.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Lol Ice, if you lived closer i would be there in a second, but your kind of a few hrs away lol.

A sump is just an external vat of water that is connected to the main display tank. The main point of it is to add water volume and help out with chemical stability. This is because the more water volume there is the harder it is to change factors such as temp,pH etc. Usually a refugium is put in the sump, which is just a sealed off compartment from the return pump area and the skimmer area (usually where the water enters the sump). The refugium, AKA fuge, is meant to house and isolate certain beneficial things for your tank such as marcroalgae - which abosrbs nutrients that keep nuisance microalgae from growing, it also absorbs nitrates which is harmful to corals and inverts- also houses beneficial bacteria (we all know what that does), and houses pods, things like arthropods copepods amphipods etc., which eat detritus and also serve as a food source for certain marine animals. If a fuge was not available for them then the pod populations would possibly go extinct with other pod eating animals in the aquarium. As the water passes from the skimmer compartment thorough the fuge and to the return pump back into the aquarium, the water gets filtered and the water goes back to the display tank cleaner than when it came down. 

Commercially made overflow boxes are available, but make sure to match the GPH rating with the return pump you choose. Commercially made sumps are also available but theyre expensive as hell. You could use a plastic rubbermaid container and divide it into 3 compartments (one for the "intake" where the skimmer is usually located, one for the fuge, and one for the return pump).

As far as connecting the overflow goes, all you need to do is hang it over the side of your aquarium. Youll then need to attach a piece of PVC pipe to the bulkhead which is usually 1 and a half inches on most CPR overflows, if im not mistaken, and you attach via a rubber adapter. Pretty easy. For the return pipe youll need 3/4 inch PVC pipe going from your return pump back into the display tank. I wish i had a camera to take pics but i dont at the moment. Hope this helped a little.


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## Bear (Jun 8, 2006)

actually, for me at least, that helped a great deal. If possible could you take some pics when able?


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

What ?! You're only 4 hrs away from my house ! LOLOLOL !! Hell - I'll even let you stay for dinner with my wife & kid ! LOL !!


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Lol, you pay for gas, and ill give you a weekend.


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