Some thoughts on my sump

[ScorpiosWife]

Sunny, it's a date. Don't know before or after due to bikini car wash time frame, but are definitely down to come check them out since we will be down your way.

[SunnyHouTX]

Cool. I would like you to see how clean my bio balls are for only rinsing them off twice a year

[ScorpiosWife]

Woohoo! We get to see Sunny's clean balls! Bio balls. Partay! LOL

[mistahoo]

+1 to leave the sump alone. If you really want to put something in there to help with detritus, what I did was put mollies and 3 air stones.I don't feed the mollies so they end up eating everything in the sump. The air stones give surface agitation which increases oxygen exchange rate, stirs up the water, and keeps the detritus from building up.

I also had one of those turtle filters. The internal filters I think? I put a little 10g one in the sump along with the air stones and the mollies and it worked great since it pulls the water from the bottom on the sump and the water falls back into the sump for added surface agitation!

The sponge in front of the pump doesn't really do much. Even the pre-filter on a HOB overflow doesn't do much. I have both and they didn't really make a difference. The only good I see in the sponges is to keep things from clogging your filtration and added bacteria.

[mistahoo]

Also all that extra reef filtration is unneeded in freshwater. If you're baller then by all means do what you want to do. Micron sock filters are pretty much another way for filtration that replaces that filter padding you put in the drip tray and will indeed make your tank extra clear and your sump will be free of detritus. It work's in a sense of a strainer. Water and extras go in, water comes out. The only thing is, you'd need a whole 'nother sump just to run the micron socks. I've seen plenty of people use the micron sock for freshwater but that's one more hassle for me so I'd rather not

[mistahoo]

Also, what exactly does a UV Stablilizer do? What does a skimmer do? The fish in this tank are dirty fish so I have to wonder....do I need these things?

Didn't notice this bit. UV Stabilizer pretty much sterilizes your tank to prevent algae growth. A skimmer... well it skims! LOL Skimmers are used to catch biofilm and other water pollutants. They work in the sense of a drain/strainer combo. Water runs past and falls into the skimmer and is filtered and returned. I've never owned either but I've learned much about the two through engineering courses and some in-field training in city water, etc.