new sump

[Bifferwine]

Red Sea sand should be good too. It's a good brand. Sand is sand, IMO.

 

[Lanzo]

but it doesn't look like sand, it looks like very small little balls(araganite).Can i use that for the dsb?
I saw this other pac of Crushed coral(2-3mm) that is mixed with araganite balls?

 

[reeffreak]

Great job on the sump,very professional looking Lanzo.

I'm not sure what they sell in SA,just check the bag and make sure its aragonite.I never seen aragonite sand that looks like little balls here in the states.

 

[Lanzo]

I got a new LFS, and he uses big peaces of crushed coral in his DSB?
And he told me that if i'm running on a budget, that playsand will also work?
Is this true or not? will it work just as good as araganite in the long run or not?

 

[Lanzo]

o.k i went to my LFS and i ended up buying 6Kg of araganite and 3Kg of fine crushed coral total price R280
Will this work for the dsb????

 

[Lanzo]

O.k how does this sound:

1 chamber: skimmer
2 chamber: ceramic stones(from old sump)
3 chamber: dsb and micro algae
4 chamber: return attached to eco aquilizer (in 4th chamber not conected to return, carbon phos ractor and uv sterilizer)

Will my ceramic stones feed my dsb?
And do i need something to work

my dsb like a snail or goby????

 

[hotimportknight]

if the stuff you got is aragonite then it should be fine, but if its like little silica balls then its not good. aragonite is more like finely crushed coral almost, very small pieces of shells and stuff in it.

 

[Lanzo]

yip, the araganite i got is mined in europe somewere,
It looks like crushed coral (sugar fine)

 

[reeffreak]

I got a new LFS, and he uses big peaces of crushed coral in his DSB?
And he told me that if i'm running on a budget, that playsand will also work?
Is this true or not? will it work just as good as araganite in the long run or not?

Play sand will not buffer like aragonite would.It could contain silicates which leads to nuisance algae problems.Crush coral will loose its ability to buffer in the long run.Using aragonite and crush corals will work,usually its always arag sand for DSB's here.

 

[reeffreak]

O.k how does this sound:

1 chamber: skimmer
2 chamber: ceramic stones(from old sump)
3 chamber: dsb and micro algae
4 chamber: return attached to eco aquilizer (in 4th chamber not conected to return, carbon phos ractor and uv sterilizer)

Will my ceramic stones feed my dsb?
And do i need something to work

my dsb like a snail or goby????

Here's what I see.......
Why even use the ceramic rings,its only a nitrate trap.There will be plenty of fish poo/waste to feed the DSB.

The UV will kill any pods returning to the display if its in the last chamber.Which is counter productive,IMO.How about the first chamber or not at all.Sorry,I'm not a fan of UV.

 

[Lanzo]

mmm my uv works alot on my algae and parasites.(i'll take it to my 1st chamber)
I'll leave the rings, wat can i use instead of it in the 2nd chamber?
If i make my dsb, what needs to be added 1st???(the araganite or crushed coral?, or must i mix the two????)

 

[reeffreak]

You can use rock rubble instead of the rings.I would only put enough rubble to keep it underwater.If its out of water than its really no better than the rings.If you use the rings in the past without issue,than continue to use them.The choice is up to you.

Finer sand usually settle to the bottom anyways.I would put the finer sand on the bottom and the larger on top.

 

[Lanzo]

can i use small pieces of live rock to fill my 2nd chamber???

 

[reeffreak]

Sure,break it up with a hammer and chisel if necessary.

 

[Lanzo]

here is how my tank looks now, my last visit to the forum was last year dec20.7

 

[Lanzo]

 

[Lanzo]

 

[Lanzo]

 

[Lanzo]

 

[Lanzo]

this is when i had cyano