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Media for Frag Tank Sump

Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Howdy,

I am deciding what to do for filtration / media for my frag tank.

I will have ~10 pounds of rock in my DT. I will put none in the sump. I can't decide if I want filter socks / filter floss media cup, or just bio spheres. Thoughts?

My middle chamber will be a refugium and I will hold off on a protein skimmer for as long as I can... potentially forever.
 
Sponge

Sponge

I think it depends on YOUR maintenance schedule and how faithful you are with it. I think cups with floss is ideal if you can take 30 seconds every day to pull it out and replace it. I use socks but I dislike that although they do a reasonable job when I rinse them out it seems like I can spend 20 minute rubbing and squeezing and I can’t stop getting a little bit of stained water out. Throwing out the floss would just get rid of it. Also if you have ever used socks to hold carbon or GFO. Because of the nature of the sock it’s just easier for the water to flow out the top side of the sock instead of the media. but with cups the holes are in the bottom so all water must flow thru it.
 
Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Sponge said:
I think it depends on YOUR maintenance schedule and how faithful you are with it. I think cups with floss is ideal if you can take 30 seconds every day to pull it out and replace it. I use socks but I dislike that although they do a reasonable job when I rinse them out it seems like I can spend 20 minute rubbing and squeezing and I can’t stop getting a little bit of stained water out. Throwing out the floss would just get rid of it. Also if you have ever used socks to hold carbon or GFO. Because of the nature of the sock it’s just easier for the water to flow out the top side of the sock instead of the media. but with cups the holes are in the bottom so all water must flow thru it.
Click to expand...
I love how cheap floss is and how quick and effortless it is to replace it. On my 30 AIO I replace it once a week and don't even bother to rinse it; right into the garbage. I think one filter cup of floss and marine pure spheres is gonna be the move.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Hallowhead said:
I love how cheap floss is and how quick and effortless it is to replace it. On my 30 AIO I replace it once a week and don't even bother to rinse it; right into the garbage. I think one filter cup of floss and marine pure spheres is gonna be the move.
Click to expand...
I agree. I am definitely switching to floss. Where do you buy floss
 
Sponge

Sponge

Hallowhead said:
Did you scoop some up??
Click to expand...
Yes but went to marine depot and BRS and neither had the loose poly fiber. They only had the sheets I like the loose stuff because it’s way easier to use in cups and stuff. Plus it is cheaper. I did a little research and it’s all polyester. So I went on amazon and picked up a huge bag of doll and pillow stuffing. You just have to make sure it is 100 percent polyester. With no anti mold agents. Almost all are because polyester doesn’t breakdown or mold to easy anyway. Picked up like 10 pounds for less then 3 bucks a pound. Will last me a real long time.
 
Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Sponge said:
Yes but went to marine depot and BRS and neither had the loose poly fiber. They only had the sheets I like the loose stuff because it’s way easier to use in cups and stuff. Plus it is cheaper. I did a little research and it’s all polyester. So I went on amazon and picked up a huge bag of doll and pillow stuffing. You just have to make sure it is 100 percent polyester. With no anti mold agents. Almost all are because polyester doesn’t breakdown or mold to easy anyway. Picked up like 10 pounds for less then 3 bucks a pound. Will last me a real long time.
Click to expand...

Yeah I realized that the sheets probably won't be super easy to shove down the cup. Unless I cut circles and stacked one or two.

Do you have a link to what you purchased?
 
Sponge

Sponge

Hallowhead said:
Yeah I realized that the sheets probably won't be super easy to shove down the cup. Unless I cut circles and stacked one or two.

Do you have a link to what you purchased?
Click to expand...
Definitely easier with the loose stuff Are you going to the meeting at marks this Saturday
 
Trio91

Trio91

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
Hallowhead said:
I'll be in the market for a filter cup!!

I just need to figure out a good packing method
Click to expand...
If you're going DIY and on the cheap, you get one of these at a restaurant supply store for under $5, I've seen em closer to a $1 in some places. They are flatware organizers for dish machines.
shopping (1).jpeg
 
David@wegetkraken

David@wegetkraken

Area Local Reef Club
Sponge said:
I think it depends on YOUR maintenance schedule and how faithful you are with it. I think cups with floss is ideal if you can take 30 seconds every day to pull it out and replace it. I use socks but I dislike that although they do a reasonable job when I rinse them out it seems like I can spend 20 minute rubbing and squeezing and I can’t stop getting a little bit of stained water out. Throwing out the floss would just get rid of it. Also if you have ever used socks to hold carbon or GFO. Because of the nature of the sock it’s just easier for the water to flow out the top side of the sock instead of the media. but with cups the holes are in the bottom so all water must flow thru it.
Click to expand...
On the socks (and with an agreeable significant other...lol), if you put them in your washing machine with a capful of bleach and do an extra rinse they come out wonderful. I change mine every 3-4 days and this is how I clean them.
 
David@wegetkraken

David@wegetkraken

Area Local Reef Club
My only concern with the media in cups approach would be flow rate and is the chosen media being given enough time to do what it is supposed to do. Unlike a physical filter media (carbon, gfo, etc...) is reacting on a chemical level and bonding with whatever you are trying to extract. Most reactors only recommend a max flow rate of about 300 gph for this reason. If you're running the typical 5-10x flow rate through your sump then you're at 2-3X that for a 100 gallon system for instance. That may be limiting the effectiveness of your media. Just food for thought. Many do it, but that has always been my concern with the approach. Not saying there aren't examples of where it helps and it is cost effective.
 
Sponge

Sponge

David@wegetkraken said:
My only concern with the media in cups approach would be flow rate and is the chosen media being given enough time to do what it is supposed to do. Unlike a physical filter media (carbon, gfo, etc...) is reacting on a chemical level and bonding with whatever you are trying to extract. Most reactors only recommend a max flow rate of about 300 gph for this reason. If you're running the typical 5-10x flow rate through your sump then you're at 2-3X that for a 100 gallon system for instance. That may be limiting the effectiveness of your media. Just food for thought. Many do it, but that has always been my concern with the approach. Not saying there aren't examples of where it helps and it is cost effective.
Click to expand...
All true and a great point. In my case. I have three filter cups. So flow is one third thru each. And I plumbed a bypass on the return line from the sump in the basement to the sump under the tank. This allows me to infinitely adjust how much return water enters the main display and subsequently the water flow thru the cups.
 
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