Silvia-15 Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 setting up my big tank, running a full siphon overflow into wet try trickle tower sump... currently using a bin full of pumice and filter wool. but was reading up on internet and appears pumice isnt that good, what are your experiences? and what other suggestions are there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 I use pumice in a few filters whats supposed to be wrong with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia-15 Posted April 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Sponges and Foams Japanese Mats: Surface area/cu.ft.:120 Upsides: A fairly easily obtained and inexpensive material suitable for both bio-media as well as a pre-filter media.Often available in bulk. Downsides:on the low side as far as surface area, compresses somewhat over time. Overall: Excellent choice for bio-media in a sump with no lack of space.I had mine stacked about 12" high and the compressed somewhat over about a years time...perhaps flipping them occasionally can prevent this. Filter Sponges/Foams Surface area/cu.ft.: roughly 75-175 depending on porousness Upsides: An excellent all around choice of media in most applications.Technically you could run sponges or foam of varying porousness in your entire sump.Holds up well under "Rinse and re-use" conditions. Downsides: Clogs.not the highest in terms of surface area.If you have a rather large bio-load or somewhat of a lack of space you may want to look into media with a higher surface area.Rather pricey if needed in large quantity as well, IMHO Overall:A good pre-filter or bio-media however frequent rinsing will be needed if you are using this as your primary source of mechanical filtration Natural Sponge Surface area/cu.ft.:100 Upsides:Rather inexpensive.descent micro-polisher. Downsides:Clogs easy.Not as porous as one would think,so water doesn't flow well through the center....although giving them a few good pokes with a kitchen knife works wonders.I am told they break down over time,although I have seen them successfully used in a sump for around 8 months. Overall:Not the best choice for either mechanical or biological but can be used until a better media is obtained. Plastic and Nylon Scrubbies/Strippers/Scourers Pot Scrubbies Surface area/cu.ft.:370 Upsides: Whats not to love?Fairly high surface area, clog resistance and an easily stackable shape make these an all time favorite for experienced aquarists everywhere.Not to mention they are cheap as hell. Downsides:If your bio-load is huge yet your sump is less than massive, you will still most likely eventually find yourself looking to add some media with a higher surface area. Overall:Best bang for your buck as far as bio-media Scour Pad Surface area/cu.ft.:150-200 Upsides:Excellent flow rate through media, among the best stacking medias in the "Guide" allow for maximum media coverage in tight spaces.Good as a "filler" media tucked here and there to fill in empty spaces in the sump. Downsides:Once again with a massive bio-load or very little space to work with you may find yourself wanting a smaller media with a higher surface area. Overall:Much the same as pot scubbies with some surface area sacrificed for far greater stackability. Floor Buffer Stripping Pads Surface area/cu.ft.:175-225 Upside:Good flow rate,stackable,fair surface area. Downsides:Same as scourers. Overall: Much the same as the scourers but usually tighter woven providing more surface area with a slight reduction in flow rate. Body Scrubbers Surface area/cu.ft.: 75 Upsides:free if you have a girlfriend (they always keep extra....) Downsides:Not pretty if your girlfriend ever finds out where her body scrubbers went.also they compress,have a low surface area and can sometimes contain perfumes built right into the plastic/nylon. Overall:Best used to soap up naked ladies. Flosses,Pads and Fibers Polyfiber Surface area/cu.ft.:? Upsides:Great mechanical filtration,extremely cheap when purchased in bulk.Can be rinsed and reused.Can also be purchased in pads.Cheap at the LFS and 5 times cheaper at a fabric store. Downsides:Clogs fairly quickly.Fibers can be (and often are) found tangled on your impellor or floating in your tank. Overall:The mechanical counterpart to pot scrubbies.Cheap,easy to maintain,and reusable. Filter Sock Surface area/cu.ft.:NA Upsides:Unless your tank is super messy you can often get away with having a filter sock or two as your sumps primary source of mechanical filtration,freeing up valuable space for more bio-media. Downsides:If your tank is super messy these will clog and mess with your flow rate somewhat. Overall:Not a bad addition to a sump with proper maintenance. Felt Surface area/cu.ft.: NA Upsides:Excellent for last stage mechanical filtration.Acts as a "micro polishing pad" for your sump. Downsides:Clogs extremely easy unless the water goes through several stages of mech filtration before going through the felt.Also the felt is often dyed (even the white felt is often dyed that color) so a bit of searching or a lot of rinsing is required. Overall:Often unnecessary yet hard to beat as a micro polisher for you tank. LFS Filter Pads Surface area/cu.ft. NA Upsides:Easily obtained,often best choice for mech filtration.Varying levels of porousness for further customization of mechanical filtration. Downsides:Somewhat pricey.Not often sold in what I would consider "bulk" Overall:Probably the most frequently used mechanical medias available.Most often what people choose to put in their drip trays. Matala Fiber Pads Surface area/cu.ft.:60-175 Upsidesoes not compress.Good for use as a permanent mech filtration pad that can be rinsed and reused.Sold in bulk.Buoyant, otherwise much the same as a scouring pad such as scotch brite. Downsides:Expensive,Buoyant,Low surface area per cu.ft. means alot would be needed for bio. Overall:Basically a large scouring pad LFS Bio-Media Cannister Media Surface area/cu.ft.:ALOT (Varies) Upsides:most surface area in the smallest space possible is what cannister media is all about.If you have a very large bio-load than a sump full of pot scrubbies may not cut it,which is where the cannister bio-media comes in handy. Downsides:Pricey Overall:I'm sure it would be great if we all had the money to fill our sump with cannister bio-media like cell pore and the like but for those of us who don't defecate money I suggest just buying a container at a time and tossing it in your sump,eventually youll have quite a bit. My main chamber in my sump is filled with scrubbies however I toss in a container of cannister media whenever I have a few extra dollars (cell-pore,eheim pro,biomax,etc.) and I am slowly but surely filling my third chamber. Bio-Balls Surface area/cu.ft.:100-175 Upsides:fair surface area,shaped for maximum aeration,can be purchased in bulk,often for a fair price if shopped for online.One of the best things you can put in the wet/dry section of your sump. Downsides:can be pricey if your too lazy to shop around.I also hear Pot Scrubbies work at least as well as bio-balls in the wet/dry chamber,though I have not personally confirmed this.Effectiveness supposedly greatly diminished when submerged. Overall:The media most people use in the wet/dry section of their sumps, followed by scrubbies in a close second. Bio-Bale Surface area/cu.ft.:250 Upsides:Good surface area.Sold in Bulk. Downsides:Can become somewhat compressed over time, countered by the occasional "fluffing". Overall:Used much the same as you would pot scrubbies or bioballs, either in the wet/dry or fully submerged. Lava rock Surface area/cu.ft.:15-25 Upsides:very easily obtained and rather inexpensive.Good filler in a sump on a tank with a light bioload Downsides:Very low surface area really.If pores get clogged than you might as well just drop a stone in your tank for biomedia. Overall:Not the best choice for biomedia.Even If you were to keep the pores of the rock very clean your sump would still have to be about the same size as the tank your filtering.For those who still insist on using lava rock I might suggest breaking it up with a hammer and putting it in a media bag. Bio-Wheels Surface area/cu.ft.: ? Upsides:Supposedly house a super concentrated bacteria colony.Wet/Dry design. Downsides:Very high Evaporation.Somewhat of a price factor involved. Overall:Used with succes on smaller HOB's but not widely used in conjunction with sumps (unless you have a tidepool sump).Thought about adding one to my sump. Plants and Refugiums Upside:eat nitrates. Downside:Usually need special lighting.Not always room for a full size refugium,and often not enough space in your sump for a "mini-refugium" Overall:I fairly good idea.I want to put a refugium on my sump but have not decided how exactly to go about doing so. These are the primary choices for filter media that we as aquarists have available to us,and I hope this "Guide" is of some help to many an aquarist who are scratching their head,looking at that empty chamber on your filter and wondering what to place there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemines Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 by lava rock do they mean scoria or pumice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxglove Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Lava rock = Scoria. Pumice has a much better surface area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 How big is the pumice? It may start out with a high surface area, but unless your mechanical filtration is 100% perfect it will get clogged up over time with fine particles and lose a lot of the surface area. I always use bioballs in my sumps, they work well and are easy to clean if needed (maybe once every 12-18+ months I'll take them out and give them a rince in a bucket of tank water). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia-15 Posted April 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 a varety of sizes, most are the size of a ping pong ball lol grandpa from the simpsons *sees asian*oh hello there ping pong, *asian man replies in fill american accent* my name is greg lol lol lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeous Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Saw that one too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Haha that was a good episode eh! Wouldn't the pumice be a PITA to wash and get clean? I paid about $55 a box for the bioballs from HFF, I'd rather do that than spend hours scrubbing pumice! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia-15 Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 i just grabbed a handful of pumice, waved it around in a bucket of water, then put it in a new bucket. when i had a bucketful, i filled it with water and waited for a bit, then tipped the water out, so far, there is just a tiny bit of sand in my sump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeous Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Wouldn't the pumice be a PITA to wash and get clean? Mmmmm what a useful abbreviation Where on earth did you see that 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 I use pumice and it seems to go alright for me I just rinse it out with the rest of the media in the filter and it doesn't seem to get visably clogged or anything like that.. As for its performance I can't see the bacteria and run all sorts of other media in the filter so doing tests etc can't really show me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Mmmmm what a useful abbreviation Where on earth did you see that 8) :oops: I hope its not implied swearing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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