tank conversion

[ghostface]

hi freshies

i have a 200l tank that is currently a reef tank. it has a sump / overflow set up at the moment. i plan to make this tank tropical freshwater / planted, as i am upgrading to a bigger reef tank. i am wondering if i would be better off running an overflow and having a sump, or using a canister filter (i have a via aqua 1200 at the mo). i am aware of noise / evaporation that occours with overflow / sump.

anyone have an opinion on which filtration system to go with?

also have a 13000k 150w MH light on this, which i will leave. i realise that this is the wrong bulb for plant growth, but presume that it will be fine, as it will be complimented with flouro tubes bought specifically for growth. i could swap the MH bulb with a 4000k one i have.

which bulb would be better? 13k or 4k?

[Caryl]

I can't comment on the lighting as I don't know enough about it but I would use the sump as it will give more area. When we upgrade our 4ft to a 6ft we plan to use the 4ft as a sump.

[Ira]

I'd go with the sump too. A few concerns though, since you're going with planted you'll have to be aware of loose leaves and plant debris blocking the overflow. Also, if you decide to use CO2 injection all the disturbance from the overflow will release a lot of the CO2. Both of those can be minimized by using a relatively small return pump though.

[ghostface]

cheers.

does anyone have any experience using a fluidised sand filter on a freshwater tank? i have built one for marine, but may use it on freshwater tank........

[Apisto]

I wouldn't use a sump with a planted tank, there is no need for it, and the sump allows a lot of CO2 te escape. you don't want that, your plants won't like that. Go with a cannister.

Regarding lightning i couln't say for shure, it kinda depends on the frequenties the bulbs are emitting, but 13000K is a bit to much imho. That is real reef stuff. tha highest I get is A 6,5K lamp that would be better, but the 4k type is used here a lot above planted tanks (Philips 840 TL).

A fluidised sand filter on a freshwater tank is not a bad idea, that type of filter dont eat a lot of NO3 what is one of the things your plants need badly :-)

[Ira]

I wouldn't use a sump with a planted tank, there is no need for it, and the sump allows a lot of CO2 te escape.

Only matters if you're using CO2 injection. Otherwise it won't do a thing...Actually, it could help increase the CO2 in the water if it's being used up by the plants...

[freshwest]

I’m running a sump on my 450 l tank planted tank . I found I had to install a pressurised co2 system to get good plant growth . Co2 is a must without it you will find that the high gas exchange through the sump will not leave enough co2 in the water for good plant growth . I also found it difficult to keep my pH down again because the sump gassing off the Co2 . Over all i am happy running a sump when you take into account low maintenance, added volume, and high water quality.

[slash]

a newbie question

a sump does the same job as the canister filter right? without the placemnt of heaters and such in it right?

if i just get a big external filter it will do the same job? in a planted tank

[Bluetom]

what about running a closed sump? have an overflow pipe running into the sump and the return pump running out and the rest is completely sealed.

You could get a lid cut to fit exactly then use rubber edge to make it air tight, you could then even run the CO2 into the sump and it would sit ontop of the water in the sump.

Just a thought, so it would basicly end up like a massive external filter.

[Apisto]

what about running a closed sump? have an overflow pipe running into the sump and the return pump running out and the rest is completely sealed.

You could get a lid cut to fit exactly then use rubber edge to make it air tight, you could then even run the CO2 into the sump and it would sit ontop of the water in the sump.

Just a thought, so it would basicly end up like a massive external filter.

That will do I guess.

Only matters if you're using CO2 injection. Otherwise it won't do a thing...Actually, it could help increase the CO2 in the water if it's being used up by the plants...

Not really it will work out the CO2 created by your fish also, remember the air only has 0.036 % CO2 or something like that.

[Caryl]

Slash the sump would work like a big canister filter if you filled it with bioballs and other media for the bacteria to grow in.

The tank I was referring to is not planted so CO2 is not a problem.

[suphew]

I rekcon you need to decide what your priority is going to be, large fish stocking levels, or extreme plants!

If you want to go plants I would dump the sump, this will save you having CO2 issues and you wont have to fertilize twice as much water etc.

If you want mega fish turn your sump into a trickel filter.

NB: either option excludes the other it just how extreme or go each way.

[DiverJohn]

I have gone away from the idea of a sump for my new tank... going to stick with two cannister filters.

Interestingly I have found a supplier of 6500K metal halide in Auckland, which on paper sound like the ultimate in lighting for a FW tank. I had a closer look at the lumen outputs for a 70W and a 150W MH which were 5000 and 11000 lumens. But an 80W T5 puts out 5700 lumens. Giving the MH's about 14% beter efficiacy. But with added complications of heat caused by the MH's, i think i will be keeping the T5's flouro's on the drawing board for the moment.

HTH

John

[cees]

Use a sump with a trickle filter. Use CO2 injection in the sump. Use a powerfull pump to get good current in the tank, this will give good CO2/O2 exchange on the plant leaves.

CO2 loss with a sump/trickle filter is not a major issue when you inject CO2, just inject a little more. O2 levels with a trickle filter will be close to saturation all the time (even at night) which is good.

Read "the optimum aqaurium" by the dupla guys (K Horst, H E Kipper), explains it all.

A good summary of the book is here

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Tech/golden-rules.html