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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

freshwater sump

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10 Apr 2015 19:38 #1 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Ive been thinking lately of changing my filter system.Basically ive 5ft clearseal tank and a sump underneath which is 4ft.It is divided into 3 chambers.Chamber 1 & 3 are the same size...chamber 2 is about 3 times the size of chamber 1 & 3.The tank flows into chamber 1 via a filter sock...in that chamber one i have some bio balls and micromec and one of the heaters....the water fills that chamber 1 and flow across to chamber 2 which consists of basic v large sponges...the sponges are large and ive some course and some fine...there is also a heater in chamber 2...finally the third chamber just consists of the return pump.I top up chamber 3 every 3 days or so to keep up with evaporation from the main tank.

Some of the questions Ive been thinking is Im not so sure there is us sufficient water flow in chamber 2 through the sponges.Certainly the surface flows from chamber 2 to chamber 3 but how much water flows through the sponges? I suspect ive alot of sponge and should consider reducing this as I would like to try something along the lines of keeping a few smaller fish or fry in the sump and perhaps divide a further section?Should i consider an external to run side by side?

I know its hard to describe exactly the sump system.Thoughts welcome!

Gavin

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10 Apr 2015 19:51 #2 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)
Does the water flow over the top of the divider between chamber 2 and 3 or down below it?
Certainly you could cut chamber 2 down and create an additional chamber!
However to make the sponges efficient, I would suggest that you alternate the dividers between top flow from chamber 1 - 2, and bottom flow between 2 - 3, then possible top flow from 3 - 4 (if you do create an additional chamber)

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10 Apr 2015 20:10 #3 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
sorry it was written quickly on the phone.its overflow on both chambers....there is a bubble trap as such on the third chamber,so it flows from top down....and there is a few cms at best then another baffle.

Gavin

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12 Apr 2015 12:39 #4 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Anyone have other suggestions?

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12 Apr 2015 18:47 #5 by JustinK (Justin Kelly)
Does the water only run over the top of the sponges ? (Both overflow chambers)
It should have to pass down through them to the next chamber.
, hence top bottom, top bottom setup.

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12 Apr 2015 20:19 #6 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Justin id of thought the same but no this seems to be top and top....the water fills up the first chamber and over the glass (baffle) to the next chamber....this then fills up and in turn this flows over the next baffle which again fills from the top down when it enters the third chamber.There is however a bubble trap in the third chamber so as such it fills from bottom up in the third chamber...if you know what i mean?

Gavin

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13 Apr 2015 09:05 #7 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)
Your sump is 4ft? Is that correct?
You could always rebuild the sump to have chamber 1 (approx 9 inches) water over baffle
Chamber 2 (12-15inch)sponge chamber (water under baffle) chamber 3 (12 -15inch) additional chamber for fish / livestock and whatever else (water over baffle), remainder chamber 4 return pump chamber!!!!!

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13 Apr 2015 11:59 #8 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
my problem is im not sure id be able to take out the 4ft sump as i have cabinet doors...ill check when i go home.I might be able to empty the sump and silicone then.The second section is quite large alright so i could add an extra chamber.

Gavin

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13 Apr 2015 14:18 #9 by carlowchris (chris)
Replied by carlowchris (chris) on topic freshwater sump
Ahhhh get rid of the sponges and leave the baffles alone.......you don't need the sponges....the socks in the first section should be taking out all the crud ...if there not buy some more socks and change and clean them more regularly......lot less hassle than redesigning a whole sump

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13 Apr 2015 14:41 - 13 Apr 2015 14:45 #10 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
you still need filter media Chris though?The sponges arent for cleaning the water but can be used as filter media.My filter socks get changed roughly every 3 days.( Ive 3 felt ones that do a great job)
Gavin
Last edit: 13 Apr 2015 14:45 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner).

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13 Apr 2015 14:45 #11 by hammie (Neil Hammerton)
You could try just Bio balls or micro mec or ceramic hoops or something instead of the sponges?
I'm not sure how effective it'll be tho

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13 Apr 2015 14:47 #12 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
ive got both of them in the first chamber...both micromec and bioballs...i still reckon tor a 5ft youd.need.more than just them so hence the sponges.

Gavin

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13 Apr 2015 18:12 #13 by carlowchris (chris)
Replied by carlowchris (chris) on topic freshwater sump
Could ya not just add another bag of micro mec and get rid of the sponges????from the first post waters not flowing through the sponges anyway ...so biologically there not doing anything anyway...you probly don't need them but another bag of micromec couldn't do any harm.....

I've my micro in the last section with the return pump.....that's how a few of the sumps in seahorse were set up..Don't know if it really makes any difference

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13 Apr 2015 19:54 #14 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
id be interested to know what people think in terms of how much filter media is needed.I could certainly add bio balls and micromec to the third chamber...and even add some.of the sponge to the first chamber...i wonder would it be enough however..id be interested in know what people with sumps have on their freshwaters done?

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