Sump Water level

[rohnds]

Here is the picture of my sump (I have only included bare essential for purpose of simplicity in the pic - so don't jump on me).

Now my question is this. As you can clearly see that the water line in too low for some of the bioball to be submerged in the water. Does some (partial) of them need to under water? Or is this setup perfect? Are the bioball doing what it suppose to do with them out of the water? Could this is be reason it is called trickle wet/dry? That the bioball doesn't need to be completely submerged ....

I cannot increase in the water level in the sump, since this would create insufficient space incase of power failure.

Thanks for any input.

Rohn

 

[Lorna]

Actually in a marine tank with live rock you don't need the bioballs.......but if you want to keep them then yes they are out of the water, creating a trickle which helps oxygenate the water.........they also are supposed to provide surface area for biological filtration.

 

[fish outa wata]

what did you make the sump out of?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

if you don't have live rock/DSB and FO setup ok keep it but those wet/dry filters are really a nitrate factory.

 

[rohnds]

Ver simple. I took 20 gallon long tank and divided the tank by using plexiglass. I then took plastic egg crate and to fix one side ... had to cut it.
I then took plastic tube and cut it 3 inch long pieces and then glued to the bottom of the tank. Then placed the bio balls.
Make sure that plexiglass that you used to divide the tank has some kind of opening so that water can move from that side to other side.

Rohn

 

[fish outa wata]

thanks rohn

 

[wayne]

That looks ok. If you want to raise the water level, and stop fear of back syphoning down the pump return, drill a couple of holes in the return pipe just above and below the water level in the main tank. That way if power stops it will break the syphon that will drain back into the sump

 

[rohnds]

That has being done already. ButI am not taking any chances of ruining our new carpet in our new house.
For anyone else who wants to know. The sise of the hole you drill must be large enough so that air sucked in can stop reverse suction. I recomend (1/8 drill bit) ... this is after experimenting with many sizes.

Rohn

 

[rohnds]

As many of you know by now, I just don't post my question on just one forum. I posted this same Q in couple of others and did some research. It was suggested that for best result, some of the bioballs (media) should be underwater. How accurate it this? Is this an absolute neccessity.

Rohn