# just scored this



## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

A buddy just dropped around and gave me a sump, its a lot bigger then mine and it set for an external pump...and has a good size Skimmer section unlike mine, still looking for an external skimmer as I got no room for an internal. anyway it had 850 Bio-balls in it, I'll palm them off on eBay and buy him a carton of beer 
...now just got to think of a new set-up I guess ...:idea:


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## jdecorse25 (Feb 13, 2007)

*BIO BALLS*

Why don't you want the bio balls? I don't have a sump and I'm looking into switching from my hang-on the back skimmer to a sump. Aren't those bio-balls a good thing?


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

unless cleaned often bioballs willl raise nitrates in your tank. Omg i cant belive you got that for free!


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## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

I'll put the Live Reef Plugs in this one as I had Bio-cubes in my 67gal and the best I could get my Nitrate down to was 20ppm, with the 300 Reef Plugs in, I'm down and steady @5ppm. Though I never, over the 10years of being set-up did I give that sump a good flush through.( I only learnt this now off this site)
I got 300 in my 12gal sump so I should be able to get 500-550 in this one...I hope anyway :wink: 
Rob.


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## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

I can't belive it either, though I should go up and take some pics of my mate's tank and set up...you'll see why he doesn't use something this small.
its like going into a hospital, with all sorts of drip tubes, bad eggs smelly making thing and computer stuff :?


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

You could remove the top glass and use that huge area as your skimmer chamber. You'd need to silicone in a taller piece of glass for that last bubble trap, say 6" tall to hold enough water for the skimmer to work well.


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## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

... so use it with my set-up now? any chance you could draw a pic of what you mean?
how would I get the water into this skimmer sump(from old sump or from tank?) and then back to where, the other sump or back to the tank...
Sounds like a plan...i think :?


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## Gump (Oct 26, 2006)

Id say you didnt have enough bio balls or needed more flow to lower your Nitrates lower than 20ppm. I have 3,000 in my sump on my 450 and my nitrates stay around 10ppm with a few heavy bio load fish in the tank. Ive used them for a few years and never had a problem with them raising nitrates.


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## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

my tank ran for 10yrs with 320 bio-cubes with a 2000ltr/hour return pump, but with me not cleaning out the sump every now and then the last 2 or so yrs the nitrates crept up alot quicker.
but thats was then... now I'm stoked with the Reef plugs, there rated 1 plug per ltr, I put 300 in and my tanks about 250ltrs.
This is only early days with this set-up but am very confident with what I've done.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

Robnjo said:


> my tank ran for 10yrs with 320 bio-cubes with a 2000ltr/hour return pump, but with me not cleaning out the sump every now and then the last 2 or so yrs the nitrates crept up alot quicker.
> but thats was then... now I'm stoked with the Reef plugs, there rated 1 plug per ltr, I put 300 in and my tanks about 250ltrs.
> This is only early days with this set-up but am very confident with what I've done.



Yeah but the technology has gotton alot better then it was 10 years ago.


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## drakonorn (May 27, 2007)

iv heard that some people replace bioballs with live rock rubble...has anyone tried this?


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## Robnjo (Apr 17, 2007)

I guess the Reef Plugs are the same in a way, though man made, the place I get them from have a load of tanks with Live Rock in them and the bags of Reef balls/Plugs(100 per bag) all sitting in amongst the Live Rock for a few months before they sell them.
I don't have a light over my sump like Live Rock sumps though.


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