Do I REALLY need a bio-chamber in my sump?

[Avonlea,PA]

Ok, another question.

I'd like to make my own sump. I'm thinking of using a 20 or 29 gallon tank. There is someone locally who works with acrylic, and can make a bio chamber for about $120.00.

I've seen some systems that don't even use a chamber.

Do I really need one?

I know I don't need to use bio balls, because of the biological filtration provided by the live rock. With this being the case, what advantage would there be to having a bio-chamber?

[ctel]

well if no one is going to answer i'll see if i can help. Are you looking to just add a chamber or divider in a 20 or 30 gallon tank or are you looking to build your own tank for a refrium.

[Avonlea,PA]

I'm going to use a pre made tank (perfecto). I will probably divide it to allow for an area to place chemical media. I don't know anything about
refriums. Can you enlighten me on that?

p.s. I have been doing a lot of reading, but there are still aspects that leave me with questions.

[Casey]

I use a divided 20 gal perfecto on my 100 gal reef with no media at all but sponges,caulerpa,protein skimmer and light and it works great I also have about 2 inchs of live sand in it divided off in the middle.

[ctel]

from my reading and searching i would say dont use a media, what someone said is that bio-balls work for alittle while but become a nitrate factory over time. Search the forums for refriums and see what you find. I'm acually building a daul tank refrium/sump with mangroves and other good weeds.

[Minnreefer]

Short answer you don't need a special chamber in a sump. I would look at www.myreefcreations.com web site for a skimmer and just divide up the tank into 3 sections to help keep the bubbles down. If you have the room a seperate tank for a refugium is great. A refugium is an area that you can grow macro algeas, like calurepa, to help export nutrients. I hope that helps.

I would also recomend buying 1 or 2 of the first 2 books on this page http://www.thereeftank.com/books/

HTH

Jon

[cyberchef]

While most people do consider a refugium a place to grow macroalgaes for nutrient export, it is really meant to be a place to raise "food" for the tank. It's a place where there is no predation for copepods and such to reproduce and multiply so they and thier young can create a constant natural food supply for the tank. The addition of macroalgaes will benefit the critters as a home and food source as well as being a method of nutrient exportation. Some peoples systems are able to produce enough macroalgaes to be able to sell off the excess to thier LFS for store credit. It can also be beneficial to have some large holy or piles of smaller pieces of LR for even more places for the copepods and amphipods to live and reproduce. I personally have peppermint shrimp, I'm also adding FL shore shrimp, in one of my refugiums, the peppermint shrimp reproduce and the babies flow into the main tank where they become food for the fish and corals. Some sources for "critters and refugium supplies below as well as some links to posts about critters...

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...threadid=10159

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...&threadid=9004

http://netclub.athiel.com/Ianrefug.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/V.../refugium.html

http://www.inlandaquatics.com/

http://www.ipsf.com/

http://www.florida-aqua-farms.com/

http://www.livebrineshrimp.com/

http://www.floridaplants.com/Mangroves/Default.htm

http://www.biologylab.com/Organisms/price.shtml

http://www.ecosaqua.com/

http://www.aquaculturestore.com/

http://www.drbates.com/

http://www.reeflink.com/billsreef/

Here's some sdditional reading of previous threads that might also give you more insight into Reef tanks...

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...=&threadid=745

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...&highlight=qqq

http://www.thereeftank.com/article/jaubert.htm

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...&threadid=4454

http://netclub.athiel.com/cyano/cyanos2.htm

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/...omparison.html

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm


HTH...