Copepods in sump

tdyrkacz · 02/09/2015, 01:20 PM

I have a question about sump design if you plan on growing copepods in the refugium. Most of the sumps I see have some sort of pads between the refugium and return sections. It seems to me that copepods would get stuck here and never make it back to the display tank. I'm sure I'm just mis understanding something since almost all sums i see are designed this way. What am i missing here? Do you just remove the pads in order to allow the pods to flow through?

Thanks in advance

FraggledRock · 02/09/2015, 01:23 PM

you would be surprised the amount of suction they can handle.

I recently had a +/- 3/4 inch amphipod make it to my Display Tank! I still see some about the half inch mark too with fish!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ayz5roaJUI

That WAS with Filter socks and nothing between return and sump...

tdyrkacz · 02/09/2015, 02:00 PM

so the pads sponge/pad between the refugium and return should be removed?

tdyrkacz · 02/10/2015, 02:32 PM

Bump

FraggledRock · 02/10/2015, 02:36 PM

I would.

AZBigJohn · 02/10/2015, 02:40 PM

Usually the sponges fill up rapidly with detrius and algae, and as they decay, the sponges become a nitrate factory.

Wryknow · 02/10/2015, 03:42 PM

I don't put any filter material between the sump and the return pump for just the reason you are bringing up. I wanted pods to get pulled up by the return pump and sent to the main tank periodically.

ca1ore · 02/10/2015, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdyrkacz

I have a question about sump design if you plan on growing copepods in the refugium. Most of the sumps I see have some sort of pads between the refugium and return sections. It seems to me that copepods would get stuck here and never make it back to the display tank. I'm sure I'm just mis understanding something since almost all sums i see are designed this way. What am i missing here? Do you just remove the pads in order to allow the pods to flow through?

Thanks in advance

Doesn't seem to me that 'almost all' sumps are designed with mechanical filtration between the refugium and pump return sections. I'd actually suggest that they are in the very small minority. Most folks, if they are going to use mechanical media at all, employ filter socks in the initial sump section.

I'd suggest skipping mechanical media entirely, but if you must use it, definitely not after the refugium.

tdyrkacz · 02/10/2015, 06:25 PM

Thank you everyone for confirming my thoughts on this. I appreciate it.

02/09/2015, 01:20 PM	#1
tdyrkacz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berlin, CT Posts: 76	Copepods in sump I have a question about sump design if you plan on growing copepods in the refugium. Most of the sumps I see have some sort of pads between the refugium and return sections. It seems to me that copepods would get stuck here and never make it back to the display tank. I'm sure I'm just mis understanding something since almost all sums i see are designed this way. What am i missing here? Do you just remove the pads in order to allow the pods to flow through? Thanks in advance __________________ Tom D.

02/09/2015, 01:23 PM	#2
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	you would be surprised the amount of suction they can handle. I recently had a +/- 3/4 inch amphipod make it to my Display Tank! I still see some about the half inch mark too with fish! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ayz5roaJUI That WAS with Filter socks and nothing between return and sump... __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

02/09/2015, 02:00 PM	#3
tdyrkacz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berlin, CT Posts: 76	so the pads sponge/pad between the refugium and return should be removed? __________________ Tom D.

02/10/2015, 02:32 PM	#4
tdyrkacz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berlin, CT Posts: 76	Bump __________________ Tom D.

02/10/2015, 02:36 PM	#5
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	I would. __________________ “For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”― Jacques-Yves Cousteau MarineBio.org Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Breeder w/ Bean Animal Overflow 20G Sump, Mixed Reef.

02/10/2015, 02:40 PM	#6
AZBigJohn Usually confused... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,091	Usually the sponges fill up rapidly with detrius and algae, and as they decay, the sponges become a nitrate factory. __________________ John Current Tank Info: Currently a 29 gallon all-in-one frag tank and a 210 gallon tank slowly becoming my dream system!

02/10/2015, 03:42 PM	#7
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	I don't put any filter material between the sump and the return pump for just the reason you are bringing up. I wanted pods to get pulled up by the return pump and sent to the main tank periodically. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

02/10/2015, 06:25 PM	#9
tdyrkacz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berlin, CT Posts: 76	Thank you everyone for confirming my thoughts on this. I appreciate it. __________________ Tom D.