Crushed corals/Dead corals for filtration?

[sharkbait]

Ok ba tong ganitong setup? Or magiging nitrate factory lang to?

[roland_0313]

I used to have crushed corals in my sump, but changed to DSB instead. Mahirap kasi linisin yan eh. Naiipon yung detritus in between. Nung nagpalit ako, sangkatutak na detritus yung naiwan sa sump.

[aarongo222]

Try mo yung nasa loob sila ng net/mesh para pag aalisin mo isang hatak lang tangal na isang chunk ng crushed corals kesa yung nakalagay lang sa aquarium patong patong.... ganyan rin mali ko... pag lilinisin mo nakaka ilang bato ka pa lang naaalis kumakalat na agad dumi.

[sharkbait]

So is it wise to remove them altogether? I've got rocks on the middle compartment and the dead corals are just in the weir. I got someone to help me setup my aquarium and this is his recommendation. First chamber is where are the water gets dumped, second chamber is full of rocks, third chamber is the return pump.

Any comments or suggestions on my setup?

[roland_0313]

I don't really know what the advantages of having crushed corals in the sump are, but if you think you can benefit from it, at least do what Aaron said. Place them in a mesh to make it easier to clean.

Sabi sa akin dati for pH balance daw saka water temperature (the idea came from a FW seller though), but when I removed them, nothing really changed, except I got a cleaner sump.

[sharkbait]

[roland_0313]

Yeah... buti ka nga yang sump mo pang-SW eh... for refugium actually. I had to change my sump myself because the design was for FW. Recent ko lang din pinalitan yung sa akin. I wanted to turn it into a full blown refugium, yun nga lang, chaeto pa lang ang meron ako.

[aarongo222]

Pag paguusapan ang benefit, obviously meron, dahil sa dami ng rocks na yan, dami rin titira na backteria dyan. with regards to DSB at crushed corals. Dalawa naman yan nitrate factory.. wag mo lang gagalawin dahil lalabas talaga yung dumi. kahit sand mo mukang malinis pag ginalaw mo labas rin dumi sa ilalim nun. so again, when it comes to "benefit", im sure meron. Pero let's wait for a more precise answer from those who have more ideas about it.

Basically I've tried both but I got good results from DSB than with crushed corals/dead coral skeleton in terms of controlling nitrate.

[yose_]

Bro, consider using seachem matrix instead. Its more efficient in terms of surface area sa pag house ng bacteria. Baka yung equivalent nyang lahat ng rocks mo ay less than 1L ng matrix. Mas luluwag pa sump mo and youll have more space for other equipment.

Just my two cents.

[sharkbait]

How do I use the matrix? Can I just leave it in the sump (like rocks) or should I use a cannister? I've used siporax before and it seems like their principle is about the same.

[seth]

CC has the same use as with using liverocks or aragonite / calcareous sand, which is their ability to serve as 'buffers'. But given their composition, they will become phosphate sinks in the long run. Just like sand and liverocks. (phosphate just love to attach on calcium based substrate).

Sand would be better (more efficient most of the time) if your purpose is to lessen nitrates (more surface area). The only plus side to adding crushed corals would be a sort of refugium for copepods and amphipods. Crushed corals may still help with denitrification but not as efficiently as other means.

Anyway, as for matrix you can put it either in a large media bag or in a reactor. The key is low flow.