Hello everyone,
I'm a new member and am just getting back into the hobby after 35 years so I apologize if this is an obvious question to the experts around here. I am running a 110 gallons tank for a few months already. I did a fish-less cycle and added a bunch of juvenile peacocks a month or two ago.
The existing setup consist of a DIY dry/wet filter full of bio-balls, a huge canister (mechanical filter only), a UV filter unit and a noisy external pump. This was all part of a used kit I bought for a very good price. Water is great. Fishes are happy. Plants are growing... but... its noisy as **** and small random leaks are starting to get on my nerves.
So, I've decided to replace all of filter setup by a 40 gallon sump with mechanical filtration, some matrix bio media and a refugium chamber.
I have not decided yet if I'll keep the UV filter or not, any advice about this would be welcome
The matrix media is submerged at the bottom of the curent trickle filter for about 3 weeks. I obviously want to maintain the BBs in the system such that the tank does not go through another cycle after installing the new sump next weekend.
I'll add new filter floss and transfer the submerged matrix (2 Litres).
I also thought of placing the colonized bio-balls in the refugium and slowly take them out over the course of a month or so.
Do you think its worth it or too much of an overkill ?
Thanks,
Mats.
I'm a new member and am just getting back into the hobby after 35 years so I apologize if this is an obvious question to the experts around here. I am running a 110 gallons tank for a few months already. I did a fish-less cycle and added a bunch of juvenile peacocks a month or two ago.
The existing setup consist of a DIY dry/wet filter full of bio-balls, a huge canister (mechanical filter only), a UV filter unit and a noisy external pump. This was all part of a used kit I bought for a very good price. Water is great. Fishes are happy. Plants are growing... but... its noisy as **** and small random leaks are starting to get on my nerves.
So, I've decided to replace all of filter setup by a 40 gallon sump with mechanical filtration, some matrix bio media and a refugium chamber.
I have not decided yet if I'll keep the UV filter or not, any advice about this would be welcome
The matrix media is submerged at the bottom of the curent trickle filter for about 3 weeks. I obviously want to maintain the BBs in the system such that the tank does not go through another cycle after installing the new sump next weekend.
I'll add new filter floss and transfer the submerged matrix (2 Litres).
I also thought of placing the colonized bio-balls in the refugium and slowly take them out over the course of a month or so.
Do you think its worth it or too much of an overkill ?
Thanks,
Mats.