Review my Sump layout.

[Big T]

I have a sump that was originally setup for a marine tank. I've converted it to FW and have the sump setup with Filter sock->bio balls->crushed coral->return. I feel the first chamber is being underutilised but not sure what else to do with it if anything. The tank is 4x2x2 and will be used to grow out geophagus and fronts so there will be heavy feedings and high bioload.

Let me know what you think.

[Link2Hell]

wrong application for bio balls

they will still attract bacteria but not as well as if they were used wet/dry

in a tower above water level

for submerged media use one of the forms like Seachem Matrix, Marine shere/block,

clay balls or K1 in motion

 

 

[Big T]

I was looking at marine pure balls/spheres might be better than bio balls for the second chamber.

 

 

[benno]

Ceramic noodles or Seachem matrix all they way mate. Don't even bother with bio balls in a fw set up unless they used as l2h suggested. Listen to old linky he knows his stuff. Been following his post since I was 15 in the old Sydney cichlid page days. 

[Ducksta]

Agree with whats been said.
But reality is the bioballs aren't hurting anything sitting in there and you were asking about a whole chamber ready and waiting for more media.
If you fill a chamber with matrix, clay or whatever, there is no harm keeping the bioballs in there anyway.
If you wanted to drop the cash to fill 2 chambers with a better media, then definitely lose the bioballs.

Bigger concern for me...  What Geo's are you planning on raising in with all that coral (and fronts)?

[Big T]

Planning to put red horse face or rio branco but to be honest I'm not quite sure which exact geophagus species i received as they are juvies. Was advertised as red horse face though. Fronts will be grown up to go into a monster display tank with geos in about 11 months. I understand the different species prefer different water conditions but I'm hoping to meet somewhere in the middle to keep all species happy.

I do have some matrix left over from SW days so I will prob throw that in instead of bio balls.

As for that first chamber... More matrix??? i have no idea hence i come to ask the fish gods for guidance. 

 

[Link2Hell]

Sorry Big T but my biggest pet hate is the trade name Horseface for Geo's

with G. leucosticta it's not that much of a problem calling them Green Horseface

but with calling the Surinamensoids Red Horseface it creates a huge problem with the number of species that we have

or should I say have left, it's not that hard to just use a species name for them and the problem runs from wholesalers

to LFS to newbies or hobbyists that haven't realised what problems trade names used on multiple species causes

regarding Geos and Frontosa in the same water parameters it's your choice and the magic figure would be approx. 7.4 pH

[intern1]

I would put some marine pure where the rather than bio balls, as chris said they are best in a wet dry system

[Big T]

Thanks for the sound advice Mr L. Hell, it has been noted and taken on board. 

Looks like marine pure it is for the second chamber. 

I'll leave the first chamber as is with the filter sock and the plants i put in there because i was bored and wanted to see if a freshwater refugium style sump would have any effect on the water parameters. In theory it should help with nitrates and amonia.