Fahaka tank setup running on only a sump / refugium filter? Would it work in the long run?

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rubikso
Puffer Fry
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Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:08 am
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Fahaka tank setup running on only a sump / refugium filter? Would it work in the long run?

Post by rubikso »

Hi there,

This is my first time posting and while I have been keeping freshwater fish for several years my first puffer is my young Fahaka. He (I'm guessing) is still very small, approximately 2 inches now. He's doing well in his little show tank for now and before you ask I do have a larger tank waiting to setup to be his long time home. But right now I can't sleep and as I sit here watching him swim happily I start to ponder long-term filtration options. My original concept was to take the old 55 gallon ceramic tank I have and make it into a fluidized sump with socks at the one end and K1 in the fluidized portion. A few bubble walls along the flow path and well you get the idea. But then I started to wonder, would a largely planted refugium sump be able to provide enough filtration for him as he got older along with providing a place to farm some snails for food? With a slower return pump in the sump and a circulation pump added in the tank I am thinking it might work it might work without adding the noise of a air pump. I could also showcase the refugium underneath his tank if I took this approach. Anyway, let me know what you think. If so, would there be any suggestions on stocking this other than as heavily as possible? Ideally I want to keep it simple, low-tech, and no CO2 if possible.

Thanks ahead of time.

PS:(routine water changes are still needed obviously, just thinking of an alternate way to provide a regulated filtration.)
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Fahaka tank setup running on only a sump / refugium filter? Would it work in the long run?

Post by Pufferpunk »

[welcome]
How about something like this?
library/water-filtration/veggiefiltersrtr/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
rubikso
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:08 am
Location (country): United States

Re: Fahaka tank setup running on only a sump / refugium filter? Would it work in the long run?

Post by rubikso »

This is essentially what I was envisioning, yes. My questions was more given the large load that the fahaka puffer puts on a system later in life, has anyone personally had experience with using a heavily planted refugium (aka - veggie filter) for as the main filtration method rather than a more traditional sump that is just worried about high bacteria load and supplemented with water changes / delusion to remove the nitrites. ? If not, that's a fine answer as well.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka tank setup running on only a sump / refugium filter? Would it work in the long run?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I think that article says it all. I do believe that kind of large natural filtration system would be much more beneficial than several canisters.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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