media shelves in sump-water drip through or flow?

[Tabasco1]

I am building a sump/refugium and planning to have some media shelves that the tank drains into before it hits the skimmer section. My question is this: is it better to have the water trickle through the media or should I plan to have the shelves submerged and the water flow through the media?

I plan on have a mechanical filter shelf, carbon shelf and then one other that I will probably put phosban or something similar.

Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Tabasco1]

Nobody has an opinion on this? Maybe I should have added that I am also thinking of putting a tang in a 20L.

 

[Troylee]

I have built sumps both ways... I found having the carbon submerged produced better results in water clarity my self...
Having the water trickle over them like bioballs is great for high gas exchange rate I believe it was if I remember that correctly..."don't quote me on that thou I would have to find my notes lol"
I'm a fan of not having shelves but having the raw water dump directly into the first chamber for the skimmer so it can do it job.... By adding anything before the skimmer "ie" socks, shelves etc means maintiance which I hate I'm lazy!!! Lol hth

 

[Reef Breeders]

If you do a drip through, then technically it is a wet dry, but that is the best way to do it. I like to put filter socks before my skimmer, because it collects large particles and reduces skimmer maintenaince.

 

[Tabasco1]

Nem-yes kindof like a wet dry. That is a better description

Troy-less maintenance = better for me too. You're not lazy, just have better things to do . So, do you run carbon at all or any other similar filtration?

 

[seaweed88]

I believe that if you have the water trickle thru you are providing a great place to grow Nitrates. I do not think that is something you are looking to plan on doing.

 

[Reef Breeders]

No carbon, let the macroalgae take care of that. Just put in a tablespoon of gfo.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Personally I like to trickle through a blue filter pad - change it out once a month. It catches the large particles of things so they're not collecting in the sump.

 

[butts182]

i also prefer teh trickle through method for a filter pad, but for the media such as carbon, o prefer the submerged, flor-through method

 

[Tabasco1]

OK, so maybe change the plan so that the top shelf is much higher and trickles through a sponge and the lower shelf or shelves are submerged?

Thanks so much for the feedback!