Sump layout advice

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Im more interested with media contact time than high flow through the media increasing the the time the bacteria are incontact with the ammonia and perticularly nitrites..As you know the nitrosonomas are quicker to multiply than the nitrobacter so a fast turnover can reduce the amount nitobacter recieves as the nitrosonomas are quicker to take it..in my koi pond i always had some reading of nitrites until i reduced the flow through the filter using a filter like in the videos solved this and now i can feed as much as i like and never get any ammonia or nitrite readings..The nitrate reading rocketed up with proved to me this filter works to its max..

All systems are different, but the thing for us is that we can ignore nitrate (NO3) because the plants convert it in to plant matter. The problem with slowing the flow speed down is that it is really difficult to hit the "sweet spot" where you have enough oxygen to convert NH3 - NO2 - NO3, (particularly you also want other areas which are anoxic where the out-gassing of NO3 to N2 gas occurs).The problem is that if flow speed drops low enough NH3 starts passing straight through the filter, with potentially disastrous results. Having a lot of oxygen is safer.

Have you seen Ed's Koi threads? <My new pond | UK Aquatic Plant Society> & <My New Filter and Pond - Lots of pictures | UK Aquatic Plant Society>

cheers Darrel

 

[weasel]

Just had a look at the links,Very nice looking water feature..cant help wondering what was introduced to the pond when the waterfall got turned back on after the winter though...
The new pond i class a proper koi pond but much prefare the look of the old pond...