Can Decorative Sand Be Used For Filtration
September 18, 2008
This is a very good question which I was asked recently via email and I thought that I would detail it here for others to read and hopefully benefit from.
A lot of aquarists decide to put a small amount of decorative sand in the bottom of the aquarium to make it look more natural. This sand is normally something like coral sand, live sand etc.
Normally a small scattering is put in the aquarium – just enough to cover the bottom of the aquarium. At first the aquarium does look very natural however before long the sand starts to get clogged up with detritus, uneaten food and unless the aquarist cleans it then it can start to look very dirty.
Whilst looking into possible methods to keep it clean the aquarist may stumble upon a term called deep sand beds. After a small amount of research the aquarist may decide to ‘give it a go’ and after purchasing more of the sand installs it into the aquarium and believes that he/she now has a deep sand bed.
Wrong I am afraid and this is a deep sand bed which is probably destined to fail.
The reason for this is that the sand used in a deep sand bed has to have sand particles which are within a given size range. This is so that the animals which live in the sand are able to move the sand around. This is a term which is called turning the sand bed over. The animals will not magically appear. Some will migrate from the live rock if this is used in the aquarium, however the majority will need to be introduced by the aquarist. Not just once either the bed will need to be topped up from time to time. Once the bed has animals in there they then need feeding so that they can reproduce and increase the diversity in the sand bed. For this they need to be fed by placing some food directly onto the sand bed alternating where the food is placed. Other animals can also be purchased and introduced to the aquarium to assist in the cleaning up of the sand bed. These can be hermits, starfish etc but they have to be ones which will survive in a sand bed.
The other thing that is required is the actual depth of the sand bed. The sand bed needs to be a minimum of four inches in depth. Having a deep sand bed of at least this depth will create a bed which is low in oxygen at the bottom. When this happens this allows for the relevant bacteria to live which will assist in the filtration.
There are a large amount of aquarium stores now that sell sand which is designed for use in the the creation of a deep sand bed. There is a variety of colours to choose from however personally I prefer the natural ’sand’ looking colour!
A deep sand bed is a very powerful tool for filtration and is often underestimated. Combine a deep sand bed with live rock and you have an aquarium filtration system with a large amount of power. As long as it is properly setup and properly cared for.
In answer to the question – yes decorative sand can be used for filtration as long as the fundamentals of deep sand beds are understood.
Below are links to two articles we recently wrote on this subject:
The Deep Sand Bed – One Of The Most Effective Filtration Methods
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Mud Bed Aquarium Filtration
August 24, 2008
Mud bed filtration is similar to that of other sand based aquarium filtration systems, however the substrate is made of such a small grain size that it is very much like mud. A good filtration method to equate a mud bed to is the refugium.
In the refugium filtration method various types of macro algae are grown in the fine sand. The mud bed filtration system is effectively the same, however instead of sand mud is used instead. It is not just normal mud though, it is a mud which is full of various elements and minerals. These elements and minerals are slowly released from the mud into the water column.
A mud bed system is normally run in an aquarium or some other container located under the main display aquarium. Some aspect of mechanical filtration is required to remove any large particles from entering into the mud filtration area. This can be performed at the end of the overflow(s) by passing the water through very small chunks of live rock etc. After the water has been through the mechanical filtration it enters the mud filtration aquarium. The macro algae consume nutrients from the water and various elements are slowly released into the water from the mud bed. The water then normally passes through some type of grid or through another chamber full of small pieces of live rock the purpose of which is to prevent any of the macro algae from leaving the mud area and blocking the return pump. Once the water has passed into the pump area it is returned to the display aquarium.
In a mud based system the lights are normally left on for 24 hours a day. This allows the macro algae to photosynthesise and grow. It is only when macro algae grow that they consume nutrients from the water. It is best to use lighting which is designed for the growth of plant life. A couple of fluorescent tubes will suffice, ensure as said that they are for plant life and have a Kelvin rating of around 6000. Lights with this Kelvin rating have more colour in the yellow/red area which benefits the plants.
A normal rule of thumb for a mud based filtration system is to pass in the region of 10 times the total water volume per hour. This needs to be considered when designing the aquarium system as the total amount of water in the system will determine both the overflow size and the size of return pump required.
As with a refugium there may be a requirement to harvest the macro algae if it becomes too dense. Never pull the algae out by the roots – instead cut the plants back with an old pair of scissors or similar. Harvesting the algae will allow more light to penetrate into the areas where the algae grows. One point to remember is that you should not add this macro algae back into the aquarium as you may reintroduce the nutrients back into the water.
A mud based system combined with macro algae removes a lot of the nutrients (nitrate, phosphate etc) and dissolved organic compounds as well as replenishing trace elements.
A lot of aquarists who utilise a mud based system for filtration do not run a protein skimmer. It is not recommended to do so by these aquarists because of the amount of particulate matter which is extracted from the water by protein skimmers. When viewing a mud based system you can actually see the fine particulate matter in the water. The water is still clear, however it is full of fine matter which some life in the aquarium can use for energy.
Of course there are also aquarists who do choose to run a skimmer, however the majority of these run the skimmer part-time (i.e. throughout the night, turned on/off via the use of a timer). The majority of these aquarists decide to run a skimmer as they are very wary of turning it off. I have run a system using a mud based method combined with live rock for many years without problems. The only thing you need to ensure when you run a system like this is that detritus is removed from the main display aquarium regularly and that weekly water changes are performed. A lot of aquarists who do not run a skimmer on their mud based systems do not have a sand bed in the display aquarium due to the build up of detritus which can occur. Instead they go ‘bare bottom’ in the aquarium. The glass which is visible at the bottom of the aquarium quickly becomes covered in coralline algae as well as other types of life so looks more natural as time passes.
The aquarists who decide not to run a skimmer have reported a higher level of particulate matter visible in the aquarium water which the corals, and other filter feeders consume. Because of the amount of particulate matter in the water column you should see good polyp extension from your corals as well as hopefully having success in keeping some of the harder to keep corals. Obviously you cannot just expect to be able to keep these more difficult corals just because you are running a mud based system – you must still ensure that you have optimal water parameters and that the requirements for the livestock in question are met.
Implementing a mud based filtration system is fairly straightforward. It is best to have an aquarium which is split into three or four sections. This can be accomplished yourself using glass and baffles or you can have one made for you at your local fish shop.
The first area is where the live rock is placed and is where the water from the display aquarium, via the overflow(s), enters the filtration aquarium. The purpose of this section is to remove any large detritus from the water as well as break up any air bubbles. Using live rock in this area is a good idea rather than another type of media as it is a natural filtration medium and will actively help in filtering the water rather than hindering it as other types of media could do.
The second section is where the mud is placed as well as the macro algae (caulerpa etc). The mud is poured into this section and the macro algae planted within it. To give the macro algae a chance to put its roots down trap it gently under a piece of live rock. Once the macro algae takes hold the piece of live rock can be removed. It is advisable to add a few varieties of macro algae as some may not take root. Caulerpa is one species which does tend to do well and there are numerous varieties available. Because of the amount of water flow which can be created in the central chamber some people choose to create small containers 1 inch or so high and 1-2 inches apart in the bottom of the chamber. This prevents the mud from moving around and building up in a pile at one end of the chamber.
The third or fourth section is where the return pump is located and is protected from the second central section via a baffle of some type or even more chunks of live rock contained in a chamber. If you are running this mud aquarium as your sump then your heaters for example can also go in this area.
A couple of fluorescent tubes will suffice for the lighting above the mud section and should remain on for 24 hours per day. As said attempt to use tubes which are designed for plant life as this will help the macro algae grow.
Because of the mud releasing essential elements into the water the mud bed will eventually expire, therefore it is recommended that half of the mud bed is replaced about every two years however I would recommend that you rely upon the manufacturers recommendations in this area.
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What Is Natural Aquarium Filtration
August 15, 2008
There is one thing that I have learnt in all my years of keeping aquariums – do not underestimate nature!
It still amazes me today how powerful natural aquarium filtration actually is and how many ways there are to actually filter an aquarium or provide additional nutrient export by using the power of mother nature.
Nowadays whenever I am asked for my recommendation as to the best way to filter a marine aquarium I always mention natural filtration. In my opinion and this is purely my opinion live rock mixed with a remote deep sand bed has to be the ultimate natural based filtration available at this moment in time.
The prime advantage of using natural based filtration methods is its efficiency and the advantages that it gives to the aquarist.
A lot of people however have never heard of natural filtration never mind actually understand what it is.
So what is natural filtration?
Any filtration technique applied to an aquarium actually does have an element of nature in it – the bacteria however in a lot of occasions the container upon/in which the bacteria lives is not natural – it is manmade.
A good example of the above would be a canister filter. The bacteria is natural, however the holding device if you will has been manufactured.
Therefore a good way to explain natural filtration is that it is where the bacteria live in any area which has not been manufactured by man.
This is not a set rule however as there are exceptions to natural filtration. One of which would be using macro algae as a nutrient export tool.
Numerous natural filtration methods can be employed in the home aquarium. Some can be implemented for use as a primary filtration method whilst others can be utilised as an additional nutrient export tool.
As already stated natural filtration can be and is an exceptionally powerful tool. Think about the ocean – it is huge, however the natural filtration devices which are in use in the ocean are very similar to what we can use.
The rock structures on the coral reefs are similar to live rock filtration, grass beds are similar to a refugium/macro algae, mangrove swamps are a much larger scale of mangrove usage in the aquarium etc.
Can you see how powerful this type of filtration can be. The ocean has been filtered this way for millions of years and it can and does work in the aquarium.
Although our aquarium are minute compared to the size of the worlds oceans the end result is the same – excellent water parameters.
There is a point which needs to be made however, the filtration has been termed as natural filtration simply because it is similar to what is used in nature or is the same as is used in nature but on a much smaller scale but there will always be an element of human involvement.
That’s right – the care and maintenance. As with all things in this hobby the correct care and maintenance techniques need to be applied and this is no different with natural aquarium filtration. Nature can again be involved in this area for example using hermit crabs, snails etc to keep the rocks/sand clean however there will always be a time where we need to get involved to keep it just right and running at optimum efficiency.
If you are just starting out in this hobby or already have an aquarium and are using man-made filtration then I really recommend that you at least consider natural based aquarium filtration. It is absolutely amazing how powerful it actually is.
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The Canister Filter – A Thing Of The Past Or Still Useful?
July 14, 2008
Technology marches on and there are quite a few devices that are available for use with a marine system. The canister filter is not new and has been with us for a considerable period.
Canister filters are made by quite a few manufacturers. They are usually shaped, err, like a canister, though there are models available that are square. As time has passed they have become very reliable.
A canister filter could be considered a closed circuit. Seawater is delivered to the unit down a flexible tube, passes through the canister media and is then returned to the aquarium through another flexible tube powered by a built-in pump. It is best if the intake and outlet are at opposite ends of the aquarium, though perhaps this is not so important nowadays when the high flow rates within the aquarium are considered. Nevertheless, it is best to keep the intake and outlet apart.
What can the canister be used for? Biological filtration is the first use that comes to mind. Though filtration this way has been superseded by live rock an aquarium can still be successful using a canister, and many aquarists still do. The cost of live rock is high, and so canisters find a use. They need to be filled with a good bio-media, and this media needs to be protected by efficient mechanical filtration, such as sponges and filter wool. The cleaner the bio-media is kept, that is, kept clear of sediment, the better. The canister needs to be sized to the size of the aquarium, and the manufacturer’s specifications will include recommendations. One point about these recommendations – the flow rate advised by some manufacturers is often with the canister empty, when it is filled with media it will be less. Consideration can be given to using two smaller canisters so there is a backup. The canisters can be serviced alternately.
Cleaning the mechanical media in the bio-filter is important otherwise the seawater flow will decrease. It is a good idea to clean this media after two weeks. It may be that it remains reasonably clean in which case increase the period to three weeks and so forth. Sometimes it is recommended that the filter should be cleaned when there is a noticeable reduction in the flow rate. This is not really acceptable because for this to happen the media will be very dirty. By cleaning and checking the condition of the mechanical media the aquarist can arrive at a reasonable service period. A watch should always be kept on flow rates even with more regular cleaning because of the importance of bio-filtration – a failure or reduction could result in serious consequences. In addition, the bio-media itself must never be washed in tap water as this will kill the bacteria. If cleaning is essential then seawater should be used, and this can be at a routine change using the old seawater. The media should be very gently stirred with the fingers under the seawater to remove dust and debris. It will never look ‘as new’ but this doesn’t matter.
If the filter is used for bio purposes then the seawater leaving the filter will be low in oxygen. This is because the bacteria that carry out the bio-filtration function are oxygen hungry. The oxygen can easily be replenished by releasing the returning seawater at the surface.
There is an important point with bio-filtration in a canister filter. This is that the ‘Nitrogen Cycle’ will arrive at nitrate and stop. The ‘Nitrogen Cycle’ is the process where bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite, then the nitrite to nitrate. A watch should be kept on nitrate levels, though this should be done in any marine system anyway.
If other means of bio-filtration are in use then the canister is not redundant. It can be used for purely mechanical purposes, that is trapping detritus that is in the seawater. In this case only mechanical filtration such as sponge and filter wool are in use, and these can be washed under the tap. If they are showing any deterioration they should be replaced. This of course also applies to the mechanical filtration within the bio-filter.
The canister can also be used for activated carbon and/or anti-phosphate media. These are put in after the mechanical filtration. Certain anti-phosphate media types with a very fine particle size are usually better in a fluidized reactor, as in a canister they could tend to clog. Cleaning the mechanical filtration area is the same as above, and a note should be made of when the activated carbon and/or anti-phosphate media are due for renewal.
There is another use for the canister. If a small canister set up as a bio-filter is kept running on the display aquarium, or better the sump as connection is easier and the intakes/outlets will not be seen, then a permanently ready bio-filtration unit will be at hand. This is useful for those aquarists who have wisely used a small aquarium for quarantine purposes. This could be required again for quarantine of a new arrival, or as a hospital area for a fish with a problem. There isn’t a need to keep this aquarium full of seawater, but if required it can be filled and the bio-filter is ready.
So the canister filter is not out of date. Modern types are very reliable and much easier to service than the older models, which could be fiddly. Having a canister in the system could certainly be useful.
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Aquarium Filter Media – Is There Such A Thing As The Best One
July 8, 2008
The function of the filtration is to ensure that the relevant nutrients in the water are processed. These nutrients occur due to the inhabitants being kept in a closed environment – the aquarium.
Of course life in the ocean also creates waste yet the ocean is so vast that the waste/nutrients are controlled. Look at the oceans filtration – huge sumps, loads of live rock, the biggest deep sand beds ever, mangrove swamps etc.
In our aquariums fish and food are the biggest problems. As soon as you add fish to the aquarium there is a requirement for you to feed it. The trouble is the majority of aquarists unfortunately overfeed. Not on purpose I hasten to add feeding is a pleasurable time and as aquarists we all want to ensure that our fish are well fed.
Fish being fish though will just eat. This is a natural response and is primarily because they do not know when their next meal will come, therefore the gorge.
This causes the problem. There is a lot of food which does not get eaten and starts to decay, other food is passed through the fish’s digestive system either un-digested or partially digested as they ate to much, normal faeces plus urine.
Unless this waste is broken down and processed by the aquariums filtration system then before long the fish will be living in a nutrient loaded soup.
Not nice as I am sure you will agree.
This is why it is so important that a good filtration system is implemented. There are various types of filtration which can be utilised in the aquarium some of which are listed below:
- Canister Filter
- Internal Filter
- Fluidised Filter
- Plenum
- Deep Sand Bed
- Live Rock
In the above examples there are some of these which require filter media. Filter media can be many things – sponge, ceramic rings, plastic balls etc, however it can also be sand or even rock. For example the filter media used in a deep sand bed is the sand itself and the filter media used in live rock is rock.
There are a lot of people who see filter media as being something which is man-made which is added to the aquarium. It is of my opinion that filter media is anything where the required bacteria can function.
Any type of filter media can and will work. The issue is not about where the bacteria live it is how the filtration itself is maintained and how efficient the filtration is.
A good example of this is a sponge filter media. When the filter media is working efficiently the sponge will be clean and not clogged in any way, however over time the sponge if not maintained correctly will become clogged and the efficiency of the filtration will decline.
Another example would be live rock. If the live rock is not kept clean by either manual methods or by the introduction of a natural clean up crew then the filtration may not work at a level of efficiency which is could do if it was clean.
I do admit that there are some filtration media which does allow for more nutrients to be converted. The majority of filtration media finishes at the creation of nitrate. A deep sand bed, live rock or the two combined when maintained correctly will allow for the processing of nitrate as well.
Maybe the article should have been titled ‘Aquarium Filter Media – Which is The Most Efficient’ as it is of my opinion that there is no such thing as the best filter media…just the most efficient.
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Addition To My Deep Sand Bed
June 10, 2008
My soft coral reef has been running in excess of 5½ years. 3½ years ago I decided to add a DSB (deep sand bed).
I know the above periods are correct as I keep a notebook.
The aquarium was running without any problem, the decision to incorporate a DSB was driven by interest. I wanted to see if I could develop a bed that was full of life as described in various articles.
I haven’t the space for a full size DSB, that is one of the size that follows the guideline. It had to go in-tank as well, and fortunately there is a divider in the tank separating the display area from the pump area. The DSB went in the pump area and is very approximately about one twelfth of the base area of the whole aquarium, or perhaps even less. Therefore any effect on the seawater would be minimal (nitrate reduction for example) but, as said, I wanted one out of interest.
It was constructed with fine sand to a depth of just over 4″ (circa 10 cm). I remember that though I had cleaned the sand as best I could, the display looked like it was wreathed in a thick fog for quite a time. After a few hours it cleared without any ill effects.
The DSB sat there looking very clean and tidy for quite a time. Then I obtained a small amount of sand from Peter’s DSB and laid it on the top. This sand was fairly coarse and sits in a very thin layer on top of the fine sand.
The hope for life appeared, and also no doubt some of it took up residence after moving from the display area. The display area when viewed at night with a torch is quite rich with little shrimps, snails and the like.
After about 6 months the surface of the DSB was a small sea of short waving tentacles, which belonged to small life forms trying to find food in their immediate area. In addition there were a lot of tiny shrimps running about – this was at night when viewed with a torch. In addition there were a few creatures, very small about ¼” (circa 6mm), which swam about, their eyeballs being picked out by the torchlight. The looked a little like brine shrimp but they were not.
This went on, with me feeding the DSB once weekly with small frozen fish pieces. When the fish went in the worms popped their heads up quite quickly, recognising that lunch had arrived.
The worms obviously lived in the sand, but I started wondering were the little shrimps etc lived. The DSB is flat – maybe they were in the sand too? Seemed a bit unlikely to me, but I never managed to track anything back to its lair.
I wondered if I could provide a better habitat for the tiny life. Therefore, 6 weeks ago, I placed some rock rubble at one end of the DSB. The rubble was that from the original rock that I had used to construct the reef – inert and very porous.
The rock is very light which is good, it won’t compact the DSB. The rubble pieces are around ½” to ¾” and form a light layer about 6″ wide and 8″ long. The major area of the DSB remains flat sand.
There has been a clear increase in the DSB population. The tiny shrimps have increased the most, and to a lesser extent so have the ’swimming eyeballs.’ Feeding the DSB has not been increased, so it seems that the noted increase in the population is down to the rubble that went in. So that was a success.
I have kept a watchful eye on the condition of the DSB throughout its life, and particularly after the rubble went in – I was watching for signs of compaction, that is, dark areas appearing in the sand below the rubble. There hasn’t been any indication of any problem.
Though the DSB may assist to an extent with seawater quality, there are two things that have occurred: first I have to make sure that when the grid to the pump area is open during maintenance a fish does not gain entry and eat any inhabitants. Second, when my wife is in bed quietly reading, sometimes I can be found sitting on the floor in the dark, face against the aquarium glass with torch in hand.
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I’ve Got Bio-Balls, Will I Be Ok?
May 27, 2008
No, no, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick! It’s not some horrible problem at all, but to do with aquariums.
Marine aquariums need bio-filtration, and this is provided by bacteria. The bacteria of course need a place to live and to avail oneself of this free service from nature the aquarist must provide them with a suitable home.
The bacteria operate what is called the Nitrogen Cycle, either fully or in part. To operate in part is easy, all that is required is plenty of oxygen plus ammonia and then nitrite. The bacteria will change the ammonia to nitrite, and then the nitrite will be changed to nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic, and nitrate much less so.
To support livestock it is enough to do only as in the previous paragraph. The toxic ammonia and nitrite are dealt with. Nitrate is left and this should not harm anything at very low levels.
However, the levels will slowly increase beyond the guideline (for a reef system) which is 10ppm (parts per million) or less. One way of reducing the level is with routine seawater changes. These changes are good for other reasons and should be completed, however nitrate could increase in spite of them. Nitrate increases are not desirable as the appearance of nuisance algae may occur.
Nature has a remedy but it cannot occur where there is oxygen present in any normal amount. The bacteria that reduce nitrate need an environment that is very low in oxygen – this forces the bacteria to extract oxygen from the nitrate thus removing it (it converts to gas and escapes the aquarium).
So bio-balls are a good medium for oxygen hungry bacteria, but not for bacteria that deal with nitrate.
If nature is going to assist with nitrate reduction, a denitrator (a so-called nitrate ’reactor’) could be used. Better, live rock can be used. Live rock has surfaces that can be used by oxygen needing bacteria, and well inside are areas for the nitrate bacteria. Live rock with a DSB (deep sand bed) is even better.
So if an aquarist is using bio-balls the answer is yes, it will be all right, except that the bacteria will produce nitrate and that will be the end of nature’s assistance.
If bio-balls are in use in addition to sufficient live rock (and perhaps a DSB) then the bio-balls can be removed, but remove them a few at a time over a period of weeks. This will allow any bio-load that was supported by the balls to be taken up gradually by the other media.
If the bio-balls were the only media, then none must be removed straightaway. Introduce sufficient live rock into the aquarium, wait a week or two, then commence removing the bio-balls a few at a time as already described. It would be of little use introducing, say, a canister filter for bio-filtration as the end product is the same – nitrate.
A good few years ago bio-filtration methods included balls. Times have changed.
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