AquaVim Eco-smart Sump Combo
Introduction
The latest technology in saltwater
aquarium keeping tells us, the best filtration for marine lives in an enclosed
system is not mainly achieved through mechanical screening or chemical neutralization,
but through ecological balancing of bio organism in diversity that resembles the
great nature. By providing basic elements of natural habitats of thriving
marine communities, with an adapting structure of living environment, you
establish a life mechanism to work by itself. We put this new technology to test
in our research facilities starting in the beginning of 2005. The reported results
were so convincing that we determined to launch AquaVim's
Eco-smart Sump Combo series and make them available to AquaVim's Ocean
View or Moon View aquarium owners,
so that AquaVim customers can enjoy the goodness this system brings.
Unlike
traditional wet-dry filter,
a protein skimmer is not required with AquaVim Eco-smart sump system.
In fact, a protein skimmer that is too powerful would "eat
up" too much nutrients, curbing the
reproduction and growth of microorganism that are beneficial to fish and corals.
The purpose of the protein skimmer included in the combo is not to remove all,
but excessive organic wastes, in water.
Traditional
wet-dry filters are widely considered the best solution to ammonia and nitrite,
the two substances toxic to fish and corals. The problem is, wet-dry filters
mainly work, not by erasing, but by converting ammonia and nitrite, into nitrate,
through a natural process known as the nitrogen cycle. Nitrate is less toxic to
fish but harmful to corals.
AquaVim’s Eco-smart sump system works the best for aquariums with corals when used with refugium mud and micro algae plants. Caulerpa, available in many aquarium stores, is a micro algae plant known to consume nitrate. You can also use mangrove, shaving brush, halimeda. These plants turn nitrate into gas, which evaporates into the air. A lighting fixture, preferably being kept on all time, is needed by caulerpa plants.
UV sterilizer is not required either. If you want to use it to curb algae, you don't want it to overkill. A UV light too powerful can kill some good microorganism, even corals. The natural way to curb algae is by putting algae eaters like certain snails, hermit crabs, and blenny fish, sea stars, urchins, etc., into your aquarium.
AquaVim’s Eco-smart sump is the best filtration system on the market that successfully combines both wet-dry and ecological filtering technologies, that gives the users freedom of adjusting their firing targets - either ammonia/nitrite, or nitrate, or both, according to their needs, by simply lowering or raising the bio balls in the media chamber.
Installation of AquaVim Eco-smart Sump combo version 1:
Use included thread male tapes on threads, use PVC glue only if you have to - you want to be sure you can undo your work and change later if they don't fit. If you want to use a 45 degree elbow instead of 90 degree one, if you believe a flexible hose is easier to work with than a hard PVC, or if you prefer to use an adapter to reduce the outlet or inlet size, get from Home Depot - our plumbing sets are standard and fitting parts are easy to find on the market.
1). Hook up the tubing with protein skimmer and its pumps. Connect any other equipment you may want to use, such as a chiller. Drill additional holes on the cover if the original 3 pre-drilled holes are not enough for the purpose.
2). Use included PVC tubing, elbows, adapters, and hose, to connect the main pump through the holes of the covers, to the small bulkhead of the main tank.
3). Use adapter, and/or slip joints, and hose, to extend the large bulkhead of the main tank to the inside of the back room next to media room. If there is a black sponge in the room, take it out, you don't need it now. You want the hose reach to the middle level of the room, so that draining water will not splash and cause too much noise.
4). Open the drip plate, and set the media rack to the level you want, then put in large bio balls. We suggest, you set the rack on high level if all your water and live rocks are new, or if you keep fish only. If you will keep both fish and corals, you can lower the rack to middle level after water with live rocks has been cycled for 3 months. You can lower the rack to the bottom and completely submerge the bio balls in water if you keep mainly corals. Remember: Exposing all the bio ball in the air maximizes the wet-dry filter's ammonia/nitrite-breaking power, and submerging the bio ball in water lets the ecological system take over the work on nitrate reduction.
5). Insert screen walls, put small bio balls into the wall. Cover the balls with the included glass cover.
6). Put in refugium mud, or "Miracle mud", into refugium room, ideally to 3 ~ 4 inch thick.
7). Fill the sump with water, until the refugium room is half full. Then put in plants.
8). Water level: The water level in the sump can be between the level that your pump start pumping tiny air bubbles into the main tank, and the level where there is enough extra room to hold water coming down from the main tank after you stop you pump.
9). It's commonly known that protein skimmer needs to be adjusted to prime. Above the yellow sponge, there is a valve for the purpose. We recommend to empty the waste cup once every 10 to 20 days. You can adjust the valve either the waste accumulates too soon or too late.
AquaVim Eco-smart Sump combo version 1
Installation of AquaVim Eco-smart Sump combo version 2:
Following all instruction above, except, skip step 5.
AquaVim Eco-smart Sump combo version 2