Clueless Newbie Sump Plans (Need input)

[snailpoo]

What have I gotten myself into?


So, I've got a 30 gallon long, and I'm trying to build a sump for this thing. I have an overflow box (1.5 drain) and a wet/dry filter from aquacrylics, this thing. I plan on using a 10 gallon tank (unfortunately the stand of a 30 gallon long is rather small).

Instead of using the wet/dry for bioballs, I'm going to use the wet/dry box as a refugium (the box is clear acrylic). The wet/dry is the box on the right of the diagram.

I plan to install three baffles, 1 inch apart, with the first baffle 9 inches tall, the second baffle 9 inches tall and 1 inch off the bottom of the tank, and the third baffle 8 inches tall. The return area, on the left side of the diagram below, is 6x10x8. Is that enough to deal with evaporation? I'm constrained because the right of baffles is set to include the wet/dry box and the in and out flows from the protein skimmer (and heater).

I plan on using a Fluval 304 as a return pump.

Ideas and suggestions welcome.

 

[meschaefer]

Get rid of the trickle filter, there is no need for it. That will open up some space for you. You need to have enough space in it that your pump doesn't run dry to quickly, so you need to know how much you evaporate in a day. Once you know that you can figure out how much space you need in the return chamber. Then use a tank volume calculator to figure out how big to make it.

Gt rid of the fluval, and get a pump.

 

[snailpoo]

How do I fit in a refugium, do I skip that all together?

 

[meschaefer]

I don't think you have room for an efficient refugium the space it to constrained. If you want to grow some macro algae, just throw it in the sump with a light on it.

 

[snailpoo]

I don't think you have room for an efficient refugium the space it to constrained. If you want to grow some macro algae, just throw it in the sump with a light on it.

Thanks!

I'm so glad I took your advice and jammed as much room into the return area as possible. I lose a gallon of water every three days, and under my old plans...