sump--order of chambers? and place for frags?

[LaurieC]

I'm looking to add a 55G or larger sump to my tank and I've read pro and con for skimmer-return-fuge and also skimmer-fuge-return sump designs, but I'd like to know what the reefers who have been using sumps have to say about order preference and why--advice? Also, I would like to add a frag section or rack to the sump design so any thoughts on where this would best go in the design would be greatly appreciated too. Thanks!!

 

[rkaragozler]

I like doing left chamber for skimmer, center for return, and right for fuge. this order will give you the flow you want thru the fuge. If you set it up the other way their is no way of adjusting flow. And I personally would not add a frag rack in the fuge. you would need to add extra lighting, and most of your debri goes their as well, just make a frag rack using eggcrate glued on a magnet that you use to clean the glass with, this way you can start at the bottom of the tank and raise to acclimate to lighting conditions.

 

[aagresti]

just tagging along. very interested to here the responses.

 

[rkaragozler]

here is a sample of a fuge I built for a member here, It is a 55 gallon with a side fuge.
the order is fuge, return, skimmer.

 

[NYreefNoob]

drain goes into compartment for skimmer, then fuge then return. reasoning behind is you want the skimmer to skimmer the water from the tank then it further gets the bennifits of the fuge and an area for pods ect to grow then the return, this will allow the pods as they spawn and release a chance to get back into tank

 

[nanchil]

drain goes into compartment for skimmer, then fuge then return. reasoning behind is you want the skimmer to skimmer the water from the tank then it further gets the bennifits of the fuge and an area for pods ect to grow then the return, this will allow the pods as they spawn and release a chance to get back into tank

+1


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[bigdog1428]

I like doing left chamber for skimmer, center for return, and right for fuge. this order will give you the flow you want thru the fuge. If you set it up the other way their is no way of adjusting flow. And I personally would not add a frag rack in the fuge. you would need to add extra lighting, and most of your debri goes their as well, just make a frag rack using eggcrate glued on a magnet that you use to clean the glass with, this way you can start at the bottom of the tank and raise to acclimate to lighting conditions.

rich built my sump also,, i think its more practical bc u have a better flow to the return pump this way. u filter the water thru the skimmer,,,and then u filter the water thru ur fuge with the marco algae in there ,,so ur getting the best of both worlds

 

[NYreefNoob]

if the fuge is on the other end how is it getting flow if the drain is on same side of the skimmer ?

 

[bigdog1428]

The drain is in the middle compartment ,, and five is on right ,, and skimmer left ,, I'm controlling the flow wit a ball valve to the fuge


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[NYreefNoob]

so you have a pump pushing water over into the fuge area ? and how many compartments u have in sump ?

 

[rkaragozler]

Let me clarify the set up that was built for bigdog.
left side is skimmer
center is return
right side is fuge
how it works is the drain line is t'd off 1 side going to the skimmer with no ball valve, and the other side going into the fuge with a valve, the fuge gets raw water from the dt on the right side, then spills over to the center chamber.
the skimmer side also gets raw water but is skimmed then flows in the center chamber. you adjust the amount of flow the the fuge side by the valve. I hope this helped.

 

[bigdog1428]

Thank u for clarifying ,, damn iPhone changing words on me ,, and I look like a retard


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[LaurieC]

And from what I read 75% of the water should drain to the skimmer section and 25% drains to the ffuge in this type of set up? Is it true that the skimmer section should be snug for the skimmer to work better? Where does the heater, UV and phosban reactor go--in the return? And what about any doser and probes?

 

[rkaragozler]

i like a lot of room in the skimmer area, the reason is their is a lot of water that is going thru the skimmer creating bubbles, these bubbles need to dissapte before going into the return. yes approxamitly 75 to 25 ratio heater could go anywhere, uv is usually ran external, phosban is also ran external, probes could go in the return chamber, and doser hoses need to go int return area, they need to go where their is sufficent flow.

 

[richardhmc]

here is my sump.

refuge on left
return in middle
skimmer, intake on right.

I love the fact that I can control the amount of water going into the fuge. The water coming out of my fuge is slow and I can actually see amphipods having a good ole time in there. If it were faster, I don't know how that would affect their population and whatnot but I like control

 

[rkaragozler]

nice setup rich

 

[Imbarrie]

I don't like the idea of raw drain going into the fuge. You are over working the macro for no reason. Your skimmer removes the most nutrients so you should send all your drain there first then pass through your fuge.
This way the macro can work more efficiently because it deals with less DOC.
JMO


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