DIY sump and refugium advise - 29 gallon +20 long

[mjr]

I was planing on using a 20 long I have as the sump, but decided to pick up a 29 gallon as well. I'd like to use the 29 as a fuge and put a few fish and cleaner shrimp in there. My idea is to drain into the 29 with a filter sock, and have the 29 gravity feed to the 20 long where I will have the skimmer, return pump, ato and reactors.

Any thoughts on this approach? I am on the fence and am tempted to just setup without a refugium. I am still deciding whether I should order the additional bulkheads and drill the 29.

Here's a quick sketch is put together.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Looks good to me. Nice drawing.

 

[mtnrunner]

I like. How will you keep algae from growing in the 20 gal if you put a light over the refugium?

 

[mjr]

I like. How will you keep algae from growing in the 20 gal if you put a light over the refugium?

Well, that is why I post the idea here first to get more experienced reefers questions like that. I guess I should plan some sort of barrier. I could black out the back of the refugium with some paint or something.

Do people typically keep their sumps in total darkness to avoid any algae? If so, I could easily build a partition to keep the sump totally dark.

 

[gtbarsi]

You could paint the fuge, that would be enough. Complete darkness is not necessary, but away from direct light is good.

 

[mjr]

Thanks. I'll plan to paint the fuge. I want to have an access panel on the front of the tank and maybe even have the fuge visible depending on whet livestock ends up in there. An opaque coating on the back will make it look nicer, too.

 

[mjr]

Planning the drain plumbing now and starting to fit the skimmer, pump, and ato. Those will all eventually go in the 20 long, but since the dimensions are about the same as the 29 I can fit it in there and transfer it over once I have the 20 empty.

Any thoughts on this drain plumbing design and DIY filter sock holder? I need to get this decided before I finalize the sump setup. My return pump will max out at 450 gallons per hour. Although I might run the drain as a siphon, I want to makes sure it can handle the full volume on gravity feed alone. According to what I have read, two 1" drains feeding to a 2" manifold should be safe.

Any thoughts on pros and cons of this approach would be much appreciated. Am I missing anything?

 

[mjr]

Looks good to me. Nice drawing.

Thanks. Not sure which part of the hobby I like better so far. The building or enjoying the finished product.

 

[dorky]

My thought is why not put the sump with the skimmer in where the drain n have it gravity feed into the 20l or refugium and return. I was thinking how most people have their sump/fuge set up into three different chambers. Skimmer x fuge x return. Skimmer can break down organic stuff more effectively at the beginning n the fuge In the middle will already have clean water while algaes can handle exporting nutrition and allow the pods to thrives successfully and can travel true the dt without ending up in the skimmer. The drawing is a great idea it provided so much spaces and I can't wait see ur finish build. I'm doing something like this but using 40b tank with lots of dividers.

 

[mjr]

My thought is why not put the sump with the skimmer in where the drain n have it gravity feed into the 20l or refugium and return. I was thinking how most people have their sump/fuge set up into three different chambers. Skimmer x fuge x return. Skimmer can break down organic stuff more effectively at the beginning n the fuge In the middle will already have clean water while algaes can handle exporting nutrition and allow the pods to thrives successfully and can travel true the dt without ending up in the skimmer. The drawing is a great idea it provided so much spaces and I can't wait see ur finish build. I'm doing something like this but using 40b tank with lots of dividers.

I think I am leaning in this direction. in my initial drawing I have the drain going into a sock, in the refugium. I will probably put the sock, skimmer, auto top off, heaters and whatever other components into the 29 gallon, and have refugium right before the return. Although, I might skip the refugium for now and add it on after the dry sand and dry rocks have cycled.

 

[gtbarsi]

My recommendation is that you get a larger return pump and T off the return line the fuge, make sure you have a good valve in place after the T before the fuge to manage the volume going to it. Then have a gravity drain dumping back in to the return section of the sump. This will allow the sock to handle the mechanical, the skimmer to handle the DOCs, and really small stuff that the sock lets pass through, then the fuge can export nutrients and grow pods.

Additionally your skimmer pump will foul less as it will not be sucking up pods and small bits of algae and grinding them. I am actually in the final planning stages of setting up the same thing with 2 20L tanks for fuge and sump.

Here is my current sump design. The holes over the 1st baffle is where I have the fuge returning, as I wanted to mix the return water well and trap any bubbles.

 

[seamus2050]

My suggestion would be to drain to sump. T-off your return to the refug so you can contol flow. don't foget check valve.

 

[mjr]

So feed the fuge from the return, and drain the fuge into the filter sock? I see many have two socks in their sump. I was planning only one. Is there a gph rating per sock?

 

[seamus2050]

I would put the filter sock on the drain from tank, this will help with micro bubbles. I use cheap polyester fiber fill in a bucket off my drain in the sump. 1 bag about $6 at the W-mart will last a year. If you ever use the poly, make sure it is not the stuff treated with flame retardant.

 

[gtbarsi]

So feed the fuge from the return, and drain the fuge into the filter sock? I see many have two socks in their sump. I was planning only one. Is there a gph rating per sock?

No, never drain the fuge to the filter sock. Drain it back to the return section, or to the baffles before the return section to manage any bubbles.

 

[Pulldeez]

This thread has given me a lot of new ideas on my next tank! Good luck with build!

 

[beaslbob]

This thread has given me a lot of new ideas on my next tank! Good luck with build!

+1

Also and as a warning you should never have to add a check valve ever. Simply design and adjust the system to where floods don't occur. Then check valves are not needed and can cause failures.

my .02

 

[gtbarsi]

I have seen check valves needed on the output side some return pumps.
In those cases it helped with startup so the weight of the entire return water column is not on the pump.

But ideally not needed, and never count on them.

 

[mjr]

+1

Also and as a warning you should never have to add a check valve ever. Simply design and adjust the system to where floods don't occur. Then check valves are not needed and can cause failures.

my .02

I am not sure a check valve would help me at all. My returns are high enough in the tank that even if the water drains back into the sump, the volume will be insignificant. Certainly not enough for a flood.

 

[mjr]

I think i will go for something like this to start. I'll add the fuge in later.

Also, I really may try this before I go for a dedicated sump.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/do-yourself-diy/144659-chaeto-egg-crate-sandwich-idea.html