Is there any reason I can't or shouldn't put live rock in each section of my sump? I am thinking about turning the middle section into a refugium and moving my sexy shrimp into it instead of my nano tank so I would have one less tank to take care of. Would this work or is it a bad idea? Right now the middle of the sump is pretty full of live rock.
hmm...so let me have a sip of coffee and think about this..gulp gulp gulp..
ok..i have gone down this road before in my sumps...I had rock in a section and had to use egg crate with a mesh to keep the critters in the section so they would not into another section and wind up in a propeller shaft of a pump.
It did work but became a trap for all the debris and required cleaning..I then put the rocks up on a platform which helped in cleaning..
Current sump has rocks in a section, they are big and porous so cleaning is easy...\new sump will have a section with bio bricks in it so cleaning and flow will be increased...the big rocks will be cut and used to make more arches in the new tank.
I did the refug on the 140 back in the day and it was just a big mess to deal with and again had to put up a mesh to prevent anything from getting into the next section...
On the 300 this algae scrubber prototype #2 I built is doing amazing.. I have a design for prototype #3 on paper right now..Still working on improvements...sooon I will have a new one built...to share...
The new tank is in the building cue line...gonna be a month or so, since I asked them to do it on their slow times, thus getting a price break,,,acrylic has almost doubled in price...
The over flow is gonna be 30x23x6...I am going to improve it by designing a insert with a pre filter section along with a carbon chamber before the water goes down the drains.
Your idea is good just be ready for extra cleaning...
idea for your, my new sump will be wrapped so it is dark, creating a "dark sump" no light which will create a environment for things like sponges/tube worms etc that will help filter water vs a light refug..I will make an insert "square tank" with some bio blocks in it , with some hermit craps and shrimp with built in screens..
You could make a dark section in yours and do the same or get a plastic container and make it a insert so that you can lift it out to clean...
I hope this help you brain storm...I need cup #2..be back
