20L sump?

[Atg]

What is the best way to build the chambers
Intake/skimmer-fuge-Return
or intake/skimmer-return-fuge
and about 8 1/2 or 9inch high baffles

 

[Boogie]

Either works fine. The advantage (in my opinion, not a pro) to center return is you can control the flow through the fuge (usually much slower is prefered). If you are starting from scratch I would do the center return option if skimmer and return pump sizing allow it.

 

[Atg]

so i just T the inlet from the overflow then a ball valve and back down into fuge area? needs a ball valve on both sides of the T ?

 

[Boogie]

The way i do mine is probably wrong (lol) but I have the inlet go into sump without a T. The water goes through the LR chamber, sump chamber then into return chamber. I then have a manifold set up (T would be fine too) that adds water into my fuge chamber. My fuzzy logic was that having it feed the fuge AFTER the filtration would keep the big chunks out of said fuge.

Most examples I have seen are as you describe. T in the inlet tube, one ball valve on the fuge side as you don't need to restrict the remainder of the flow to the sump.

 

[cdness]

I didn't like my center return sump that I had on my 75. When I built my 125 I did the Skimmer -> Fuge -> Return. I felt that there just wasn't enough flow to the fuge when I had them split.

Also with a 20L do you really have the room needed for a successful fuge? It doesn't give you much to work with... When I ran a 20L sump I had a 10G fuge plumbed behind the 20L up on a stand and it drained into the 20L. Just an idea, but 10G tanks can be a PITA to drill.

 

[Zombie]

This is how I had my 20L sump set up running on a 30 gallon tank.
Use the valve to slow or increase the return to the display and the time the water stays in the filter.
Put a filter bag behind the skimmer. Run the return hose/s into the filter bag (Not in the picture)

 

[dh350twin]

nice

 

[SAZAMA]

swc...
here is my 20L

 

[99taws6]

Skimmer-return-fuge for said reasons. Mainly ability to slow down the flow.

It is best to use a Y with a ball valve on the fuge side. A Y will allow for better flow and you want to feed from the overflow to get the most nutrient rich water for your fuge. If your overflow is like most you won't get any big chunks that will do any harm.