Best sump design with refugium

[Erica-Renee]

Like this: simple 2 chambers

This would make a good fuge . very similar to how mine is.

 

[PaPaX6]

I am just trying to get ideas of how to set up a fuge. Do you set it up right away in a new tank or do you wait some time?
You all are throwing out great information with lots to consider. Thank you for your time.
You all are awesome
William.

 

[Erica-Renee]

I am just trying to get ideas of how to set up a fuge. Do you set it up right away in a new tank or do you wait some time?
You all are throwing out great information with lots to consider. Thank you for your time.
You all are awesome
William.

I would plan and setup the hardware right away.Meaning tanks, plumbing , Lighting. Rather to start stocking it would depend on what you plan to have in it.. Mine is to culture pods reduce nutrients and Well I like the Plants..

 

[McPikie]

I'd leave the cheato until you start to see a rise in nitrates, then get it in there. Mine wouldn't grow cheato for months after I first started.

 

[shred5]

I would do something along the lines of the below image. Place the refugium on one end, with a tall baffle. That will increase the volume of the fuge. Tee off the return pump with a valve to control the flow into the fuge.

I would also design the set up to not need check valves. When there is a power outage, you want to minimize the amount of water that will drain back into the sump from the DT (overflow box, return piping, etc). Also the sump should have enough free space to hold all the water that drains down during a power outage.

I think this or a separate is the best way to go if under the tank..
Put the skimmer to the left of the main pump and tee off to feed a separate fuge.

Really the best is over the tank and gravity fed but that is not possible for most so the above is the best.

I would also filter the water for particulates because algae especially chaeto can become detritus traps which totally defeats the purpose.

 

[madweazl]

I havent seen many with the return section in the middle; not sure why this would be more or less desirable than a typical setup.

 

[Reef-junky]

You could end up with air pockets in those horizontal runs of pipe.

 

[PaPaX6]

This is the sump I am looking to use. it holds 4 socks. duel inlets. The blue things hold media, I think. A place for a skimmer and pump but not really anyplace for a fuge.

 

[PaPaX6]

I also have this one that came with my tank but I don't think it's as good as the other.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Triton recommends high flow through a Refugium, I believe the theory was that ammonia would have a better chance of making it to the fuge with higher flow.

 

[Reef-junky]

Do you have an emergency drain?

 

[Erica-Renee]

You could get either to work for a TINY Fuge if you use a external pump by drilling bulkhead.. Can you stack them and connect with bulkheads or put them side by side. NOT Sure there dimensions or the room you have.

 

[PaPaX6]

Do you have an emergency drain?

My tank is 200 gal with overflows in both corners. It does not have one.

 

[PaPaX6]

You could get either to work for a TINY Fuge if you use a external pump by drilling bulkhead.. Can you stack them and connect with bulkheads or put them side by side. NOT Sure there dimensions or the room you have.

The one without socks is 34" x 12" x 12". The other with socks I have not measured yet but its taller about 12" wide and I guess about 24" long. I have not built the stand yet so I could see about setting them side by side and use the 34" as a fuge.
What you think?

 

[Reef-junky]

There are two schools of thought on sumps

My tank is 200 gal with overflows in both corners. It does not have one.

I would take one those valves off in case one side plugs.

 

[Rcpilot]

You can put a refugium above the display tank and use a power head to feed it. Run a drain back to the display.

 

[Reef-junky]

You can put a refugium above the display tank and use a power head to feed it. Run a drain back to the display.

U can but not a good set up in general. For one thing you will end up topping off the DT instead of the sump. Then there’s the fact that the return pump will be in the DT.

 

[Rcpilot]

U can but not a good set up in general. For one thing you will end up topping off the DT instead of the sump. Then there’s the fact that the return pump will be in the DT.

No ya wouldn't.

Refugium on the top
Display tank in the middle
Sump under the display tank

Power off sequence:
refugium is going to drain down until the water gets below the overflow teeth
it drains into the display
the display is going to drain down until the water gets below the overflow teeth
the sump catches all the excess

The evaporation still shows in the return section of your sump. You'd still top off in the sump.

You could feed the refugium with the return pump or a powerhead in the display tank. Makes no difference. It all drains to the sump when the power is off. All the evaporation will be noticed in the sump - in the return section.

Obviously, this is a quick sketch - no baffles drawn. No powerhead or tee line to feed the refugium.

 

[PaPaX6]

Interesting thought. However i do not have the room above.

 

[Reef-junky]

No ya wouldn't.

Refugium on the top
Display tank in the middle
Sump under the display tank

Power off sequence:
refugium is going to drain down until the water gets below the overflow teeth
it drains into the display
the display is going to drain down until the water gets below the overflow teeth
the sump catches all the excess

The evaporation still shows in the return section of your sump. You'd still top off in the sump.

You could feed the refugium with the return pump or a powerhead in the display tank. Makes no difference. It all drains to the sump when the power is off. All the evaporation will be noticed in the sump - in the return section.

Obviously, this is a quick sketch - no baffles drawn. No powerhead or tee line to feed the refugium.

Thought he was wanting to have the sump up top not split like that. You can buy HOB sumps as well but why not just hang it on the main sump then. Unless the stand has a back to it.