Best Sump for RedSea Reefer XXL 625

[SteedC]

I am looking for an aftermarket sump for the RedSea Reefer 625. The one that came with it is nice but not ideal especially for the refugium as it does not seem to "tumble" the Chateo Macro Alge and it seems to die off. Wanted to see what others were using.

 

[miPapareef]

I can’t speak to the RSR sump, but is there a reason you want to grow more macro algae.

I don’t think tumbling or sump geometry plays a big role in macro algae health. My experience say it’s more about nutrients and trace elements which need a sufficient flow to be delivered. Also light is critical.

I had a trigger 34 sump on a 75 gallon tank running about 4 times turn over flow rate and a cheap LED grow light. For the first 3-4 months the algae grew and filled the sump. Using Red Sea coral pro salt weekly water change and N at 5 and P at 0.1 For the first few months the tank was up the chaeto grew and filled the sump but never tumbled. Then my P went to undetectable on Hanna ULR, got Dino’s and all macro algae died off. Many attempts of getting new and different macro algae that all died off.

Fast forward to switching to 10x flow rate, raising nutrients up to N 3 and P 0.4, changed light to kessil H80 and dosing iron and iodine, and now the chaeto and other macro algae is over flowing the sump. But still no tumbling.

I guess my point is I’m not sure a new sump or tumbling is the main thing. But it might be flow and nutrients and light.

 

[SteedC]

I can’t speak to the RSR sump, but is there a reason you want to grow more macro algae.

I don’t think tumbling or sump geometry plays a big role in macro algae health. My experience say it’s more about nutrients and trace elements which need a sufficient flow to be delivered. Also light is critical.

I had a trigger 34 sump on a 75 gallon tank running about 4 times turn over flow rate and a cheap LED grow light. For the first 3-4 months the algae grew and filled the sump. Using Red Sea coral pro salt weekly water change and N at 5 and P at 0.1 For the first few months the tank was up the chaeto grew and filled the sump but never tumbled. Then my P went to undetectable on Hanna ULR, got Dino’s and all macro algae died off. Many attempts of getting new and different macro algae that all died off.

Fast forward to switching to 10x flow rate, raising nutrients up to N 3 and P 0.4, changed light to kessil H80 and dosing iron and iodine, and now the chaeto and other macro algae is over flowing the sump. But still no tumbling.

I guess my point is I’m not sure a new sump or tumbling is the main thing. But it might be flow and nutrients and light.

Great thank you for the advice. I had some problems with my macro algae growing I will try your suggestions. Someone else had suggested the tumble.

 

[SteedC]

I can’t speak to the RSR sump, but is there a reason you want to grow more macro algae.

I don’t think tumbling or sump geometry plays a big role in macro algae health. My experience say it’s more about nutrients and trace elements which need a sufficient flow to be delivered. Also light is critical.

I had a trigger 34 sump on a 75 gallon tank running about 4 times turn over flow rate and a cheap LED grow light. For the first 3-4 months the algae grew and filled the sump. Using Red Sea coral pro salt weekly water change and N at 5 and P at 0.1 For the first few months the tank was up the chaeto grew and filled the sump but never tumbled. Then my P went to undetectable on Hanna ULR, got Dino’s and all macro algae died off. Many attempts of getting new and different macro algae that all died off.

Fast forward to switching to 10x flow rate, raising nutrients up to N 3 and P 0.4, changed light to kessil H80 and dosing iron and iodine, and now the chaeto and other macro algae is over flowing the sump. But still no tumbling.

I guess my point is I’m not sure a new sump or tumbling is the main thing. But it might be flow and nutrients and light.

I have 10 flow with a 133 gallon and a Core 20 for my return pump, my light is Kessil H380 my N is 10 and P .26 and I just ordered more clean cheato from Algae barn should show up on Wednesday hopefully I have better results this time.