Hello! I have had my tank for about a year now. It is somewhere between 40-50 gallons. The only thing I'm not to familiar with is my sump because I bought the tank already set up from someone, I just transported it to my house. I am interested in having a refugium. I am considering just getting one that hangs on the side of the tank. However I also want to take in to consideration the possibility of one in my sump. Can anyone give me a little information and advice about this sump style and how I might go about making it into a refugium?(I attached photos I hope they work). Inside the sump is a standard return pump and also a UV filter of some sort that is just missing a bulb and being used basically as a tube extension to return water. I don't know much about the UV thing, it was in the tank when I got it. Most information I find online deals with sumps that have the skimmer in the actual sump, mine hangs on the back and instead I have this filter trickle down system. I am also looking for recommendations for hang on refugiums. I am looking at the Finnex multi-use hang on refugium/breeder. (mainly because it is very cheap and I am a broke college student). Just looking to learn a little more about my sump and refugium options. Thanks!
Question about Sump and Refugiums!
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Hello! I have had my tank for about a year now. It is somewhere between 40-50 gallons. The only thing I'm not to familiar with is my sump because I bought the tank already set up from someone, I just transported it to my house. I am interested in having a refugium. I am considering just getting one that hangs on the side of the tank. However I also want to take in to consideration the possibility of one in my sump. Can anyone give me a little information and advice about this sump style and how I might go about making it into a refugium?(I attached photos I hope they work). Inside the sump is a standard return pump and also a UV filter of some sort that is just missing a bulb and being used basically as a tube extension to return water. I don't know much about the UV thing, it was in the tank when I got it. Most information I find online deals with sumps that have the skimmer in the actual sump, mine hangs on the back and instead I have this filter trickle down system. I am also looking for recommendations for hang on refugiums. I am looking at the Finnex multi-use hang on refugium/breeder. (mainly because it is very cheap and I am a broke college student). Just looking to learn a little more about my sump and refugium options. Thanks!
It's a wet/dry system and running it that way really isn't necessary; providing you have enough live rock in the display. You could also use some of the biological media products in the sump as well, I use seachem matrix. You could pull the uv, it can be used as a water clarifier but isn't necessary at all. Primarily you need 3 sections, what is the total size of that sump. Just some thoughts: you could pull the wet/dry configuration and install a filter sock/bulkhead for the drain line and use that area for a refugium or protein skimmer. Or you create a center section that could be served as a refugium. Then in the last section you would need baffles to establish your water level and have your return pump in the last section. If you could post some larger pics I could see more. Here's some pics of my custom sump; easy straight flow through design that works perfectly. I have a skimmer in the 1st section with the filter socks, the baffles that separate to the 2nd is flow through and the 2nd section is a refugium; the next baffle keeps the water level at 13" and I put a bubble trap sponge with chemipure elite and purigen underneath to go to the 3rd section where the return pump are.
Thanks for the information @lion king !! I swear no matter how much you educate yourself about this hobby theres always more to understand. I have a little more research to do, that is clear. I am currently finishing up my Masters degree and will be moving soon. I am thinking it might just be best to wait until I get to my new location where I plan on buying a larger tank anyway. I can then purchase a sump already set up with a refugium section to go with the new tank. In the mean time I think ill just get a hang on the side refugium of some sorts. Do you have any recommendations in that area?
What are you trying to accomplish, the #1 failure(or lack of effectiveness) in refugiums is the fact that they are too small in relationship to the tank size. For 50-60 gallons you probably want at least 5-6 gallons(roughly 10% as a rule of thumb) for a refugium. People running these small areas incapable of getting full lighting don't usually get good results. Growing algae should not be your primary goal, absorbing nutrients and lowering nitrates and phosphates should be. The hang on refugiums unless you have things laying around to make your own are not cheap and are usually way too small, and although some do have results; most don't. People report growing algae but they forget the goal was actually to reduce nittrates and phosphates; and that wasn't accomplished. Replacing those bioballs with more space saving and more effective biomedia and converting that area in the wet/dry would be pretty inexpensive.
I as well run a wet/dry. On the left I have removed the filter pad tray and opened that whole side up to allow space for my skimmer. In a chamber between the two sections, where highest flow is, I add my media bags with carbon, chemipur elite, phosguard, or whatever else I may need at time. The last chamber is merely the return section. Now the twist. I built a stand to the right of the wet/dry and added an old 14gal jbj I had sitting around. Any other tank would work that would fit. I then added a second return pump out of the second chamber and a hob overflow back into that return section. The jbj is my refugium. If your pump was dialed back, you could "T" off and use for return to both tanks with proper valves. (Been meaning to do it along with a few other things, just no time at moment). I also removed the door covering the refugium to allow for a second display since i run them off cycle lighting of each other. That way always something fishy to look at.
Great point! I think my main goal was to try and help filter my water a little better and lower the nitrate and phosphate. I also thought it would be a good way to introduce more pods and things in to my tank. I have noticed how expensive a hang on refugium is. The only affordable option really is the Finnex breader that can be double as a refugium. However it is only one gallon, so given your most recent advice that would not be big enough. So that option is out. I am now considering the sump. Here are some more pictures. If i pull out the bio balls and the filter tray is that area big enough? Ive noticed the sponge at the bottom with the kinda half baffles. Would i need additional baffles or can I add a light and mud to that area and it would be good to go? I would also need to look more into a filter sock and how I could get one that fits this set up.
I as well run a wet/dry. On the left I have removed the filter pad tray and opened that whole side up to allow space for my skimmer. In a chamber between the two sections, where highest flow is, I add my media bags with carbon, chemipur elite, phosguard, or whatever else I may need at time. The last chamber is merely the return section. Now the twist. I built a stand to the right of the wet/dry and added an old 14gal jbj I had sitting around. Any other tank would work that would fit. I then added a second return pump out of the second chamber and a hob overflow back into that return section. The jbj is my refugium. If your pump was dialed back, you could "T" off and use for return to both tanks with proper valves. (Been meaning to do it along with a few other things, just no time at moment). I also removed the door covering the refugium to allow for a second display since i run them off cycle lighting of each other. That way always something fishy to look at.
Thats an awesome set up you have! I might consider that approach on my next tank. For now I'm looking in to just a simple move while this tank is my primary tank only for the next year or so. If I could do it all over again I would probably go with an in-sump skimmer instead of the hang on one I have now. Just can't afford to do to much. I also don't have any tanks lying around. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent ingenuity ReeferMaddness. I got the filter sock holders here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-filter-sock-holder-/162209060429?hash=item25c469d64d:g:l1IAAOSwV0RXs8YR you just silicone onto the rim of the tank.
Do some research on seachem matrix to see how you could swap out the bioballs, you bag it up and put in sump and it will house all your biological in a much smaller footprint. You may need to add a baffle to raise up the water level but that looks like a good sized space. You can get a piece of lexan or glass at home depot and silicone in. Add a light, get a filter sock holder and connect your drain line and you are good to go
Do they make a filter sock that will fit over that tube with slits? The more I look at it, the more I think. Would it be possible to leave the filter tray and just put a light under it? Still removing the bioballs and the platform they are on of course.
Theres a second baffle in their but its only about 6 inches high. Im guessing I just need to add to it about another 6 inches or so in height and it will raise the water level.
I'm not sure of the configuration of how the drain pipe goes into the filter tray. But if you can connect a pvc pipe as a down pipe underneath past the water line it will be quiet. You can get filter socks with drawstrings also if you can connect it under the tray somehow. https://www.aquaticexperts.com/collections/all/drawstring
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