refugium / Sump tank let’s spark an ongoing discussion

[Bruttall]

Its a roller mat, specifically the red sea 1200. They take the place of filter socks in your system. You definitely don't need one, but man are they nice lol. I used to run filter socks on my previous tank (180 gallon display) for years and would constantly swap them out in the beginning. Eventually I just took them out since I got tired of changing them and washing them.

There seems to be some pushback by some people against the roller mats on this forum, I'm not sure why. Worth every penny IMO.

The people "against" roller matts and socks in general believe they trap and hold nutrients that are better exported. Even if you change regularly, those particles are still in the water column rotting and decaying until you change socks, or the matt rolls up out of the water.

I ran filter socks (past tense) on my store-bought sump, but I do not have on my DIY Sump. My water is every bit as crystal clear as anyone running socks/matt. I use a DIY flocculant version of a Coral Snow to keep my water clean, it also adds CA to my system (added bonus IMO, my CA stays about 440 using IO Reef mix for salt).

Run socks or a matt if you want, don't if you don't. At the end of the day, it is your tank, and you will do it how you want. Happy Reefing!

 

[Gill the 3rd]

The people "against" roller matts and socks in general believe they trap and hold nutrients that are better exported. Even if you change regularly, those particles are still in the water column rotting and decaying until you change socks, or the matt rolls up out of the water.

I ran filter socks (past tense) on my store-bought sump, but I do not have on my DIY Sump. My water is every bit as crystal clear as anyone running socks/matt. I use a DIY flocculant version of a Coral Snow to keep my water clean, it also adds CA to my system (added bonus IMO, my CA stays about 440 using IO Reef mix for salt).

Run socks or a matt if you want, don't if you don't. At the end of the day, it is your tank, and you will do it how you want. Happy Reefing!

Yea same here. I ran socks and then no socks on my previous tank. That tank was always a high nutrient tank for some reason and I never noticed a difference in my nutrient levels between socks and no socks. I now run the roller matt on my new larger tank. For some reason this tank runs lower nutrients and I actually have trouble keeping them up. Its using the same equipment as my previous tank plus the filter matt.

I agree I haven't really noticed any difference in water clarity between the 3 options. I actually just started using a DIY coral snow. There was a clear difference in the clarity of my water so I will definitely be using that moving forward.

And definitely agree on doing what you want. All 3 options work just fine and there are plenty of examples of nice reef tanks using any 3 of those options.

 

[blecki]

Now I’ve moved to marine for the last 5months and am currently using a sump tank underneath or refugium some call it

Op, a refugium is a specific thing, it's not just another name for a sump like you're suggesting here - and from your picture, you do not have a refugium. A refugium is a portion of the system where you let macro algae grow away from the grazers in the display - it's a place for microfauna to multiply where fish can't eat them. AKA, a refuge.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

Op, a refugium is a specific thing, it's not just another name for a sump like you're suggesting here - and from your picture, you do not have a refugium. A refugium is a portion of the system where you let macro algae grow away from the grazers in the display - it's a place for microfauna to multiply where fish can't eat them. AKA, a refuge.

I completely missed that lol.

 

[DJC]

Op, a refugium is a specific thing, it's not just another name for a sump like you're suggesting here - and from your picture, you do not have a refugium. A refugium is a portion of the system where you let macro algae grow away from the grazers in the display - it's a place for microfauna to multiply where fish can't eat them. AKA, a refuge.

I’m just setting one up in my sump thanks to everyone with their feedback in this thread I have such a better understanding on both now

 

[Cichlid Dad]

This is when I first set mine up.

 

[DJC]

This is when I first set mine up.

DIY sump? How effective ? Also does it make a different on the size grain of sand you use yours looks very fine sand I have a grainy shell sand

Which is better ?

 

[DJC]

Its a roller mat, specifically the red sea 1200. They take the place of filter socks in your system. You definitely don't need one, but man are they nice lol. I used to run filter socks on my previous tank (180 gallon display) for years and would constantly swap them out in the beginning. Eventually I just took them out since I got tired of changing them and washing them.

There seems to be some pushback by some people against the roller mats on this forum, I'm not sure why. Worth every penny IMO.

I’m gona do some research on this one wry intrigued with it

 

[DJC]

So I’m pretty new to marine in the past my tropical had in tank filters

Now I’ve moved to marine for the last 5months and am currently using a sump tank underneath or refugium some call it

However everyone has their own way and best practices on setting up sumps

Let’s get your tips
Let’s get your pics
Let’s get your setup tech

And perhaps what we post here will help someone new like myself understand best way to set up their sump tank

Mine was trial and error and my LFS gave me some basic information had too work it out for myself

Mine is
Chamber one filter sock and inlet from tank
Chamber two outlet and filter for protein skimmer
Main chamber - live rock filter wool heater and live shells marine pure biofilter balls & with matrix seachem biofiltration rocks (in a bag) hoping to put some lighting in here in the coming weeks to support the live rock

last used chamber outlet pump back to tank
Final chamber storage and empty till I can decide what to use it for

What’s yours like ?

So after careful review would love to place something in the storage section on far right this is a section that’s sealed from the entire sump and water cannot flow in unless pumped into main unit

Any ideas what I should use this section for ?

 

[blecki]

storage section

Dude that's your ATO container.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

DIY sump? How effective ? Also does it make a different on the size grain of sand you use yours looks very fine sand I have a grainy shell sand

Which is better ?

Yes diy, very effective. My main display has crushed coral and Tampa Bay Salt Water live sand, very chunky. I love it. Look at my tank thread at the last page. Last video is around the 3-4 month birthday of this tank. Page 3 also shows more info on the system. The reason for the small sand in the refugium it it has a bunch of clean up crew that need the fine sand. I treat it like a second tank.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

The people "against" roller matts and socks in general believe they trap and hold nutrients that are better exported. Even if you change regularly, those particles are still in the water column rotting and decaying until you change socks, or the matt rolls up out of the water.

I ran filter socks (past tense) on my store-bought sump, but I do not have on my DIY Sump. My water is every bit as crystal clear as anyone running socks/matt. I use a DIY flocculant version of a Coral Snow to keep my water clean, it also adds CA to my system (added bonus IMO, my CA stays about 440 using IO Reef mix for salt).

Run socks or a matt if you want, don't if you don't. At the end of the day, it is your tank, and you will do it how you want. Happy Reefing!

+1 for no socks or matt. The system I have now only gets a sock on water change day when doing a cleaning. I have clear water and right or wrong, I believe what is in the water column benefits the coral as food. I run my protein skimmer half of the day, sometimes I leave it off for days depending on my nitrate and phosphate levels.

 

[exnisstech]

Nothing fancy but my 125g DIY sump in the basement. First chamber is socks and skimmer but I run reef diapers instead of socks. Next chamber is chaeto refugium. After that is the return chamber. Last chamber on the end is fed off the return and was a frag tank untill recently and is now semi cryptic zone. I say semi because it isn't totally blacked out.
I'm not a clean freak at all when it comes to my sumps but when I tried going without socks the chaeto became so full of detritus I had to pull it and start a fresh batch. The cause I'm sure was because I feed heavily multiple times a day and with the sump being in the basement I'm ussualy too lazy to go down and turn the return pump off when I feed so a lot goes down the overflows.

 

[DJC]

Dude that's your ATO container.

Forgive me for asking a really stupid question what’s an ATO

 

[DJC]

Nothing fancy but my 125g DIY sump in the basement. First chamber is socks and skimmer but I run reef diapers instead of socks. Next chamber is chaeto refugium. After that is the return chamber. Last chamber on the end is fed off the return and was a frag tank untill recently and is now semi cryptic zone. I say semi because it isn't totally blacked out.
I'm not a clean freak at all when it comes to my sumps but when I tried going without socks the chaeto became so full of detritus I had to pull it and start a fresh batch. The cause I'm sure was because I feed heavily multiple times a day and with the sump being in the basement I'm ussualy too lazy to go down and turn the return pump off when I feed so a lot goes down the overflows.

What’s a cryptic zone intrigued

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Forgive me for asking a really stupid question what’s an ATO

Auto top off container to hold fresh water.

 

[DJC]

Auto top off container to hold fresh water.

Amazing thanks for that still extreamily new to the hobby and learning heaps every day I’ve heard of a top up section in sump never really understood the auto top up system but definitely something I can look at now I know I have a spot for such a system

Hard to set up?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Amazing thanks for that still extreamily new to the hobby and learning heaps every day I’ve heard of a top up section in sump never really understood the auto top up system but definitely something I can look at now I know I have a spot for such a system

Hard to set up?

No, just can be expensive if you want the best set up.

Osmolator Universal 3155 Auto Top Off

NEW VERSION AVAILABLE: Tunze Osmolator 3 ATO System Bulk Reef Supply tried many different water level switches and auto top off solutions before giving the Tunze 3155 Osmolater Universal Auto Top Off BRS Recommended status. Despite its higher price this is by far our favorite solution...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Set up in 15 minutes

 

[Reefering1]

No, just can be expensive if you want the best set up.

Osmolator Universal 3155 Auto Top Off

NEW VERSION AVAILABLE: Tunze Osmolator 3 ATO System Bulk Reef Supply tried many different water level switches and auto top off solutions before giving the Tunze 3155 Osmolater Universal Auto Top Off BRS Recommended status. Despite its higher price this is by far our favorite solution...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Set up in 15 minutes

I've heard alot of good things about these ato.. is this what you use? I see it has a float switch for the reservoir, to protect the pump; but does it have a redundant sensor to detect/ prevent overfilling?

 

[exnisstech]

What’s a cryptic zone intrigued

This explains it better than I can

Cryptic Zones in the Refugium

What are Cryptic Zones, Anyway? The planted refugium and its associated cryptic zones have gained a lot of traction among reef aquarists in recent years.

www.algaebarn.com