Sump and refugium

obxchicks · Mar 14, 2015

I am setting up a 90 gallon tank. What does everyone recommend for the sump and refugium? Any suggestions?

spspirate · Mar 14, 2015

Maybe a 40 breeder. Or basically anything that will get the job done. I used a plastic tote before and worked great! More water can mean more stability.

redfishbluefish · Mar 14, 2015

I have a 90DT with a 40B sump....it's ideal!

obxchicks · Mar 14, 2015

Thanks everyone

obxchicks · Jun 28, 2015

I bought a glass 40 gallon breeder for my sump...I know it's recommended that I use glass baffles, but can I use acrylic? What should I do so they don't warp?

theblackpearl · Jun 28, 2015

2o gallon sump and a 20 gallon refugium....keep the refugium in a separate tank to keep the water flow around 300 GPU....have them both go into a external return pump like a pan world 100px-x

redfishbluefish · Jun 28, 2015

obxchicks said:
I bought a glass 40 gallon breeder for my sump...I know it's recommended that I use glass baffles, but can I use acrylic? What should I do so they don't warp?

I'm not sure who recommended glass, but acrylic can be used with equal success. The secret with a sump, glass or acrylic baffles, is to use plenty of silicone....neatness doesn't count. I've evolved through three 40B sumps....all with acrylic baffles....with my most recent with no bubble traps. (Two drains in each back corner; left chamber- filter sock and skimmer; center chamber - return pump, biopellet reactor, GFO/Carbon reactor pump; Right chamber - refugium).

Daytonareefing · Jun 28, 2015

Its easier to silicone glass to glass than acrylic to glass and glass is not as flexible as acrylic at 1/4" so glass is more likely not to flex and will stay in place longer. You should use rubbing alcohol to clean the glass before using silicone on it to get the best adhesion and I tape both surfaces before siliconing it then I use a tooling knife to spread it into the joint if you do you tape remove the tape right away after tool in the silicone other wise if the silicone sets up you either remove the silicone with the tape on the tape gets trapped under the silicone if it dries all the way. I worked for a glass shop for a few years.