Sump Setup/Questions

[Wandering Albatross]

Good morning all!

I have a rough setup for my sump attached (first time) and had a few questions. It’s not glued down yet, hence the tape balancing everything.

Is it possible to have my chaeto in the same section as my heaters? Could I remove the center baffle and have my skimmer, heaters, and chaeto in that same central section? I don’t want the chaeto to block flow to the heaters or get cooked. Heaters are set in holders on the bottom. Don’t want it sucked into the skimmer either .

Thoughts? Changes?

Blessings

 

[Stevorino]

If it were me, I'd put the skimmer & heater and any other probes/pumps together in one section, and then the chaeto in it's own section after it by itself.

It looks like if you move that middle baffle a couple inches you'll have room to put the skimmer & heater together.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

If it were me, I'd put the skimmer & heater and any other probes/pumps together in one section, and then the chaeto in it's own section after it by itself.

It looks like if you move that middle baffle a couple inches you'll have room to put the skimmer & heater together.

That's good information, but will that allow for both heaters? The second one is supposed to come in Monday, same size. I wanted to have them upright, but they're too tall, and they barely fit widthwise as it is now. If it won't melt the acrylic, I could put one heater on the bottom and the second attached to the baffle itself, slightly above the other. It just seems like a pretty small area for the fuge, but this is my first sump so maybe it's not as small as it seems when full.

Can the last baffle set be almost flush with the side of the return pump? That could buy me another 2 inches or so, as long as it won't let the pump run dry. That baffle set with the tiny section between them is going to be filled with additional media (it came with 2 black sponges), maybe some bio-blocks on the bottom too. Considering its designed to filter water through it, I can't imagine it would restrict flow.

Thanks for your time!

Blessings

 

[BryanM]

You could eliminate these issues by using a santa monica surf2/surf4 algae turf scrubber, which is basically a refugium on steroids. Mine took 6 weeks to get going, but now I just yank a handful or two of the algae it grows, and its either fish food, or toss.

It just floats on top of the water, heaters can be under it. Poof, done.

I also hate the "mess" of refugiums. inevitable spread, the surf units are self contained.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

You could eliminate these issues by using a santa monica surf2/surf4 algae turf scrubber, which is basically a refugium on steroids. Mine took 6 weeks to get going, but now I just yank a handful or two of the algae it grows, and its either fish food, or toss.

It just floats on top of the water, heaters can be under it. Poof, done.

I also hate the "mess" of refugiums. inevitable spread, the surf units are self contained.

All good points, but what would I do with my little grow light that I already have for the chaeto? I imagine it’d look a little funny up top as extra tank lighting next to my main lights lol. Also does the scrubber just act as filtration, or does it function as a pod breeding ground as well? The main goal was to have a pod ‘hotel’ for a large stable population, any filtration and/or fresh food is just a bonus. Do you use live rock in your sump in addition to the scrubber or is it bare bones?

I’m tempted to get one of these scrubbers, but I don’t know if my budget will allow it at this time. May be a birthday thing…

Blessings

 

[BryanM]

All good points, but what would I do with my little grow light that I already have for the chaeto? I imagine it’d look a little funny up top as extra tank lighting next to my main lights lol. Also does the scrubber just act as filtration, or does it function as a pod breeding ground as well? The main goal was to have a pod ‘hotel’ for a large stable population, any filtration and/or fresh food is just a bonus. Do you use live rock in your sump in addition to the scrubber or is it bare bones?

I’m tempted to get one of these scrubbers, but I don’t know if my budget will allow it at this time. May be a birthday thing…

Blessings

You'd just not use the light.

And I have no idea if a surf4 would be a good pod hotel.... Guessing it would not, but maybe @exnisstech or @VintageReefer would know definitively

Its

 

[exnisstech]

I have a surf 4x and a surf 2. I do not see any pods when i clean them. But they float so you can still have a fuge. You can use rock or rock rubble depending on your space you could even use trays of rubble. I have no lack of pods in my cryptic fuge which is live rock with no light. And my surf 4 floats on top.
My WB 330.7 sump

I had the surf 2 left over from a tank tear down so I tossed it in the 40g that I moved everything into just for the heck of it. Its just floating in the tank in one corner and looks janky but it's growing algae like mad. I have to clean it every 4-5 days. Tanks in the basement so appearance isn't important.

Tang food. They love this stuff.

 

[VintageReefer]

This is correct. There will be pods, tiny ones. I took a look with a microscope, they are in there.

But you throw away the algae every week.

You should have bare live rock in the sumps and the pods will thrive in it. Pods love live rock crevices and cracks and they will multiply and populate the rock. They do not need chaeto or algae to survive

 

[Stevorino]

That's good information, but will that allow for both heaters? The second one is supposed to come in Monday, same size. I wanted to have them upright, but they're too tall, and they barely fit widthwise as it is now. If it won't melt the acrylic, I could put one heater on the bottom and the second attached to the baffle itself, slightly above the other. It just seems like a pretty small area for the fuge, but this is my first sump so maybe it's not as small as it seems when full.

Mine are attached to an acrylic sump sidewall as well, no problem with overheating. If they came with suction cups or mounts, I'd use those to give it at least a little space.

Can the last baffle set be almost flush with the side of the return pump? That could buy me another 2 inches or so, as long as it won't let the pump run dry.

I'd give yourself a little bit of space, even if just an inch or two. Maybe it works fine with that pump, but if you ever have to upgrade it or do something different, you want wiggle room.

That baffle set with the tiny section between them is going to be filled with additional media (it came with 2 black sponges), maybe some bio-blocks on the bottom too. Considering its designed to filter water through it, I can't imagine it would restrict flow.

Yup, I have a similar small area in mine. You can also put bio blocks/sponges in that final chamber w/ pump or with Chaeto.

Thanks for your time!

Blessings

 

[VintageReefer]

That's good information, but will that allow for both heaters? The second one is supposed to come in Monday, same size. I wanted to have them upright, but they're too tall, and they barely fit widthwise as it is now. If it won't melt the acrylic, I could put one heater on the bottom and the second attached to the baffle itself, slightly above the other. It just seems like a pretty small area for the fuge, but this is my first sump so maybe it's not as small as it seems when full.

Could this work

Link - https://a.co/d/gNZVPCT

Or

Link 2 https://octoaquatics.com/product/octo-strong-heater-holder/

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Mine are attached to an acrylic sump sidewall as well, no problem with overheating. If they came with suction cups or mounts, I'd use those to give it at least a little space.



I'd give yourself a little bit of space, even if just an inch or two. Maybe it works fine with that pump, but if you ever have to upgrade it or do something different, you want wiggle room.


Yup, I have a similar small area in mine. You can also put bio blocks/sponges in that final chamber w/ pump or with Chaeto.

The pump I have is the IM MightyJet XL rated for 2600-some-odd GPH, I hope that's not something I'll need to upgrade any time soon lol. I thought it was a bit overpowered, but I can always turn it down. Good to know though, I'll leave the extra 2 inches beside it.

As for the heaters, how close have you had those before? Could for example, the holders be touching on one side? Or play it safe and have 1-2 inches separating them? Does it look like my sump will get enough flow around them, if say one was on the bottom close to the baffle in the skimmer section, and the other is on the baffle itself, a little below the grate?

Also side note on the skimmer, it has a water line marked on the outside for simplicity, and I've seen people raise their skimmers up on a stand to get the right depth, and I might very well have to do that. I'm just curious as to what happens if the water was too deep? First skimmer too....

Blessings

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Could this work

Link - https://a.co/d/gNZVPCT

Or

Link 2 https://octoaquatics.com/product/octo-strong-heater-holder/

You caught me mid-post lol. That answers one of my questions. They can totally be that close, they might even fit on the baffle, side by side like that. When the second one comes in I'll test it.

As this is my first sump, I'm a touch nervous about getting the fill level right, to avoid anything running dry. Or flooding, I don't want flooding. I'm also concerned about everything syphoning if the power goes out. Less from the return and more from the main drain. The plumbing it came with has the main drain pipe at 9ish", and the emergency drain at nearly 23" for a 24" tall tank. I know the emergency drain should be the higher of the 2, but I didn't think by that much. The overflow box has 5-6 little slits 1-2" from the bottom of the tank, so water can fill the chamber that way even if the waterline sinks below the top of the overflow. Forget the floor, I don't want my fish to suffer as the tank drains down to 9" and overflows my sump. Perhaps it's a dumb question, but do I need to just get a longer pipe for the main drain (standard 1" white PVC)? How much of a height difference do I need between the drains?

I can read instructions all day long, but in the end, I need to see how the water flows with my own eyes. With all the videos out there, it's tough finding something that doesn't largely skip over this part in favor of the more exciting aspects of getting a tank set up. Hence the reason people still have to ask lol.

Blessings

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I have a surf 4x and a surf 2. I do not see any pods when i clean them. But they float so you can still have a fuge. You can use rock or rock rubble depending on your space you could even use trays of rubble. I have no lack of pods in my cryptic fuge which is live rock with no light. And my surf 4 floats on top.
My WB 330.7 sump

I had the surf 2 left over from a tank tear down so I tossed it in the 40g that I moved everything into just for the heck of it. Its just floating in the tank in one corner and looks janky but it's growing algae like mad. I have to clean it every 4-5 days. Tanks in the basement so appearance isn't important.

Tang food. They love this stuff.

Side note, do other fish besides tangs eat it too? I'd think CUC would take some interest, but what about smaller fish? Do corals or other filter feeders have any interest in fine pieces?

 

[exnisstech]

TBH I don't know. With 8 tangs, some large no other fish get a chance to taste it. I would think other herbivores would but can't really say.

 

[Stevorino]

The pump I have is the IM MightyJet XL rated for 2600-some-odd GPH, I hope that's not something I'll need to upgrade any time soon lol. I thought it was a bit overpowered, but I can always turn it down. Good to know though, I'll leave the extra 2 inches beside it.

You are totally right about all of this....

I just like to think of things as on ~10 year horizons. Odds are you will replace that pump within 10 years, and if you do, it'd be nice to have some flexibility in dimensions of the next one.

As for the heaters, how close have you had those before? Could for example, the holders be touching on one side? Or play it safe and have 1-2 inches separating them? Does it look like my sump will get enough flow around them, if say one was on the bottom close to the baffle in the skimmer section, and the other is on the baffle itself, a little below the grate?

@VintageReefer 's links are similar to what I use on my sump. I've had heaters sit on bottom of acrylic before without a problem, but I prefer mounts like those.

Also side note on the skimmer, it has a water line marked on the outside for simplicity, and I've seen people raise their skimmers up on a stand to get the right depth, and I might very well have to do that. I'm just curious as to what happens if the water was too deep? First skimmer too....

Blessings

Great observation... it really depends on the skimmer (I'm not experienced with yours).

I would aim for what's on the line of your current skimmer. Yes, you may have to raise it with some kind of egg-crate plastic or DIY stand, but odds are that's a good target spot.

That's unfortunately one of those things you just don't know until you play with it. Ideally you'd have an adjustable baffle on the lower side, but even in cases like mine that's not enough sometimes.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

As a side note, I have a section that holds 3 same-size filter socks. Do you guys have multiple socks at a time or just one? Is this meant to have plumbing splitting the flow equally between them, or have soft plumbing that I could move over one, then when it needs replacing, move the tubing over the next and cycle through the three of them? This part has me stumped.

Blessings

 

[Wandering Albatross]

As a side note, I have a section that holds 3 same-size filter socks. Do you guys have multiple socks at a time or just one? Is this meant to have plumbing splitting the flow equally between them, or have soft plumbing that I could move over one, then when it needs replacing, move the tubing over the next and cycle through the three of them? This part has me stumped.

Blessings

Bump

 

[charleydavis]

If it were me, I'd put the skimmer & heater and any other probes/pumps together in one section, and then the chaeto in it's own section after it by itself.

It looks like if you move that middle baffle a couple inches you'll have room to put the skimmer & heater together.

Agree. I would move the heater to the skimmer scetion.