Sumps with more dedicated refugium compartment?

AP138 · Sep 26, 2020

I'm currently running a Bashsea Biofuge and I'm getting tired of pulling bits of chateto from my return pump that gets past it's horizontal flowing sponge section, so I'm looking for a change and size upgrade. I'm size limited to 30"x18" or I would have slam-dunked the Icecap 36XL. As it currently sits I'm thinking about either of the Eshopps AF or AR series. I like the fact that I can set the water level to what I want in the AF (compared to the range they give for the AR), but not sure if that is worth the 25% price premium.

There seemed to be some discussions that previous Eshopps generations either passed not enough or all the water into the refugium compartment ... any idea if those have been addressed in this new generaton? Are there any manufactured/retail sumps that have a this kind of dedicated refugium section that I've missed? Fwiw I do have a couple feelers out to local and custom builders too.

p.s. I know I could mod something with an ATO storage resoviour into a refugium too, just looking for the easy way out right now.

Thanks!

Spare time · Sep 26, 2020

Fiji baffle kits have foam pads after the fuge to catch macro. Trigger sapphire has a place where you could put floss afetr the fuge

cshouston · Sep 26, 2020

Pro Clear sumps have refugium compartments that can be modified in different ways for different purposes.

Freedom Series | proclearaquatics

www.pro-clear.com

AP138 · Sep 26, 2020

Spare time said:
Fiji baffle kits have foam pads after the fuge to catch macro. Trigger sapphire has a place where you could put floss afetr the fuge

DIY is always an option, but want to stick to manufactured for now. The main issue with the Trigger emerald/sapphire is that is that the only model that will fit is the 26" and I don't want to go down in size. But that got me looking at the Ruby series, and that line does have a 30" model that does the separation like I want. It does reverse the flow direction, but I would be re-plumbing everything with any new sump anyway.

cshouston said:
Pro Clear sumps have refugium compartments that can be modified in different ways for different purposes.

Freedom Series | proclearaquatics

www.pro-clear.com

I had someone local recommend them too, but again, I would prefer to not downsize the actual sump volume. I could fit something 32"but I would need to build a platform to support the middle while the far ends sit on the extruded aluminum stand.