Xl skimmer vs chaeto/refugium

[Jose Moreno]

Question for everyone:

If theres limited space in a 15gallon sump for a 40 gallon cube, would you rather use a huge skimmer or leave room for a small refugium?

Why?

Sps tank.

I ask cause im moving soon and when I move the tank I might re-assess my sump situation.

 

[Jose Moreno]

This is the change im considering.

Removing the partition between the skimmer chamber and the refugium. I actually added that partition. The original sump didnt have it

 

[skim]

I think what you have now is just fine, maybe cut back the water height in the skimmer because your skim seems to be almost clear. The pea size bubble I see in the photo should be down in the lower neck below the cup not up in the cup. Looks good nice simple straight forward, which is nice if someone else has to care for system if you have to be away. No little special notes, if this happens do this and this looks likes this do this. Good example of the KISS method.

 

[Jose Moreno]

I forgot to add that I have a small brown algae problem and a small, recurring cyano problem.

Leads me to believe there are nitrates and phos locked up somewhere despite the gfo in the reactor.

The chaeto is growing like crazy constantly.

 

[skim]

If your tank has been running for a while which it looks like it has I believe you would have noticed the Phos much sooner. If you feed your livestock you will have Phosphate and Nitrate no way around it, it is a matter if your system can deal with the quantity. Brown Algae can be from many things, lighting to Silica in the water, if you keep running the GFO it should help if you have any Silicate in the water. Cyanno is a Bacteria and is most of the time a sign of Detritus build up, if you can try and increase your water movement within the tank or change it around some and see if you can get more movement. The idea is to try and keep butt much Detritus suspended in the water column so as it breaks down it can be swept away into your overflow.
If you are using any type of prefilter clean it every 3 days max or use filter sock 3 days max. BRS just did a review or small experiment and found that 3 days max change out would help reduce Nitrates longer seemed to start to add to it. Like I said, you should readjust the skimmer, lower the water level, from the bottom of the cup and up you want to have the big fluffy bursting bubbles and roughly pea size in the neck just below the bottom of the cup, you should see a much darker and thicker/chunkier skim begin to be produced.

 

[Jose Moreno]

Bump. Anyone else, thoughts?

 

[BHHOWARD]

I'd also like to see you keep the refugium. It appears you have a limited footprint under your tank. It is difficult from the picture to determine how much height you have in the stand. Maybe you could move the refugium to a small tank above your sump on a shelf and use a small pump to flow water through it and gravity feed back into the sump. This would give you the ability to remove the partition you added and add a larger skimmer. You would also increase the total water volume of your system adding more stability. Maybe even use the output tube of the GFO canister to supply water to the refugium.

 

[BHHOWARD]

My other thought was to revamp the sump so that water flows through it in an "S" raceway configuration. You could increase the skimmer portion left to right and run the refugium left to right behind the skimmer.

 

[Jose Moreno]

I'd also like to see you keep the refugium. It appears you have a limited footprint under your tank. It is difficult from the picture to determine how much height you have in the stand. Maybe you could move the refugium to a small tank above your sump on a shelf and use a small pump to flow water through it and gravity feed back into the sump. This would give you the ability to remove the partition you added and add a larger skimmer. You would also increase the total water volume of your system adding more stability. Maybe even use the output tube of the GFO canister to supply water to the refugium.

Theres not enough room for that. Plus the complexity of it makes it less appealing.

Id rather just use some eggcrate and keep the chaeto in the skimmer compartment.

 

[Jose Moreno]

My other thought was to revamp the sump so that water flows through it in an "S" raceway configuration. You could increase the skimmer portion left to right and run the refugium left to right behind the skimmer.

Thats a good idea!!

 

[BHHOWARD]

 

[ifarmer]

another option that you could do is to run a hang on skimmer (on your display tank) and use the space in the skimmer section now for refugium

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What I don't see in your sump is dirt alge and detritus. Perhaps you keep it clean but when I first st up my sump I had the same for several months. I re worked the flow in the DT. It suspended the particles 10x better and I had much less problems in the display. I also had a wonderfully dirty sump and socks.

More on topic I have a 55 dt 30g sump large refugium and filter socks a tunze 9006 skimmer and 10x return rate.

 

[Jose Moreno]

More on topic I have a 55 dt 30g sump large refugium and filter socks a tunze 9006 skimmer and 10x return rate.[/QUOTE]

another option that you could do is to run a hang on skimmer (on your display tank) and use the space in the skimmer section now for refugium

No room for a hob