[flgoose]

Since i'm planning to start off with fish only in the display tank than swith to reef at later date, I want my sump to act as both filter and refugium.
this is the way i figure: while the main display is fish only, the refugium area will stay empty. than when i'm ready to turn the main display into reef, i can just remove the bioballs and use the refugium.


What do you guys think of my idea and of the design?

I made the space between the baffles 3" simply because that would be the smallest opening i could fit my hand to silicone them in. If i make them any smaller, i will only be able to spread the silicone on one side. wasn't sure if it would be ok doing it that way.
How much lower the baffle should be between the inlet and the bioballs area? I was figuring about 1" drop.

[scubadude]

Nice design, make sure you leave room between the pump and skimmer for a baffle or the pump may suck in air bubbles and disperse them into your tank....might wanna put a micron sock on the output pipe that overflows from the main tank too...and might have to drill a vent hole in that same pipe too...but other than that it all lewks gewd

[flgoose]

Here are some pictures of the work in progress.

The overall size turn out to be 62 gal. the refugium ended up to be 18 gal.

I used 1/4 mirror I found really cheap at the local Re-store. Being a mirror, it assured me that it wouldn't be safety glass and I could cut it with no problem. I stripped the paint in the back with paint stripper than I removed the actual mirror with muriatic acid. It came off really quick with just a little acid. Yes, I left the back as a mirror, I taught it would look good.
For the edging I used pvc pieces I found at the local home center. The bottom is just an angle and the top is a wrap around edge. Both items are sold as parts for a drop cealing.

[jsheffel]

Just remember, once the water level gets down to the level of the final weir, all evaporation will occur in that last compartment. As a result, you will probably have to be adding makeup water every day or every other day.

[flgoose]

Actually I'm planing on making a glass top for it to minimize evaporation. I don't know what that is going to do for heat build up though. I can always take it off if i need to. But than again, I live in wisconsin and heat build up is not a long term concern.

[jsheffel]

I guess I misstated somewhat. It's not that the actual evaporation occurs above that compartment (evaporation occurs wherever in the system there is an interface between air and water), it's that whatever evaporation occurs in the system the water level in that compartment (and nowhere else) goes down by the amount of the evaporation. This is because that compartment is, in effect, the "lowest" part of the system.