After sump, now refugium.

[Francois]

So, I've decided, I will have a sump made of two 10 gallon tanks (My system will be 55gallon FO with fake corals and no LR), plus the sump.

The two 10 gallon tanks will be joined by a piece of PVC. So, the water will enter and go through filter media. Do I need Bioballs or should I have a refugium instead?

Do you guys think I should include a refugium? Which part of the sump should it be located at?

I already posted another thread about gph, but, it was not really answered as far as overflow box was concerned. Which model of the eschopps box should I buy. Overall, the water would have to travel 4 feet up, so what gph of pump would I need. Do you guys think that the 2x 10 sump is a good idea, (I can't fit more than 11 inches deep aquarium under my stand. I could maybe use a 15 gallon high, but is it necessary?

So my final question is about the refugium, I have no idea whether I should need one, I heard it's good to get rid of nitrates, but would I use it as biological filtration, how much of the sump should it use.

Here's the type of fish I want (WARNING!!! I am not saying I will have all of them)

Blue or yellow tang

Flame angelfish (Or some other type of small angel)

Maybe a school of chromis

A type of butterflyfish

Why not a puffer (But I know that it's not a good idea at all, so I will very likely not put one).

I really like triggers, but, is it a good idea?

Clownfish

Panther grouper (Is it compatible)

wrasses...

Remember, do not focus too much on the stock list, I'd rather receive answers to the other questions.
Also, my final volume would be 75 gallons since the sump is considered in the total volume, I will also have a skimmer, so, my filtration will be at its highest!!!

Thanks for the help

[Nemo4Life]

Since you going with a FO tank, you dont really need a sump or a fuge. A good canister filter will work fine. If you think you may go to a reef in the future, then a fuge is the best bet. As far as size of pump, you can easily do with a Rio 2500. I use it on my 55 and it works great, plenty of flow from sump to tank-mine is about a 4 ft head also.

As far as your fish choices- Groupers will not work in a 55, they get huge. You can get by with a tang, however I would just get one or the other and not both a yellow and blue hippo. If you looking for something yellow for your tank-then a lemonpeel angel looks alot like a yellow tang. I have one and love mine. They are very active, and have great personality. Unless you are doing a pure predator tank, then dont get a trigger, especially if you are gonna have clowns or chromis. They will just end up as an expensive meal for the trigger. Wrasses, I would go with a reef safe one, as the FO ones tend to be predatory and again may make meals out of smaller fish like clowns or chromis. Puffers get pretty big and normally need at least a 100 gal tank.

Of course, nothing is set in stone, and I am sure someone somewhere has a trigger with a clown and a puffer in a 55 gal, and so forth. But none of it is recommended. Just do some research and ask questions as you are now and you should be fine. The main thing is be patient and take it slow-it will save you alot of money and headaches in this hobby. Good luck on your tank, and have fun

[Francois]

Thank you so much for your reply, and for not yelling at me for my fish list, and rather explaning me calmly and intelligently what is wrong with it. For this once again, thank you.

I do like the idea of a sump, even if I do FO , since I plan on maybe having many fish (Once again, when I say many, I mean like, one or two extra more than I should have). So, the bio mass will be very big, and I feel like a sump will handle it amazingly well. As you said, I plan on moving to reef LATER, in like, a few years, so, the sump will be useful. As far as the refugium is concerned, I really don't know where to locate it in the sump, and where the water should flow on it...

I want to use a refugium to get rid of the excessive nitrates, it's probably the main reason...

Also, you didn't tell me what you thought about my idea of connecting the two small tanks together.

Finally, instead of using 2x ten gallons, if I could find two 15 gallon high, I would go for that!!!

Once again, thank you!

[Nemo4Life]

Basically a sump/fuge set up would have 3 chambers. First chamber is where the water comes in from the display tank and is normally a filter section. Many people use LR in this first chamber along with a filter sock. A skimmer is fed from this first chamber and returns to the 3rd chamber(more on that in a sec). The first chamber then gravity feeds into the 2nd chamber whick is usually the fuge. Most people use a 3-4" sand bed along with Chaeto algea. You can also use refugium "mud" that you can buy from fosters and smiths or others, however a good deep sand bed works just as good. It then gravity feeds again into the 3rd chamber which is the return chamber. Here you put your return pump to the display tank along with your heater. Also this chamber is usually where people "dose" at and top off at.

Here is a link to a site that explains in greater detain on sumps, and gives good examples of how to buid them. Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums Hope this helps

[Bigronbo]

Nemo. Awesome link to the DYI. Thank you so much. i'm looking at puting deviders in a glass 29 gallon tank to build a cheaper sump/ref. what are your thoughts? My fish store owner showed me one they did that seems to work well and said since my 29 gallon tank is not drilled a 1 inch pvc hang on tube for a suction line and 3/4 inch return line with a good pump and ball valve to even flow rates in and out would be an easy cheap way to plumb the sump without an overflow box. I think this is about equil to the plumbing on a canister filter. your thoughts on the plumbing suggestion? i love the DYI instructions on that site.

[Bigronbo]

sorry for the miss information. my main tank is 55 gallon not 29.

[Nemo4Life]

Nemo. Awesome link to the DYI. Thank you so much. i'm looking at puting deviders in a glass 29 gallon tank to build a cheaper sump/ref. what are your thoughts? My fish store owner showed me one they did that seems to work well and said since my 29 gallon tank is not drilled a 1 inch pvc hang on tube for a suction line and 3/4 inch return line with a good pump and ball valve to even flow rates in and out would be an easy cheap way to plumb the sump without an overflow box. I think this is about equil to the plumbing on a canister filter. your thoughts on the plumbing suggestion? i love the DYI instructions on that site.

Yea, using an old tank to make a sump is fine, alot of people do it. I believe tho that I would go ahead and get an overflow box. What you are describing may work, but to me it sounds risky and a wet floor waiting to happen. You can probably find a used one for about $30 or so. Plus it will provide surface skimming, instead of just underwater suction like with just a pvc pipe. Or, if you dont want an overflow, you can actually drill your tank. Here is a link to a drill kit and check out the installation video link in the description. 700 gph Overflow complete kit - Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff If, and when I break down my tank next time I may actually get the kit and do it.