Help With this sump set up.

[ShooterRick]

This trickle filter is what i have for a sump. As I have said no bio media will be used. I plan on placing some particulate filtration in the top 1 or 2 drawers and will a foam pad also help with bubbles from the return. The 3rd drawer would be reserved for chemical filtration such as carbon if I decide to run it. Note closest to the permanent tower divider there are tabs to create about a 3 inch chamber. I was planning on putting the supply line and pump for my recirc. skimmer there. Can the collection cup drain also be dumped back into the sump or must a seperate bucket for the overflow be used?

Also there are 2 other tabs for dividers in the sump. They would allow a 4 or 6 inch center section in the sump, leaving a 7 inch end chamber for the return pump. Is 6 inches enoeph for a internal refugium? Should I just place dividers at the 4 and 6 inch locations and create space for a bubble sponge or other media noting it would be after the skimmer in flow? I do have a seperate fuge with bulkheads but limited space under the 72 gal stand. See Pics:


Attachment 16264Attachment 16265

[ShooterRick]

Thanks to some trusted advice I am no longer concerned about a bubble trap as foam particulate filter in the tower will accomplish this.

Also I just ordered a Quiet One 2200 pump. With shipping it came to 53.99$ off ebay from a seller I have had good luck with before. Amazon does have a good price on this pump but shipping was 5 bucks more. Hey better in my pocket than theirs. LOL

[Reefing Madness]

What else do you want to accomplish with this? Thro in the skimmer and your return pump, and off you go. ? You'd need dividers to keep flow at one level, and also so you could do a fuge.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

You definately dont want the skimmer's collection cup drain hose to go into the sump.

[Reefing Madness]

You definately dont want the skimmer's collection cup drain hose to go into the sump.

Wow, where did I miss that post?? LOL

[ShooterRick]

Ok lets make sure the rookie understands. A divider after the skimmer pump chamber, a divider before the return pump chamber, space inbetween of 6 inches width is ok size for in sump fuge. Am I understanding or not.

Do not run skimmer cup overflow into sump. I know I got that one. LOL

[Reefing Madness]

Ok lets make sure the rookie understands. A divider after the skimmer pump chamber, a divider before the return pump chamber, space inbetween of 6 inches width is ok size for in sump fuge. Am I understanding or not.

Do not run skimmer cup overflow into sump. I know I got that one. LOL

In order fo rthe skimmer to operate smoothly, it needs steady water level. You need to put in 2 dividers, can't really tell you how how high they need to be, but there needs to be enough room in the sump so that when you lose power, the water that retruns does not overflow. So, you need one right after the intake side, by those shelves, or slightly after, then you need one right at the back by the return pump. That one will be the same height up, and just enough room to fit your return pump in there.
Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums
Don't remember if I've postes this site, but he really describes a sump set-up well.
Chris's 52 gal Sump
Anyway, take a look at his designs, he's got them all.

[ShooterRick]

In order fo rthe skimmer to operate smoothly, it needs steady water level. You need to put in 2 dividers, can't really tell you how how high they need to be, but there needs to be enough room in the sump so that when you lose power, the water that retruns does not overflow. So, you need one right after the intake side, by those shelves, or slightly after, then you need one right at the back by the return pump. That one will be the same height up, and just enough room to fit your return pump in there.
Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums
Don't remember if I've postes this site, but he really describes a sump set-up well.
Chris's 52 gal Sump
Anyway, take a look at his designs, he's got them all.

Ok I laid this out in a pic to help me understand and for you to see my intensions. The pump by the drawers sets against a permanent baffle just outside the drawer tower and will feed the skimmer. The angle iron you see next is at the location of a full length tab to creat a second baffle. The next angle iron at another tab will locate baffle to last pump return chamber. The area between the 2 angle irons is 6x12 for a fuge if it will be big enoeph to funtion within reason.

Comments Please:
Attachment 16266

[Reefing Madness]

I believe you have got it. Looks good to me.

[ShooterRick]

Ok I laid this out in a pic to help me understand and for you to see my intensions. The pump by the drawers sets against a permanent baffle just outside the drawer tower and will feed the skimmer. The angle iron you see next is at the location of a full length tab to creat a second baffle. The next angle iron at another tab will locate baffle to last pump return chamber. The area between the 2 angle irons is 6x12 for a fuge if it will be big enoeph to funtion within reason.

Comments Please:
Attachment 16266

Great! I am assuming that the new baffle heights will be dictated by the permanent baffle height of the sump on left of skimmer pump.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Great! I am assuming that the new baffle heights will be dictated by the permanent baffle height of the sump on left of skimmer pump.

Right. That would be the maximum baffle height. You could make the baffles shorter if you like (probably not necessary though).

[ShooterRick]

Right. That would be the maximum baffle height. You could make the baffles shorter if you like (probably not necessary though).

Unless it would create a problem I had thought to make the new baffles about 1/4 inch shorter than main baffle assuming enoeph pump depth will be there for the skimmer supply and return pumps. It makes sense to me to have the supply water from the sump section under the tower drawers to always be at max supplying water to the rest of sump. Maybe it makes no difference I dont really know. Just a thought.

Also will the resulting 6x12 refugium in the center section be viable and have a reasonable benifit for the total system health?

[Reefing Madness]

Unless it would create a problem I had thought to make the new baffles about 1/4 inch shorter than main baffle assuming enoeph pump depth will be there for the skimmer supply and return pumps. It makes sense to me to have the supply water from the sump section under the tower drawers to always be at max supplying water to the rest of sump. Maybe it makes no difference I dont really know. Just a thought.

Also will the resulting 6x12 refugium in the center section be viable and have a reasonable benifit for the total system health?

Yea, you'll be able to grow enough things in there, no worries.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

To get optimized natural filtration from a refugium, the fuge should be as large or larger than the display tank. That's not practical for the majority of us though. IMO, any size fuge helps and it still provides a place for pods and such to multiply without predation. A small fuge definately won't hurt and does provide some natural nutrient export/ conversion. If it's wasted space without a fuge, I say go for it.

[ShooterRick]

To get optimized natural filtration from a refugium, the fuge should be as large or larger than the display tank. That's not practical for the majority of us though. IMO, any size fuge helps and it still provides a place for pods and such to multiply without predation. A small fuge definately won't hurt and does provide some natural nutrient export/ conversion. If it's wasted space without a fuge, I say go for it.

I would assume unless a prefilter is on the return pump some pods and such will make it to the DT for a natural food source. Am I correct a fine sand bottom with a few rock frags and some macro algae will surfice in the fuge. I have a light for it already but how long should the fuge light run daily.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

I would assume unless a prefilter is on the return pump some pods and such will make it to the DT for a natural food source. Am I correct a fine sand bottom with a few rock frags and some macro algae will surfice in the fuge. I have a light for it already but how long should the fuge light run daily.

Correct. Many people think that over 90% of pods get killed by the return pump. I haven't tried to prove it, but I think the amount lost by pump sheer is much less and the majority make it to the DT unharmed because of their small size vs. The size of the business end of the pump. Ive seen full sized amphipods make it through the pump and copepods are much smaller. If using sand in the fuge, a minimum depth of 5" is recommended. No rock is necessary and too much rock can trap detritus. I have 2 fist-sized pieces of tock in my fuge but only because I couldn't find a good spot for them in the DT. Macro algae in the fuge is good. Most people use chaetomorpha because it grows fast and its not invasive.

[ShooterRick]

Correct. Many people think that over 90% of pods get killed by the return pump. I haven't tried to prove it, but I think the amount lost by pump sheer is much less and the majority make it to the DT unharmed because of their small size vs. The size of the business end of the pump. Ive seen full sized amphipods make it through the pump and copepods are much smaller. If using sand in the fuge, a minimum depth of 5" is recommended. No rock is necessary and too much rock can trap detritus. I have 2 fist-sized pieces of tock in my fuge but only because I couldn't find a good spot for them in the DT. Macro algae in the fuge is good. Most people use chaetomorpha because it grows fast and its not invasive.

I guess sand is out since the baffle height based on the permanent one in the sump is only 5.5 inches tall. I could extend the permanent baffle but I feel I should assume that the depth set by it is to allow ample overflow if power goes out. A bare bottom fuge is ok?

[Reefing Madness]

I guess sand is out since the baffle height based on the permanent one in the sump is only 5.5 inches tall. I could extend the permanent baffle but I feel I should assume that the depth set by it is to allow ample overflow if power goes out. A bare bottom fuge is ok?

Yup. BAre Bottom is fine. Not going to give your pods anywhere to hang out. Your Chaeto and MAcro Algae are your water scrubbers.

[ShooterRick]

Yup. BAre Bottom is fine. Not going to give your pods anywhere to hang out. Your Chaeto and MAcro Algae are your water scrubbers.

Ok thanks. I will toss in just a few rock frags and keep some macro algae and add some vulva to the chaeto to harvest for a food source from time to time.