Sump/Ref

[Ryn]

What do ya think...

58 gal tank- 1" rear center overflow w/ Durso-Stockman mod to 20 gal stiff plastic sump divided into 3 sections

1st-skimmer, heater chamber

2nd- refugium-a smaller Rubermiad container set into the sump. DSB LOA lighting

3rd -return (what brand, size pump? thinking mag 7?) to two 3/4 " inlets upper rear near the corners w/ loc line fittings directed off the side glass to reflect around the tank

Will this work?

[Sker]

Hey Ryn, I almost have the identical tank and sump. I have a 58 Oceanic with a modified 20L gallon for my my sump. The only thing I might suggest in your setup is to put the skimmer after the refugium so your macro-algae gets the first crack at the unfiltered water. I also use a mag 7 on my tank, (which works great!) it turns the tank over nicely. I keep a combination of soft corals and sps corals. I bought a mag9 a while back but it was a little much for a 58 gallon tank IMO. I am a little confused on why you are inserting a rubbermaid container for your refugium, couldn't you just cut acrylic dividers and silicone them in your sump to create your refugium? I also just put a LOA 65 watt on my refugium and the macros doubled their growth rates. I hope this helps...

[Ryn]

Thanks, .

I just thought it would be simpler to plop in a small 'box' w/ sand and rock and macro.

What's your lighting? I have a 20 gal now w/ 2-65 w PC and a 250 w 10K AB and IC ballast coming from Ocean Encounters (great price I think) w/ a 24" refelector, that will accept my curent PC. I know it's a little short but I kinda want the sides low light for shrooms etc. I'm thinking of making a hanging canopy to deal w/the heat

[Sker]

Hey Ryn, right now I have hamilton hood with two 55W actinic power compacts and a 175W 10K MH. I am upgrading to a 250W MH in the next month or so. I also like having the metal halide in the center to keep the strong light corals, clams etc., then I keep all my low light soft corals, shrooms, gorgonians on the outside perimeter. It seems to work well for what I am trying to acheive which is to keep a lot of different tyes of corals and not just a dedicated sps or soft coral tank.

[Ryn]

Just what I'm trying to do.

Check this out

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/...egory_Code=MHB

Also the PFO reflector will accept the PC

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/...egory_Code=RSC

I got the Icecap E Ballast and an adaptor cord for the PFO quick disconnect to the IC

[Sker]

Looks good I especially like the spyder type reflector. Are your putting your lighting setup into and existing hood, or are your building your own hood? Will your hood have built in fans to lessen the heat load coming off your lights? With that setup you should be able to keep whatever you want sps, clams etc...

[Sker]

Oooops, sorry about the question about building your canopy/hood guess I should have read your posts a little more carefully!!

[Bughead]

I see this thread morphed into a lighting discussion, but I'd like to ask about putting the rubbermaid refugium into the sump tank instead of using partitions. Sounds like a great idea to me. Does it work well? That's what I'll do with our upcoming 55 gal/20 gal sump if I get the go-ahead from you guys.

[Ryn]

Sker-S'ok. I'm going to use a pair of garden hooks, like you'd use to hang a bird feeder from, cut down and attached to the back of the stand. I'm going to paint the whole thing white-stand canopy hooks etc. What do you think about having the back white?

I'm a little concerned about the Mag 7-lot's of restart problems it seems. I may go w/ a Mag 9 and a ball valve in line to cut back on flow if necessary.

Bughead- haven't tried it yet but I don't see why it won't work-would provide a relatively calm area within the sump and easy to remove(though I don't see why I would ever need to).

Still have to get the tank drilled,refinish the stand and build the canopy

[Sker]

Ryn, another question have you thought about attaching your lights to the ceiling? Possibly using a pulley system attachment so you can raise and lower the lights when you want to work on the tank? I saw a thread on this but I can not seem to find it! The thread was about a guy who used a pulley system designed to store bikes and suspend them from a ceiling. He modified it and used it so he could raise and lower his canopy when he wanted to work on the tank. It was a real good idea, anyway your hooks idea would also work! I think you should double check if those hooks can support the weight of your canopy though. White sounds fine for the stand and support hooks. I have the back wall of my tank painted black, which I think looks the best IMO....

[Ryn]

Thanks for your help and ideas. It's reasurring to know my plans aren't completely insane.

I'll post some pics once I set it all up, which probably won't be until mid April

[Sker]

No problem, I am interested to see how it turns out...;)