Hey guys, just setting up my new system, going from a 15galllon Nano cube, to a 36gallon bow with a 15 gallon sump. I was wondering what everyone has in there sump for filtration and so on
3 chambers separated by baffles
(in order of water flow)
#1) 1.5' drain pipe flowing through a 100micron filter sock running a EuroReef RS-130 skimmer. Also in this section I pump water through my BRS Dual Phos/Carbon reactors and have the water return to the same section.
#2) Refugium - water goes up over a baffle and across the top creating a refugium pool between the two baffle's. About 1inch sandbed and a few pounds of rock (more on the way) I have cheato which grows like crazy on the top portion and a 6500k daytime LED light from Home depot with a cheap reflector over top.
#3) return pump back to display (mag7) and my PH monitor and ATO sensor / top off pipe.
the only thing that pisses me off on this setup is now the 3rd chamber has tons of crap in it ie broken pieces of chaeto and random pieces of sand... and since the sump is at ground level it's very hard to siphon out.
i'm planning on using an actual pump to clean out the 3rd section in upcoming maintenance when I take the actual mag7 out for a while to clean it.
what about heater/protein skimmers
Lost at sea a few thoughts and experiences from my own setup. I have the same 3 chamber setup, basically same idea but I found removing the LR from the fuge had no impact. I also don't think a 1" sb in the fuge would do much. Removing that may help with detritus. It is also not too hard to change baffle setup or use eggcrate etc to block crap from getting in return area.
I also find a shop vac is just great for sucking water and filth out of the sump. I got a pretty cheap one from Walmart working great so far.
As for the op if you want to keep it simple 3 chambers is great. Sock/skimmer/ intake at constant water level, fuge at constant level with chaeto, and final chamber for return pump, here is where you can place an ato sensor. Can run a reactor or two either in sump or adjacent to it if needed. A powehead in an area that collects detritus can help keep it from settling.
Agreed re: rock and sandbed in fuge... it's definitely more so I can feel a little better when I banish various crabs and critters there that they can still live a normal life.
as for the ideas of cleaning up the return thanks i'll definitely give them a try! most of the 'crap' accumulated in the first few days of operation (when I had zero clue :) so I think once i clean it up, should be good to go.
Nano - the protein skimmer i used is in the first chamber the 'Euro Reef rs-130' great skimmer probably WAY overkill for your setup as you'd need a sump much larger then your nano.
:)
I am forgoing the sandbed in my sump/fuge. Going for a low nutrient tank this time. Other than that it's standrd 3 compartment skimmer and recieving end- fuge with rock and maybe chaeto- return and phosban reactor.
My plan as well. The sump I just baffled has a chamber for chaeto but I won't be running live rock in the sump (in a 20g sump I don't have room for enough that it will have a significant impact imo). I'll run chaeto as a way to achieve low nutrients, if I go with carbon dosing and reach a point where it dies off I'll pull it and use this space for something else.
Quote from: groan on April 13, 2010, 08:10:42 AM
I am forgoing the sandbed in my sump/fuge. Going for a low nutrient tank this time. Other than that it's standrd 3 compartment skimmer and recieving end- fuge with rock and maybe chaeto- return and phosban reactor.
I have a 30G sump divided into two parts. The two parts are divided by baffles. I have my skimmer and heater in the first one and the return pump in the second. I also have a 10G refuge that is fed from a split off of the main overflow return and overflows into the second part of the sump.
In order of flow ..
1) Skimmer
2) Ultralith Reactor
3) Fuge
4) Carbon & Phosphate Reactors
5) 150lbs of LR and a return pump
Also I have an auto water changing system in-line that changes 4gal/day and the baling light dosing system on a GHL controller. Its not really in-line but it is in the sump. Oh, and I have several probes that measure Temp, pH, Conductivity and Redox... and a few corals in the sump ;)
Did I mention it is about 150gallons of water in the sump?
thats one crazy sump