Jump to content
SaltCritters.com

DIY SUMP/REFUGIUM DESIGN QUESTIONS


nickLP

Poll questions  

18 members have voted

  1. 1. Should I add Sand to the Refugium ?

    • Yes
      11
    • No
      7
  2. 2. Should i use carbon?

    • yes
      15
    • no
      3


Recommended Posts

I just came back from my LFS. I was having a conversation with a dude there n' he was like "WHAT?! why are u gunna put live sand it your refugium? " I was under the impression that live sand was essential for a reef tank sump. What do you guys think?

 

I also have questions about carbon and filter socks. For a 30g reef tank , does anybody recommend using (or not using) carbon? or filter socks? >(or both in combination)

Link to comment

consider the water level at each baffle, I had mine drop one inch from chamber to chamber. Also remember drainback from power outage

Link to comment

true, baffle heights in the drawing are WAY OFF due to my lack of drawing ability.

 

Scratch the first baffle before the skimmer

 

8-9" baffles , decreasing the height from left to right to control water height and to have water move from one chamber to the next without overflowing the chamber.

 

again sorry for the drawing

post-56184-1293911350_thumb.jpg

Link to comment

That last drawing will work. I drew up a few different designs before I got what I wanted.

I even drew on the glass full scale as a mock up before i made the baffles.

 

 

Sand in the fuge area is good. Sand in the pump? not so much

Link to comment

+1 calculate the flow-back volume in case of power outage. Installing siphon breaks can help reduce how much flows back.

 

Overall though I think the last drawing looks fine. I'm going to have a sandbed in my sump. It's going to be a display sump.

Link to comment

the argument against sand tends to be one of laziness & misunderstanding. dsb's are the most efficient biologic filter available. how ever there limitations are normally quickly exceeded by the average hobbyist. resulting in the classic's. it a nutrient sink or there tickin time bombs. in a natural sediment bed it takes around 3 years for the bioturbation to completely turnover the top 10 cm. if you keep this in mind, you can see why most with out an understanding of there function could have them become problematic.

Link to comment

oh as to the sketch of that sump. its a 40b set up for a tank with only 1.5gallons of back flow, from the overflow & plumbing. the return chambers size is limited to prevent flooding, by burning the pump out if it should get that far. still its like 7X18x18 holding about 9.5gallons.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...