sump, refugium, return pump questions

[eddieh]

I have started a 20L and after filling it with rock and sand I have about 13 gallons of water. That doesn't seem like a lot, so now I have decided (like a n00b...a month AFTER SETTING IT UP!!!) to drill the tank and add a sump (a 20h).

 

I ordered a glass-holes overflow (super-nano..very nice bit of gear). Some 1" clear tubing and a ball valve and that pretty much takes care of the overflow/drain side.

 

Now some questions: I already have built an aquaclear 110 fuge with 18w PC light. Is there any reason not to discontinue it's use and move the fuge into the sump?

 

Are there any benefits to having a sump that only houses equipment (keeping the aquaqclear fuge)?

 

It seems that now is the time to make a fuge in the sump IF thats the best plan. I should add that I have 2 Koralia 1 powerheads giving me 800 or so gph of flow, so the return off the sump doesn't have to provide much more flow.

 

Next question: What kind of return pump should I use? The good people at glass-holes recommend a pump that puts around 200-250gph. I am not sure if that rating should include head loss or not. The overflow measures around 4 1/2" across and drains into a 1" hose.

 

Thanks, Eddie

[eddieh]

So I decided on the 300gph Eheim pump for the return. Now my question is: Is there any reason to keep the AC110 fuge?

[MSU Fan]

There's no reason you can't move the "fuge" to the sump itself, but again, there's no reason to change what you already have working. Why don't you move the AC110 to the sump tank?