sump/refugium question

[FiletOFish]

i'm trying to set up a sump but just had a few questions.

 

1. due to the make and measurements of my stand i'll only be able to fit in a 10 or so gallon sump. and if i decide to section off (skimmer - refugium - return) a portion for a refugium it will only be about 5 gallons or so. will this size of refugium be of any help? the display tank is about 27 gallons.

 

2. i plan on using my canister filter to get the water from the display to the sump - overflow fuction. is this a bad idea? heard about canister filters being nitrate factories and what not. may make an hang-on overflow eventually.

 

3. how do i calculate the return wattage? since i'll be using my canister should i just match the wattage and flow of my canister? or do i have to factor in gravity?

 

4. was initially thinking about refugium - skimmer - return to reduce the initial nitrate in the refugium before it gets to the skimmer but heard this order was not useful. is skimmer - refugium - return the best order? any other suggestions.

 

thnx in advance

[SK8URDEAD]

i'm trying to set up a sump but just had a few questions.

 

1. due to the make and measurements of my stand i'll only be able to fit in a 10 or so gallon sump. and if i decide to section off (skimmer - refugium - return) a portion for a refugium it will only be about 5 gallons or so. will this size of refugium be of any help? the display tank is about 27 gallons.

 

2. i plan on using my canister filter to get the water from the display to the sump - overflow fuction. is this a bad idea? heard about canister filters being nitrate factories and what not. may make an hang-on overflow eventually.

 

3. how do i calculate the return wattage? since i'll be using my canister should i just match the wattage and flow of my canister? or do i have to factor in gravity?

 

4. was initially thinking about refugium - skimmer - return to reduce the initial nitrate in the refugium before it gets to the skimmer but heard this order was not useful. is skimmer - refugium - return the best order? any other suggestions.

 

thnx in advance

refuge/skimmmer/return = not good due what ever leaves the refugium will be torn up and pretty much useless if it then goes into the skimmer.

best way is skimmer(gets rid of organics making water cleaner and better for fuge)/fuge for the goodies to then flow into pump into tank. also if you think about gravity and flow how ever much your pump in pumping into the tank is the same speed your tank will overflow back into the sump.

[FiletOFish]

any comments regarding the refugium? will this be of any significant help or is it a "better than nothing"?

[Mr. Fosi]

1. due to the make and measurements of my stand i'll only be able to fit in a 10 or so gallon sump. and if i decide to section off (skimmer - refugium - return) a portion for a refugium it will only be about 5 gallons or so. will this size of refugium be of any help?

 

This is the size that I have and mine helps keep nutrients down and pH up (I light it on a reverse photoperiod)

 

2. i plan on using my canister filter to get the water from the display to the sump - overflow fuction. is this a bad idea?

 

Yes, but not for the reason you think. You need to have something that keeps the water level steady in the display that won't continue to drain the display if your sump return pump shuts off. This is why people use overflows. If you use an in-tank overflow and just have the sump return pump water into the tank your in/out flows balance.

 

Trying to match pumps is a recipe for disaster.

 

4. was initially thinking about refugium - skimmer - return to reduce the initial nitrate in the refugium before it gets to the skimmer but heard this order was not useful. is skimmer - refugium - return the best order?

 

If it were me, I would put the skimmer first. That will remove the non-dissolved stuff that macro in your fuge won't. If you put it after the fuge, any pods or other food items that might have made it into the display may be skimmed out.