Critique sump/fuge design

roscozman

New member
Below is a pic of how we will set up our sump/fuge system. The problem lies where we can not decide on how we should finalize it. Here are some specs:

90gal bottom glass tank (72"x18"x16")
...2"drain with Dart Pump
...3 baffles splitting tank almost in half
.........first baffle 13" high
.........third baffle 9" high

30gal top acrylic tank (48"x12"x12")
...3x separate 1/2" bulkheads draining into 90gal
...water will be supplied from pump in bottom tank
...3 baffles equally separating tank
Tank would be held up by 2x4 frame (not in pic) and can move to other side of sump if need be.

Lighting - 48" 2bulb Current fixture with 6500k daylight bulb and ATI BluePlus bulb


Our initial thought is as follows:
30gal top acrylic tank - Fuge/frag tank where the first three chambers would be used as a fuge with cheato and last chamber would be used for as a frag area.
90gal bottom glass tank - Deep sand bed (6inch) in the first chamber them a sump area in the second housing the skimmer.

How could/would you set up the system? Any and all recommendations welcome.

NewsumpSetup.jpg
 
Sorry but I'm not even sure what your trying to do with this set up. There just isn't enough info here to explain your intent or what this sump/fuge is feeding. If you want a simple sump, fuge and frag tank set up this is over complicated make the 30 your frag tank and section the 90 for the fuge and sump.

For instance why the two different tanks?
What do you want to accomplish with this system (primary filtration, place to hide equipment, both etc..)?
If you want to house all your equipment here what all are going to use (reactors, dosing pumps, heaters)?
Why the multiple chambers for the fuge? Is one for chaeto, one for the dsb and one for live rock? (if that is the case I'm not sure the baffels are needed, if instead you want to create different zones then you need to be able to control how much light reaches those areas and what kind of flow they get)
What are you hooking this monster sump and fuge too?
 
Let me provide some more information.

Below is a pic of our tank - 240gal (96"x24"'24"). It is currently torn down awaiting a new tank, so the reason why we are painting the stand and redesigning the sump area. The stand in 46" high which give me a lot of room to work inside the sump/fuge area.

<a href="http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/?action=view&current=Currenttankstand.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/Currenttankstand.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Let me address some of the questions above:

For instance why the two different tanks? The 90gal is the sump we already had and want to use for the current system. This area previously held live rock and skimmer. The 30gal we previously used only as a frag tank (which is why we have the T5 light on top).

What do you want to accomplish with this system (primary filtration, place to hide equipment, both etc..)?
We want to have a deep sand bed (6"), area for skimmer and area for cheato/filtration.

If you want to house all your equipment here what all are going to use (reactors, dosing pumps, heaters)? We currently have an ASM G3 Skimmer, one media reactor for phosban (use MaxiJet for pump) and external Dart pump.

Why the multiple chambers for the fuge? Is one for chaeto, one for the dsb and one for live rock? (if that is the case I'm not sure the baffels are needed, if instead you want to create different zones then you need to be able to control how much light reaches those areas and what kind of flow they get) When we purchased the setup, this was used for cheato and culepra. We previously used it for a frag tank. We now are thinking of using it for both - possibly first three chambers for cheato and last chamber for egg crate/frags.

What are you hooking this monster sump and fuge too? 240gal (96"x24"'24")

Hope I gave enough detail.


I have revised and added some equipment in the sump area. I am looking for other suggestions or advice on what we can do with what we currently have.

Sumppic2b.jpg


Sumppic2a.jpg
 
There's a few changes I would make if this were mine. First, I'd take out the 2 end baffles of the 30 gal. I'd make the first section the frag area. The second for the chaeto.
For the 90, I'd add one more section. The first section would house the skimmer and the pump for the fuge/frag tank. It would also be where the drains from the display would go. Then the DSB/rubble rock section. Then the last baffles to seperate the DSB from the return section, which would also be where the frag/fuge drains. This way all pods that make it into the drain from the fuge will eventually end up being pumped up. And of course, this is also where the ATO goes.
 
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One concern is how easy will it be to do maintanence on the lower section if it is covered by the 30g? What about salt creep?

I'd put the frags after the chaeto so they can eat the planktonic critters that would thrive in the chaeto.

I agree with svynx...move the skimmer away from the dart section. Consider microbubbles from the skimmer and if anything that section will have the most dynamic water height.
 
I wasn't even thinking of microbubbles. I was going with the water being a constant depth for the skimmer. With the water level changing, constant adjustments to the skimmer would need to be made. But yes, the microbubbles could also be a problem.
 
Thanks for the input.

I have made a couple adjustments according to the comments. Please see below:

<a href="http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/?action=view&current=sumppic3a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/sumppic3a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/?action=view&current=sumppic3b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff136/roscozman/sumppic3b.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
I like the new design I think it is much closer to what you want to accomplish.

Note - you could remove the pump feeding the 30 gallon and simply feed it with a drain from the display straight into the chaeto section, let that over flow into the frag section and let the frag sectiion drain into your dsb or skimmer area. (eliminates the heat and trouble of dealing with another pump just make sure you put a valve on the drain that feeds the 30 gallon to control the flow)

If it's not to late you may also consider a cost to cost overflow on the new tank with a Beananimal drain set up. (quiet and offers piece of mind with the back up drains especially with the total volume of your system)
 
The only problem I would have with a drain from the DT going into the frag/chaeto area would be detrus. I'd rather have it all in one spot, easily taken out by a filter sock. But, having said that, you could have two socks...
 
If you want to use a filter sock, then yes you could put one on the drain feeding the fuge and one on the sump compartment if you want (personnelly I'm not big on filter socks).
 
I like the new design I think it is much closer to what you want to accomplish.

Note - you could remove the pump feeding the 30 gallon and simply feed it with a drain from the display straight into the chaeto section, let that over flow into the frag section and let the frag sectiion drain into your dsb or skimmer area. (eliminates the heat and trouble of dealing with another pump just make sure you put a valve on the drain that feeds the 30 gallon to control the flow)

If it's not to late you may also consider a cost to cost overflow on the new tank with a Beananimal drain set up. (quiet and offers piece of mind with the back up drains especially with the total volume of your system)

Thanks for the help and we like the idea of the DT draining into the fuge. I had previously used flex tube and don't know if I can still accomplish this with flex tube or use PVC.

I will do a search, but I don't know what a "Beananimal drain set up" looks like. Can you direct me to a thread?


The only problem I would have with a drain from the DT going into the frag/chaeto area would be detrus. I'd rather have it all in one spot, easily taken out by a filter sock. But, having said that, you could have two socks...

We were actually considering using filter socks but didn't know how to attach them to the sump. I did a search and found some interesting ideas but we're thinking of a more permanent solution and using silicone to attach a brace on the end of the sump. Just have to figure a filter sock size and attachment. Any advice would be great.
 
For a sock on the main sump, I'd suggest getting a piece of plasic (take your pick of the different kinds) make it big enough that it will fit like a lid on the 75g, drill a hole, insert sock (once again, you can take your pick of the different kinds) and it's done. This does require getting a sock that has a plastic ring. If you don't want the plastic ring, you could glue a hook on the drain near the end and just hang a sock on it. That would also work for the frag/fuge.
 
Np

Np

Thanks for the help and we like the idea of the DT draining into the fuge. I had previously used flex tube and don't know if I can still accomplish this with flex tube or use PVC.

I will do a search, but I don't know what a "Beananimal drain set up" looks like. Can you direct me to a thread?

Beananimal Silent and Failsafe Overflow System

I prefer to hardpipe all my drains and use unions to make disassembly for maintenance /repairs easy.
 
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