Custom sump design help with pics

[Dread Pirate]

:bounce3:Hi Everyone
I am in the process of designing a sump for my 30X30X18 mixed reef.I am new to this so the design could be totally off. I am planning on using a vertex skimmmer or Royal exclusiz (unless you guys can suggest something better). I am also not sure if it would be more benificial for me to use an ATO or refugium in this setup.

Any help would be great!!

 

[shifty51008]

Pics arnt working for me

 

[Dread Pirate]

Pics

Pics

Thanks for letting me know.Not sure why they show up on my side. Maybe I will try an attach thumbnails.

 

[shifty51008]

Nice design, will work just fine. Im not sure where you would put the fuge at though unless your running an external skimmer.

Your ato is auto top off section correct?

 

[Dread Pirate]

Thanks. Yes it is an auto top off. I am running an internal skimmer. My thought was maybe replacing the ATO with the refugium.

 

[shifty51008]

Imo the ato section is to skinny to be a fuge. I never used a turf scrubber but it may work in that area as they dont look like they take up to much space

 

[Dread Pirate]

I wish I had more space for another filter before it got to the return pump.

 

[shifty51008]

I would just keep it as a ato section, with a good skimmer (which you look like picked out) and weekly water changes youll be fine without a fuge as long as you dont over stock with fish. Fuge's while are nice to have are not nessasary.

 

[Dread Pirate]

Got it...Here is the design i just did with a refugium.

Do you think this refugium is big enough to have any affect on my DT.

 

[shifty51008]

Yeah that will work fine for growing cheato after you put a light over top.

 

[Dread Pirate]

Thanks for all the input. How should the water flow through fuge ?

 

[shifty51008]

Anytime, glad to help. You can run an extra drain line directly to the fuge so that it gets raw water or run a t off the return line to the fuge so that all the water still goes through the filter socks and have the output go to the return section. I like to run raw water in the fuge as it gives pods and other microfauna plenty of food but you wanna be able to clean it easily.

One thing i didnt notice was you dont have a bubble trap between the skimmer section and the return section.

 

[Dread Pirate]

Ya thats a problem. But i dont have space unless i reduce the size of the skimmer. Which im not sure if i should do