First sump build

[Christine_B]

Here is what I have now, pretty basic.

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40g, g4 skimmer

I am moving up to a 180 and will have the money soon to start building the canopy, get new lighting, and build a sump. We are thinking of putting a used 90g in the basement for the sump. I am thinking I want to make it a 3 chamber, one of them being a refugium because my hubby stocks the tank heavily and would like to get my phosphates down a little lower then they are now. Is this a good or bad idea? Any other suggestions on what i should ad to the sump besides rubble and a refugium??

 

[reefguy86]

wish i could see this in person I'm trying to do the same thing over the next couple weeks here would love to pick so peoples brains on this.

 

[pascal32]

is the reefcrystals bucket your ATO? if so consider lifting the hose up in the sump so it can't siphon.

are you thinking a sump like this? http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2115663

if you have basement space a 20 long makes nice refugium and that leaves more room in the sump. I had a refugium in my old 40G breeder sump and it works, though more space would have been nice!

 

[Christine_B]

Yes that is my top off water, hubby has it rigged so it pupms water when it gets below the tip of the hose. Yes I was thinking of a sump like the one you posted. I like your idea of a separate refugium but I am not sure how to plumb that into the system.

 

[Christine_B]

reefguy you might be done with yours before I actually start the build on mine, have a lot of prep work to do first in the basement.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

If you're going for a basement sump and you've got the room, I would go large. Most sump sizing rules are based on people putting the sump under the tank in the stand. A larger sump has many advantages (more stability, more room for equipment, more room for expansion, you can set up a frag rack or create a cryptic zone, flow velocity will be lower so bubbles will be less problematic, etc.) with few disadvantages.

Be sure to keep in mind the intended use of each compartment and if it fits in the overall design. It would be unfortunate to design a refugium compartment into a certain spot in the sump, only to find that there's no way to control flow through that compartment independently and it's too slow or too fast. Similarly if you've got bubble traps you want to make sure you have room for bubble-producing equipment (a skimmer) "upstream" of them. And so on.

Also, if in the basement, consider that you'll have a LOT of head to pump against compared to putting the sump in the stand. You might find that you're looking at a $400 pump that draws 300w instead of a $150 pump that draws 75w to get a certain flow rate.

If your basement is finished/heated this might not be a big deal, but many people with unfinished/unheated basements find that they have to keep a LOT of heaters in a basement sump to keep it warm enough in the winter.

 

[reefman5511]

I have a 55 gallon basement sump on my 72 bowfront. Have it sectioned off into 3 sections - right side is for the skimmer, left for refugium & center is for the return pump. Basement is unheated & have 2 heaters - a 200 W & 300W.

 

[Christine_B]

My basement is semifinished and heated. Do not have a ton of room but enough. I already have a strong pump that will do the job. If I decided to put the refugium separate does anyone have good advice on how to best plumb it into the system? And thanks everyone for all the input its appreciated

 

[pascal32]

the best is to have a T on a horizontal run of the drain from the display. the down port of the T goes to a gate (preferred) or ball valve to control the flow into the refugium. the horizontal output goes into the sump. The refugium drains into the sump.

it is better to restrict the flow into the refugium than to restrict the main drain and force water to the refugium

very simplified drawing:

 

[Christine_B]

oooh I am liking that setup a lot! Looks like I would (hubby actually, I am the brains he is the brawn...lol) have to drill into glass though, unless I make the refugium out of plexiglass.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Drilling glass is very straightforward once you get the hang. The only real catch is making sure the glass is not tempered - if it is, you can't drill it.