I need a new sump

[Pilotman520]

Hi all,

So I need to make a new sump. I have a few questions about the changed I want to make. Both the old and the new will be based on a 29 glass aquarium. I cannot remove my skimmer for cleaning because the baffles are too close and it's too tall. You can see the pictures in this thread. I'm not in a huge hurry to get this done because its all in there and working fine for right now. I just can't remove the skimmer to clean it so I have a couple months.

viewtopic.php?f=94&t=130524

My new plan is to have the first baffle 12 inches in from the left and 12 inches high instead of 13. I think this will allow me to pivot the skimmer in without hitting the top of the cabinet. Then a refugium section about 10 inches long with an 11 inch high baffle at the end. Then I am thinking of using either a 1 inch wide downflow into the return section or possibly 2.5-3 inches with a shelf for a carbon bag or something. Will that be enough of a bubble trap? Right now I have a three baffle trap right after the skimmer. The high point on the middle baffle is whats in the way so I was thinking that lowering it and moving it to the right would help.

Right now I have about 13 inches of refugium with some macro and live rock and about 4 inches of oolite sand. I am also considering removing the sand completely with the new sump and just sticking one block of the 8x8x4 marine pure down there. Do you think this is a good idea? How should I go about the removal of the sand? Can I just remove it when I remove the sump or should I take a little out with every water change for the next few months until its gone and I replace the sump. Also should I cure the marine pure if I go that route? I was thinking I could just put it in a bucket with tankwater that comes out for a water change and throw some microbacter 7 in there for a couple weeks to get it started.

Whew, just thinking about doing this is making me sweat! Last questions, the current sump was done with 1/4" clear glass siliconed in. I was thinking of possibly using acrylic this time with black baffles to hopefully stop some of the algae growing on the return pump. Do you think it's worth the extra effort? I know that the silicone won't really bond with the acrylic but merely acts like a dam and holds it up. I think the water being almost equal heights on both sides won't make a huge difference either way. If I do acrylic is the black worthwile? If it's not I would probably sick with glass. On the same subject is it worth cutting a weir into the acrylic if I go that route?

Ok that's all!

These forums have been super helpful to my wife and I, and we appreciate all your input.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Pilotman520]

If it makes any difference for your recommendations I have a 90G display mixed reef and a reef octopus 150sss skimmer. The drain is a dual 1 inch coming from a HOB overflow.

 

[yacn]

I just went through similar decisions.

I took all of my sand out of my sump at one time. I went with bare bottom and placed 4x4x8 block of MarinePure in it. I included a handful of smaller pieces of live rock for pods and such to hide around and multiply. It's only been in a month since I did this so it's bit too early to tell if the MarinePure lives up to it's claim.

I also took out my chaeto and fuge light to avoid having to clean algae in my sump and in my skimmer every month. Algae would grow inside my skimmer from the fuge light located in the next compartment.

If you don't want to unistall your light....I'd consider installing black colored acrylic baffles to avoid algae growing between the baffles and perhaps in other compartments and equipment. I too struggled with the fact silicone caulk doesn't stick to acrylic...but I didn't go that route since I took my out my fuge light .

I recently bought a used Super Reef Octopus skimmer and it wouldn't fit into my sump as is. So by taking out the fuge section I made room for the SRO skimmer. I placed the skimmer on top of the MarinePure block to elevate it since this skimmer needs to be in 6 inch deep water.

I don't think my fuge did much for me anyhow. I only had a 18x14 dedicated space for the fuge in my sump, and have 150 gallon DT. Everything I read told me I need a whole sump dedicated ....like a 40 gallon tank or larger dedicated as refugium to make any type of nutrient absorption impact.

BTW your picture didn't upload...you can't view it

 

[Pilotman520]

Here is the link to the photos

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=130524&sid=1be8ce3d72978d7db796013978ca9a39

 

[Pilotman520]

How big does the fuge have to be to support at 90 Gallon display tank?

 

[yacn]

20% of your tank size is most commonly recommended....do some searching and you'll be able to verify this comment

90 gallon tank = 18 gallon refugium dedicated space needed. Depending on what you are trying to achieve.

If just trying to grow pods and some chaeto.....then you don't need that much space.

If trying to export nutrients with fuge...then larger is better.

Again, I got rid of mine all together and pods still grow and multiply in my sump w/o chaeto, light or sand bottom. I'm only into this for a month or so....so I don't have any personal experience to offer on this yet. But I've experienced no problems thus far. Same amount of algae growing on the DT glass as when I had fuge...I don't think there is anyway of not having to clean DT glass occasionally no matter what you do. But I don't have to clean algae out of my sump and it's equipment anymore.