Need someone experienced who makes refugium/sumps

[1slapnuts]

Looking to have a refugium/sump built for a new tank I will be getting. I can't MAKE anything, and I haven't found any that are affordable to buy. I have seen alot of diagrams, but it's too much mechanical thinking for me to do it (I'm a female of course..lol). Can anyone build me one, or give me an idea of costs first, it will be for a 48x24x25 tank, the stand will be 30" tall , and I'm getting it from glasscages, not sure on the exact opening size of the cabinet door, but they look like they started making them a little bigger (guesstimate= at least 24x20 opening?) Let me know, I think the refugium will help me avoid alot of the problems I was having without one before in my 210g (high phosphates, high nitrates)

 

[cstires]

PM Boostable, he builds them, however I'm not sure about his costs. I do know that I saw one he was making a short time ago for another reefer and it looked great!

If that dosn't work out, I just saw one that Marcye had made for someone, and it too was excellent work.

 

[chrisstie]

Hey don't diss on the rest of us gals we can be handy if we try ;p My excuse is that I'm just lazy and don't wanna build it wrong

A lot of people honestly say to go pick out a generic sized tank and get some acrylic sheets\some form of glass.. plexi glass? from home depot and have them cut the size you need for baffles then glue it in there with 100% pure silicon (aquarium safe stuff, no mildew additives)

If you were to have 3 chambers - the middle one would have 2 baffles glued to the bottom forming a litlte tank with in a tank, they just need to come up about halfway into the tank and then the outer ones will be from the top going down maybe 1" or offset from the bottom.

If you look at pics of refugiums I think you can get the idea i think someplace like lowes might be able to help you figure it out if you ask.

Here's a pic of mine if it helps
this is before it was set up and running with the skimmer etc in it

 

[1slapnuts]

Chrisstie is that glass or plexiglass that you used in your sump? Oh, and do I HAVE to have a sump AND a refugium, or can I just do a refugium/sump combo in one tank somehow? I really don't want to have to have 2 tanks under this stand. Thanks, the photos were great, I had been looking at Melev's (i think thats it) and really liked the sump/fuge. I wish they lived closer to here and could build me one...lol.

 

[cstires]

You don't have to have them seperate, I have my refugium in my sump, actually a lot of people do.

From the greed sides, it looks as though her baffles are glass...

 

[1slapnuts]

That's what I thought, glass. But she kinda threw me off when she said to get plexiglass baffles at Lowe's/Home Depot. I really don't think they even cut glass there, but I really never asked before either. Boy, when I have to do the plumbing on this tank, that will be a doosy....lol....Ipaid someone else to hook up the 210g....I am gonna try this time to do it myself....better renew my flood insurance ........if we decide to stay here that is. Kinda torn whether we will be going or staying. Need to decide soon.

 

[cstires]

HD and Lowe's both cut acrylic and glass.

Plumbing can be difficult and it can be easy depending on your familiarity of the different fittings, valves, etc...

When I did my 120 I went with a single pump (sequence Dart) and it runs my entire tank. There is nothing else visible in the tank besides a few inches of loc-line. No ugly powerheads or any of that stuff. I'll post a picture of it below. I got the idea from Marcye and Tom at SITC. I liked the clean looks of their tanks. It was really quite easy to do, it just required me to put a manifold around the perimeter of the top of the tank.

If you need any help just let me know.

 

[1slapnuts]

How would I do that if I plan to have a rimless tank with an open top? Is there a "bottom" style manifold, that maybe I could have the guys at glasscages drill the extra holes i would need to do something like that? I really don't want to have a closed canopy this time.

 

[cstires]

Have you been to SITC? They have theirs coming from the bottom. You would just have to have the guys at glass cages to drill holes for the bulkheads, or drill them yourself once you get the tank.

My canopy isn't close fully, the entire back and top is open.

 

[cstires]

Here's a picture of the stand and canopy prior to me installing the doors. I wasn't quite finished making them

 

[1slapnuts]

Any idea where I could get a diagram of how a bottom setup would look like, and where and how big the holes should be? Thanks

 

[cstires]

What pump are you planning on using? Do you have a diagram of how your tank is going to look? Specifically the layout of the overflow box(s). I would have them drill for 1" bulkheads, you can always reduce the pipe if need be.

There's really no way to figure out how the manifold will look until after you have your sump, tank, stand, etc in place. That's when th plumbing fun begins!

 

[1slapnuts]

Well then, how in the heck will I know where to have them drill extra holes??!!?? I planned on having 2 holes in theoverflow, which would be either back center or corner, not sure just yet since i don't know what else I will be doing with this tank. I figured i would need more holes than just the 2 in the overflow for the manifold, right? or wrong? I haven't diagramed anything, because I'm not really sure how I want everything, this is a first for me, what may come natural for you has me utterly confused as to where to begin

 

[cstires]

Let me give you an idea how mine is setup. I have 4 1" bulkheads in my overflow. Two are drains and two are returns. Each return is running a manifold with three ports/exits. If your going to use a larger pump, then I would make sure that you have two drains in the overflow and probably two returns as well. If your overflow is in the center, then I would have two holes drilled opposite the overflow in the corners. This way you can have returns coming up from the bottom and then loc-line fittings to adjust your flow. If your return is on a side of the tank, then the same would apply. You goal is to set it up so you have a lot of rolling water movement, at various angles through the tank.

The manifold really doesn't matter at this point, becuase you could have your returns coming up through the center of the tank, in the side of the tank, etc... The manifold will be built after you have the tank sitting on the stand, and sump installed. In your case it really isn't a manifold, it's actually just plumbing in your various return lines. I've got a picture below of my plumbing. This may help a bit.

The two lines in the middle are the drains the outside lines are the returns.

 

[1slapnuts]

I guess just one more question for now......what size pump do YOU think I should have? The tank will be a 120g, measuring 48x24x25 (is your tank these dimensions also?). I plan to do it reef with moderate fish load.

 

[1slapnuts]

So you thin I should have 4 holes drilled in my overflow box, and the returns should be 1"? Should they all be 1" or make the other 2 holes smaller?

 

[cstires]

Yes my tank is 48x24x24, If I was having one built, and using this method, I would have it built with 2 1.5" drains, and 1 1" returns. The 1" drains handle my flow, but I think you could quiet it down more with a larger sized drain.

I think a single Dart would be plenty. I have great flow and my SPS seem to be doing great. Very neat setup without looking at those ugly powerheads!

 

[1slapnuts]

Yes, I agree, it is very nice & clean setup. I wish I knew how to do that to my tank....I guess I will have to try, I will have them drill the holes per your recommendation, go with a Dart pump, and hopefully will learn alot along the way. I expect to need ALOT of help from you guys here to say the least. The pictures and info have helped me see this a little better, and hopefully I won't have to go through TOO MUCH trial and error to learn the hard way!

 

[Fuzzy]

Very neat setup without looking at those ugly powerheads! [/B]

Agreed - very nice set up!

I'm gonna tag along and see what else develops.

Our EuroReef RC180 finally arrived - and it's a really tight fit in the sump. I've been toying with the idea of plumbing it externally -
But am afraid of what could happen when it freaks out.....
So I'm thinking a bigger sump would take care of the problem.
Or install new baffles in the one I have.

I like the way Chrisstie glued the extra baffles.
Something like that would do what I need.