RDSB Questions.

[maroun.c]

considering an RDSB for my new setup (390G display and around 650G total system volume)
It will be in a partition of a sump not in a bucket so what is a good surface and deapth i should allow for it?
I'm thinking a partition that's 20" side 15" long and a sand deapth of lets say 8-10" so water would be crosseeing a cross section of 15 inch from stat to end to cross the RDSB.
do yo uthink those dimesions are fine?
What flow should I get through it? is it best to start with live sand or new sand? should I seed it with critters (worms and stars) or not and is it better to have some light on it or is it best to keep in the dark?
Sorry loads of questions, Thanks for any help or better yet pics of your setups and results you're getting with RDSBs

 

[Aquaman]

putting a deep sand bed in your sump really depends on the water flow through the sump. For a sump to be working correctly the water will be flowing too fast to do any good in a chambered DSB. Thats why most use a bucket system as it will allow the water to be a bit more stagnent.

 

[maroun.c]

I can control the flow of water in the sump as needed as it's a secondary sump in a fishroom. Was considering the following plan for it

Any suggestions?

 

[Aquaman]

skip the fuge in the main sump, combine the fuge and DSB in the secondary sump area, your dsb/fuge would work much better together then if partitioned.

The way you have your chiller configured you will be re-circulating "chilled" water through it since the secondary sump dumps in the same place as the main tank, I'd move the chiller inline of the main return pump.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Aquaman,
Was thinking of a Cryptic and higher flow fuge hence the separation.

Just posted the Chiller position question on my build thread yesterday and having huge worries about it now.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2015174


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18736292&postcount=28


Placing it where it is or on the return to the fishroom line will have it run dry when the pumps are shut for coral or fish feeding... it's on a separate power line so can't have it shut down automatically with the pumps


Placing it on the main sump return line brings it back to the tank room most probably in stand or in a close by cabinet where I can't vent it outside causing heat issues and noise as well. Note that fishroom is an attick with the tubing already made in wall when appartment was being constructed so can't plump another line from sump to chiller in fishroom and return to main tank which would have been the bestscenario.
Appreciate your help

 

[Aquaman]

Was thinking of a Cryptic and higher flow fuge hence the separation.

Note that fishroom is an attick with the tubing already made in wall when appartment was being constructed so can't plump another line from sump to chiller in fishroom and return to main tank which would have been the bestscenario.
Appreciate your help

The fishroom is an attic? whats the temps up there? If you do Cryptic you won't need lights for that section, I'd still keep them as a single DSB/Fuge

I'm not really sure what to say about the chiller, I understand the need to keep the heat out of the tank area, but it won't do much good inline to the Cryptic system, you may be stuck with the heat monster next to the tank.

 

[maroun.c]

The attic is rather big and it's ventred outside the building by Turbines so temp control shouldn't be an issue.
As for the chiller I think I found a solution, I'll just place the fishroom supply pump in the skimmer area of the main sump, and have the drains from the fishroom go into the main sump return area, Will add a bubble tower or make baffles in a small moveable box. This way the output of the chiller is after it's input and water has to make the complete cycle before returning to it.
Chiller will be moved to the return line instead of the drain one for more consistent flow through it.