sump/fuge->tank plumbing question

[Geogal17]

Working on setting up a 70 gal tank with a 40 gal glass tank Im converting to a sump, and Im a bit stumped on the plumbing part.

I got a Mag9 pump since its going to be pumping up about 4 ft from the sump to the top of the main tank.

I am planning on having a little over half the sump filled with extra live rock and macro algae as a refugium. The other half will have my heater, skimmer, and possibly a phosban reactor later.

my dilema comes in deciding what side of the tank (left/right) to make the refugium since water from the tank is emptying down on the right side of the sump and the return pump will/should(?) be located on the left side.

Ive been doing lots of reading to the point that my brain is turning to mush so maybe Im overthinking this....but if I want some of the bugs/pods from the fuge section coming back up into my main display tank 1.) wont they get whirled to bits by the mag9 2.) do I use the prefilter sponge that came with the pump to keep out larger stuff ( sand, algae, snails) or will it keep out all the good critters I want up too.

Ive been reading melevs site for weeks (http://www.melevsreef.com/make_a_sump.html) but Im really bad at understanding these things without seeing pictures or a working sump in person.

any thoughts? ( while I try and gather my wits to formulate questions that make sense)

 

[glaudds]

The simplest way to do this is to divide your sump into three compartments, separated by baffles.

Going from right to left, the first compartment would be the drain from the tank, housing your skimmer. The second would be your refuge with rock/algae. The third would be your return.

Another option would be to have your return in the middle, but then you would need to split your drain between the skimmer compartment and refuge.

I wouldn't put the sponge on the return, it would eventually clog and the most of the critters will make it thru the pump fine.

Hope that helps for now...

 

[Geogal17]

thanks! Yeah Im not sure whether to put the return after the fuge or in between...the sump is only 30 in wide , and I need about 12 for the skimmer section...then by the time you add baffles and all I wanted to max the fuge size....but I keep reading its more important to have a large area for the return rather then the fuge.

Im thinking of copying melev's design he showed on this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=732912


Tomorrow Im going to pick upsome acrylic to cut up for baffles then I need to draw out a final plan of attack.

My overflow is a whole 'nother confusing thing...its not a box, its an upsidedown 90 degree pvp elbow in the top corner of the tank, but its so close to the surface the tank has to be completely full to the brim or no water falls into the pipe at all. I can rotate it slightly but then I get more air then water sucked into it and more likely a fish or critter could be sucked in as well.

 

[glaudds]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8297962#post8297962 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Geogal17
but I keep reading its more important to have a large area for the return rather then the fuge.

The return area is where you will see the effects of evaporation. The larger the area, the less often you need to top off (unless you have an auto top off)