To Fuge or Sump... that is the question!

T

tangboy

Member
Alrighty... that's the question for you. I have my 40g breeder drilled, MH hung, R/O water and salt in the tank! Things are running beautifully and once the water is warm enough, will be transferring LR over to the display.

Question is, this time around, should I do the fuge like last time or should I just got sump with a Protein skimmer? I have room inside the sump for a skimmer, depending on water level requirements and just don't know what to do.

I don't plan on any fish bio load, just snails, so I am not sure what to do :(
 
After all these views... no comments?

I put the rock I want in my display, now just to figure out what to do with the sump/fuge :P
 
Depends on what you want to do but I suspect someday you'll regret not doing a sump with a protein skimmer. There are many reasons to do a sump but I won't get into all of them.
 
You plan on no fish bioload , but plans can change...Could you set it up so you could readily add a fuge, ie: removable baffle or something?
 
I ended up doing both on my 75. I have a 10G sump that houses only the skimmer and return pump with baffles set up accordingly. Then there is the 15G 'fuge that is raised about 6 inches higher than the sump. The refugium is "fed" water from a small pump in the skimmer chamber of my sump and just gravity drains back into the return section of the sump.

The total extra volume this way is more than than with the 20L I previously used. I am also able to keep a very low flow through the 'fuge with a very high flow through the sump.
 
planejane said:
Don't have one for sale, but love my SWC 160 cone if you're looking for suggestions. ( The 120 would do for your tank $225 new.):thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Welll the 120 isn't too bad looking, anyone else have suggestions on reasonably priced skimmers? I like that the 120 only needs 1/2 inch to get the collection off and the whole thing is completely disassemblable...
 
So any other In-Sump protein skimmers that they have had EXCELLENT luck with that are user friendly etc? I know some of you guys have just made your own too...
 
I love my Reef Octopus 110, the newer ones come with a new, fancy pinwheel impeller design that seems to perform incredibly. I think I paid around $150 (ballpark) after the club discount at AM for mine, which seems very reasonable compared to other brands.

One note: the only other skimmer I have experience with is an air stone-driven skimmer that did not even work most of the time, so this Octo SHOULD be a godsend compared to that.

YMMV
HTH
etc...
 
@DevinWolfe,

HA! Just last night I went to AM and ordered a 110 :) It'll run me a little more then you paid since I don't have my club dues up-to-date. I look forward to seeing how this runs.

Quick question for you... what height is the water level in your sump, Mine is about 11 inches in the section the skimmer is going, I will probably have to raise it up with some eggcrate though :/
 
Doh... just got a call from Russel, can't order whole sale right now :( Gonna have to find the best price online, if I can remember where that site was :P
 
look at BRS. I am making an order very soon. LMK by tomorrow noon. call if you want. M sent with phone number.
 
Just ordered one off of MD, $179.98 later :/ it'll be here next week!

I am still working with some egg crate and filter pad to get my micro bubbles non-existent in the display. I only have 2 glass baffles in the sump, but with EC and FP designs I've worked on it's coming along nicely.

Can't wait to fire up the new skimmer when it gets here!

Then after I'm sure there is no cycle, I'll start mooching frags :)
 
Wow, I missed your reply to my comment, but I will check when I get home tonight. I was thinking I am around 8 inches in the skimmer compartment.

I think you will be impressed by the 110. Let me know when you want to try to get a frag of the frogspawn. I have a diamond jig-saw blade for ceramic that I think should work since I don't have a dremel anymore.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
I got my PS last night, put it together and tossed it in the sump but my water level must be too high because it's covering the exhaust pipe and bubbles flood my collection cup.

So this morning I cut eggcrate up to stack and get the PS higher BUT I ran outta eggcrate. Off to Lowes after work for more and some PvC piping to place on the bottom of my overflow hose, try and get the water slowed down before crashing into the sump creating LOTS of micro bubbles.
 
I just checked the water level and it appears to be around 7 1/2 inches.

When I stepped up to a Mag-Drive 9.5 I had to add a "T" to my drain line just above the water level and run a couple 90s just UNDER the water level.
 
I installed my T and elbows as well but I have them aimed upward for ease of large bubbles escaping.

I have the octopus running, had to raise it about 6 inches to keep the bubbles from flooding the cup. I am trying to figure how to raise/lower the bubble level with the skimmer. Is it as simple as closing off the gate valve or is there another way to raise and lower the bubble level in the neck? I guess after some "break-in" time it'll start running more evenly. So far I do have some micro-bubbles coming from the skimmer but I figure it just needs dialed in!
 
I had microbubbles for about a week, maybe 2, when I first set mine up. The gate valve is the way to adjust water level in the body of the skimmer.

If you close it more the water level goes up, if you open it more water can escape and the level drops.
 
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