Which is a better sump layout?

Gotta love eBay! I am also running B. It can come in handy being able to control the flow through the fuge seperately. Microbubbles can be more of an issue especially if you are running high flow through the sump.
 
Bummer,
I make a living selling on ebay, except that I believe that the customer is always right even when they are off their rocker. It just makes for good business and my feedback shows it. Jerks like that selling on ebay make it more difficult for the rest of us.

Anywho,
Plan C sounds fine to me, you can also rob more flow away from the pump by t'ing off and running carbon and/or phos reactors off of it. Also you can put in another T and run the feed for a ca reactor. At least that is what I would do...
Cheers!
 
Brilliant! Sounds like a plan!

So now the ebay guy said ok, send it back and we'll send you the right one.

Which is a better idea? To get the pf-1000 or pf-800 with my mag 9.5 pump?

my tank is a 50 and sump is a 20.

the pf-1000 runs at 900 gph while the pf - 800 runs at 800 gph
 
Last edited:
Well if you factor in 4 or 5' head pressure that mag 9.5 will be pushing about 750 - 800 gph.

With that much flow you are definitely going to want to go with plan C+ .

If you are T'ing off for reactors than pf - 800 is fine, if you want to overbuild then the pf-1000 may be better for you.

Keep in mind that is a lot of flow through such a small sump.

Put a ball or gate valve in after the return pump before any of the t's so that you can throttle the pump back if need be.
 
there will be about 3 feet and a half of head pressure so there will be a little more than 800 gph

I'm just thinking that I might need a bigger overflow like the PF-1000 to be stronger than the pump

Are reactors even good to have? I mean that phosphate reactor will be covered by the refugium plants. The calcium I can dose with liquids, and the carbon reactor.. hmm... what exactly is the point of the carbon reactor?
 
Last edited:
Sounds good to me.
I like to run reactors along side a fuge. Refugiums should be at least 40% of the DT volume in order to be completely effective.
My DT is 72 gal and the biggest fuge I could fit in my stand beside my sump is a 10 gallon.

So I like to have the extra phosphate removal.
For running carbon there is nothing easier or better than putting it in a reactor. Easy to remove and clean.

Carbon is what removes all of the impurties in the water column. (better definitions exist)
IMO carbon is a must have on a reef tank.

I think the new method is vodka dosing, but have I not even begun to think about newer tricks yet.

always more and more and more and more reading to do..

Cheers!
 
WaterbugJenn said:
Refugiums should be at least 40% of the DT volume in order to be completely effective.
Click to expand...

Well my tank is 50 and 40 percent of that is 20 which is the total size of my sump. My refugium will probably be around 10-15 gallons. I am trying to put as much space for the refugium as possible and limit the space for the pump and skimmer as much as possible. Would my refugium be efficient or would reactors be a good idea to add on?
 
You could get away with a 5 gal "fuge" for chaeto, you are pushing the practical sizes for your sections in a 20 gal sump. The practical volume total for a 20 gal size sump is 10 gallons, you want it to run ~ half full. Don't know where that 40% thing came from, but it is the first I have heard of that amount. 10% been thrown around for some time. So you are not really gunna have 10 - 15 gallon "fuge," in any practical way in a 20 gallon tank. And do not squeeze your pump for the sake of a larger "fuge", unless you have an ATO, and even then it will be running constantly, as tanks average ~ 2 gal a day evaporation.

You don't need reactors on a new tank, as you don't know how the tank is going to run. Probably don't even need a fuge at first. Growing pods is only really a benefit if they are being raised in the DT, as not many-- if any, are going to make it up to the DT from the sump.

You are building a sump, fine. But a 20 gal is really small for a 3 section sump, a 10 gal is even worse.

Jim
 
40% came from a book or 2 that I have read, could be a quote from anthony calfo or mike paletta not sure. I have read sooo many books and threads over the last 4 years.
At any rate my response would have been, to run your fuge as it is and keep an eye on your nitrate and phosphate levels, if the fuge can not keep up then it would be time to think about a reactor for phosphate.
Carbon is a good thing to run no matter what, period.
 
Last edited:
Okay, thank you all for your input!

WaterbugJenn, when you say tee off for a reactor, are you saying that I can directly connect a reactor from the return pump?
 
i use type A with a little mod in it i put a shelf after the overflow into where the return pump is. I put carbon there in a filter bag. All th water hta passes through the sump ends up landing on the shelf and going through the carbon. Def helps with water clarity.
 
I would go with "A" as well. My sump was originally set up this way but the skimmer I have would not fit. I ended up having to cut out the baffle in between the skimmer and fuge. Basically no fuge now.
 
Switch the skimmer & Return Pump in "A" & the bubble break will help control micro bubbles in your DT
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Novice Aquarist - Sump & Equipment Questions
Replies
9
Views
304
wvned
wvned
P
DIY Hang on back Sump Tank
Replies
14
Views
3K
kharmaguru
kharmaguru
S
Small Sump Leak - Worth fixing?
Replies
1
Views
110
griss
griss
FishMann
Any pointers for moving a large and heavy tank into the basement?
Replies
16
Views
521
Puggz
P
S
Overskimming on New Protein Skimmer
Replies
2
Views
122
wvned
wvned
Back
Top