DIY Sump/Refugium Plan
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47394
Printed Date: December 31 2024 at 9:27pm
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Topic: DIY Sump/Refugium Plan
Posted By: saltlaketank
Subject: DIY Sump/Refugium Plan
Date Posted: March 08 2011 at 8:39pm
I have decided to build a 10 gallon sump/refugium for my 55 gallon tank.
The tank is from petsmart and I grabbed glass and aquarium safe silicone from home depot.
I am currently housing two columbian sharks/three monos/five mollies/two fire gobys/and four snails. As well as roughly 30 lbs of live/dead rock mixed.
1. I have purchased a Jebo 180 skimmer to place in the inlet or first box of the sump. I am contemplating designing an intake box for a sponge to place in there as well. I have also purchased a valve for this box to control the inlet of water from upper tank.
2. The baffle has a half inch inlet at the bottom and has a half inch gap. I am planning on putting a sponge in the baffle that is half inch by ten by eight inches.
3. For the refugium I have purchased five lbs of live rock to place in the bottom. I'm thinking maybe some sand and algae as well.
4. In the last box I will have a pump with a ball valve to prevent any water flowing back into pump during a power outage.
Any input/ideas or information from experience would be cool. Thanks
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Replies:
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: March 08 2011 at 10:53pm
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That's a nice little sump. A couple things I would do differently but you have a good start.
1. I would use a filter sock instead of a sponge for water coming into the sump. Sponges are hard to keep clean and can easily clog up with gunk. My first sump used sponges and now that I am using filter socks I woudn't go back. also don't put a sponge in the baffle leading to the refugium. It's not needed and anything that gets into the refugium at that point will be good food for the critters living in the fuge. If the sponge clogs it will also back up the flow from the first chamber.
2. A ball valve on the overflow/sump inlet pipe should only be used if you need to stop flow for some reason. Don't throttle back the flow from the tank. Let it run full speed into the filter sock. The sock will baffle any noise and you woun't risk your overflow backing up.
3. A ball valve on the return line is a great idea. Not so much for power outages but for servicing the pump and fine tuning the flow through the sump. You want to control the flow through the system after the return pump not on the supply side. In the event of a power failure you will not likely be there to shut the ball valve so water will back flow into your sump. Just make sure that your return lines are high enough that the sump can handle any water that may back flow into the sump.
4. You might want to put a bubble trap on the return section to prevent air from entering the return pump. Depending on how full you keep the return section this may not be an issue but it is in this section you want to prevent bubbles in as the pump will send micro bubbles back to the display.
------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: saltlaketank
Date Posted: March 09 2011 at 12:07am
| bfessler Thanks for the good info. So would you say it might be better to switch the set up so that the skimmer went in the end without the baffle. And make the end with the baffle the return? |
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: March 09 2011 at 9:00am
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Sure if there is room for the skimmer on the other end. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: saltlaketank
Date Posted: March 09 2011 at 10:23am
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Good call. I had thought about using a sock rather than a sponge. My skimmer should be here sometime this morning. I'm going to go ahead and drain my tank enough to place the sump in the cupboard below. So I can start setting up the skimmer and what not.
Having the bubble baffle right before the return makes more sense. That's why I'm asking questions.
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Posted By: saltlaketank
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 10:09am
Well the picture is not the best, but I did place the sump below. It's functioning as a pump for now but I have not connected the skimmer as I am waiting for a powerhead to come in the mail. I want to put a check valve on the return hose and I need to buy a better gate valve for my skimmer air intake. All is well so far though.
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Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 10:26am
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Check valves are notorious for failing in our systems and usually reduce flow through the line as well. I would avoide the use of a check valve on the return line if the sump will handle the amount of water that drains back into the sump. The issue is that calcium or other deposits form on the open check valve preventing it from closing completely. If you choose to use one you will want to test it frequently to make sure it is still holding water. Can you post a full tank shot of the display tank and the close ups of the overflow and return lines at the tank not the sump. If you keep the returns high enough you shouldn't have an issue back flow. I would also like to see what you are using for the overflow as the water level will have to drop low enough for it to stop feeding the sump as well.
You can test how much water returns to the sump by taking out as much water as you can from the sump and still maintain flow. Then cut the power and let the sump fill. If it looks like the water is going to overflow the sump quickly plug the return pump back in. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: saltlaketank
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 3:06pm
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Ok, for now I just ran a hose into the upper tank to siphon water down to the sump into the reservoir with the bubble trap which flows into the refugium then over into the return. I just have a pump in the return that runs back up into the tank with a hose.
I should receive my overflow kit (Eshopps PF-300 Overflow Box - Up to 75 gallons) in the next couple days and my 845gph pump shorty after, at which time I will be able to correctly set things up.
When I get out of school today I will run home and test my sump for how much it siphons back into the sump. While setting it up it seemed to want to continue to siphon until overflowing the sump. That's why I considered a check valve.
Again good information that I will take into consideration.
By keeping the returns high enough, what do you mean? Maybe shallow in the top of the tank?
One last thing I realise is when I temporarily set this up I have ten feet of hose going up to the tank. I'm pretty positive cutting that in half will greatly effect the way this system works.
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Posted By: JB
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 3:19pm
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I use the same overflow box, when I run my return into the display tank I glued 2- 3/4"PVC ninties together then added a diverter and it ends up down inside the tank about 2"... No problems with overflow. ------------- If not for construction, where would we be? |
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 3:30pm
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OK.
To properly test the system we need everything set up as it will be working in the system. For now you can just see how water flows throught the sump. So post some pics when you get everyghing set up.
 And yes I did mean keeping the returns up high or shallow in the tank. This way the siphon breaks fairely quickly and prevents much water from backflowing into the sump. When you get your return pump in there it will also affect how much water the sump will handle. If you have an ATO (Auto Top Off) set up to keep your water level constant you can keep the return set it so that the return chamber stays fairly low which will give you more room for water in the sump when power is shut lost or shut off. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: saltlaketank
Date Posted: March 10 2011 at 3:46pm
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as soon as I left school I realized what you ment. it makes perfect sense to leave the return up high. Ok, great, I will have everything set up completely soon. Thanks for the advice. ------------- JayDee 8016042780 90 Gallon 30 Gallon sump G3 Skimmer |