Sump/Fuge Questions

[SnowHeart]

The following is basically seeking advice on filtration (including a small fuge in my sump) versus convenience (a larger area to store water for the return pump). Advice would be greatly appreciated as this is both my first SW tank and my first DIY sump.

 

I finally have my protein skimmer, skimmer pump, and return pump (both pumps are Mag 12s) and am trying to figure out a good design for the 29g tank I'm converting into a sump and (hopefully) small fuge. This will be going beneath a 90 gallon tank with about a 4 1/2' head.

 

The tank is 29 1/2" long and 12 1/2" wide (minus thickness of glass).

 

The skimmer is an EV-240, a bit bigger than I need but, as they say, you can't have too much filtration. So, the skimmer and the Mag 12 pump for it take a minimum of 10" of width, and I added 2" for room to manuever and extra water.

 

Three baffles take roughly 2 1/2" (one inch between 1/8" thick baffles). The effective baffle height can only be 8" because of the skimmer's gate valve's height (which is 8"). So, this limits the depth I can allow for water in the rest of the sump. Because of the skimmer's height (about 24") I really can't elevate it within the sump without getting a custom made stand (something I can't afford to do).

 

That leaves me about 14" of width to play with for a return and fuge. Elsewhere and much earlier, someone was advised to consider that the smaller the area was for the return pump, the more frequently they would have to top off the water. So, I'm trying to find a reasonable balance between that and maximizing my filtration potential. Without having done any real number crunching (math is not a forte), I think the best I can do for a fuge is 4.5" wide, 12" deep, and 8" high.

 

Another option would be to put the return in the middle of the tank, with seperate overflows for the fuge and skimmer, and as a consequence I could increase the height of the baffle for the fuge, even if I couldn't get much more width.

 

Question: Is a fuge that size worthwhile? If so, what for? I'd have liked to be a DSB in it but I don't think I'll have the space to make it worthwhile, so I'm thinking just some chaeto or other macroalgae.

Edited April 18, 2008 by SnowHeart

[Carl]

I am basically doing the exact same build you're doing. Look at this picture from Melev's Reef...I'm going to do something similar with the egg crate between the fuge and the pump/return area. This should allow more water in the sump. And I asked WAMAS the same question as you...is a fuge worth it. I got a resounding YES.

 

Time will tell...

 

 

I have some pictures in my thread on my design

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17093

 

-Carl

Edited April 18, 2008 by Carl

[SnowHeart]

I am basically doing the exact same build you're doing. Look at this picture from Melev's Reef...I'm going to do something similar with the egg crate between the fuge and the pump/return area. This should allow more water in the sump. And I asked WAMAS the same question as you...is a fuge worth it. I got a resounding YES.

 

Time will tell...

 

<snip>

 

I have some pictures in my thread on my design

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17093

 

-Carl

 

THAT egg-crate is a really interesting idea. I wonder if I could achieve the same thing just by drilling a lot of holes (say, 1/4") in an acrylic baffle...

 

Did you get an impression as to whether a DSB was feasible, or just go with a small bed of substrate and macroalgae?

 

BTW... great name! ('Carl' is my name, too.)

Edited April 19, 2008 by SnowHeart

[Carl]

I've never had a sump before, so this is all new to me.

 

My current design has a 7 inch tall glass between the return pump and the fuge in the 29 gallon sump. I have no idea what to expect after I get the pump going...and how much the sump will lower/fill with the pump on and off.

 

I'll keep posting pictures and let you know how it's going.

 

My goal for the weekend is to put the blue background on the tank, drill one last hole in the tank...and plumb everything for the CL, and test it. I probably won't get to plumbing the sump and return pump this weekend.

 

And as you can see, I had no imagination when it came to my WAMAS name.

Edited April 19, 2008 by Carl

[SnowHeart]

Eh, my username isn't that creative... just what I've always used since freshman year in college and what I've always used since for my "online presence"...

 

I looked over your thread and am definitely going to try your plastic cup and book trick. Have you decided to go with a DSB in your fuge?

 

(I feel like an idiot... I just saw your thread asking if 7" is big enough for a fuge!" Someone slap me.)

Edited April 19, 2008 by SnowHeart

[tbittner]

That's an interesting design for a sump/fuge. It would allow the return pump section to include the fuge water as it's evaporation buffer. The only thing is that, depending on the amount of evaporation, some of the chaeto in that pic could end up being out of the water in between topoffs. I don't know if that would be a bad thing or not though.

[SnowHeart]

Okay, another question, and this regards the plumbing for my return pump. I'm looking at the outlet for the Mag 12 and read the instructions. The outlet is 3/4". Now, it says that for maximum flow, the pipe should have an internal diameter of 1 1/2".

 

So, this is where I get confused. The pumps outlet valve is said to be a "threaded" outlet but it's not what I've generally considered threaded... meaning the grooves are parallel to one another, they're not angled so that something can be screwed onto it. I'm flexible between using vinyl tubing or PVC for the return, but I think I need to use PVC to get the requisite diameter and I have no idea how to hook it up the Mag Drive's outlet.

 

Help!

[Carl]

That's an interesting design for a sump/fuge. It would allow the return pump section to include the fuge water as it's evaporation buffer. The only thing is that, depending on the amount of evaporation, some of the chaeto in that pic could end up being out of the water in between topoffs. I don't know if that would be a bad thing or not though.

 

I've never had cheato before...My question...

 

Would the egg crate prevent everything from going through? or do I need some sort of a filter on the Mag5?

[tbittner]

SnowHeart, take the pump with you to Lowes or Home Depot and find a PVC fitting that will screw onto the return part of the pump. Then get adapters to increase the size of the pipe to 1.5". The idea is that it reduces fricton between the water and the walls of the pipe, so you can get more throughput.

 

Carl, I would imagine that the eggcrate would stop chaeto from flowing through but still permit good things to make it to the pump and end up in the tank, such as copepods. It's a good idea. I just wish I would have thought of it first.

[SnowHeart]

SnowHeart, take the pump with you to Lowes or Home Depot and find a PVC fitting that will screw onto the return part of the pump. Then get adapters to increase the size of the pipe to 1.5". The idea is that it reduces fricton between the water and the walls of the pipe, so you can get more throughput.

Thanks!

 

I'm guessing that means put the adapters on as soon as possible to quickly increase the throughput.