new sump setup help

[atcherson]

hello everyone i just started in to salt water tanks and need some help in building a refugium tank set up if someone could help me i sure would apreciate and willing to learn and pay. it is a 90 gallon tank and i want to do a 20 gallon refugium tank setup,please help keep me going in the right direction thanks,gerald. i live in the clinton brandywine area.thanks again.

Edited April 16, 2010 by atcherson

[BowieReefer84]

Look at member "NAGA." His profile says he builds these things out of Crofton.

[Chris-]

Willing to learn is the first big step, welcome to the club.

[zygote2k]

Is this going to be a seperate 'fuge from the sump? If so, a fuge located so that the water from the fuge dumps into the display works best to getting pods into circulation. You can set your sump a little below the DT and then the fuge a little lower than that- gravity works great this way. Return pump from fuge goes to DT.

As far as macoalgae goes, I have found that 3 types work great- Chaetomorpha, Gracilaria, and Halymenia (dragons breath). Ochtodes works too, but gets outcompeted by the other 3.

[Chris-]

You can get Gracilaria to grow? You got one up on me!

[Origami]

Gerald, tell us a little bit about the design constraints? Will you be using a skimmer in the sump? If so, do you know how big the footprint of it is? Also, have you sized a return pump yet? Also, you should mention whether you want to place the sump under or behind the tank (I think you said behind), and in the same room or the next room (same room).

 

If you're planning on using an old aquarium for your sump, then a 20 or a 40 breeder would work nicely. You just need to make sure that you have enough room in it for your equipment plans.

 

I know that you've not yet drilled your tank (since we've talked some already). There are several options here, but one really nice option is to use an internal glass-holes overflow box like this one because you get the reliability of a drilled outlet and you get good surface skimming, too: http://www.glass-holes.com/700-gph-Overflow-complete-kit-gh700kit.htm

[zygote2k]

FWIW, I just installed a Glass-holes.com Dart overflow box. Very easy to install and nice design.

[atcherson]

Gerald, tell us a little bit about the design constraints? Will you be using a skimmer in the sump? If so, do you know how big the footprint of it is? Also, have you sized a return pump yet? Also, you should mention whether you want to place the sump under or behind the tank (I think you said behind), and in the same room or the next room (same room).

 

If you're planning on using an old aquarium for your sump, then a 20 or a 40 breeder would work nicely. You just need to make sure that you have enough room in it for your equipment plans.

 

I know that you've not yet drilled your tank (since we've talked some already). There are several options here, but one really nice option is to use an internal glass-holes overflow box like this one because you get the reliability of a drilled outlet and you get good surface skimming, too: http://www.glass-holes.com/700-gph-Overflow-complete-kit-gh700kit.htm

[atcherson]

hello again i am trying to to place my refugium behind my tank in the same room with a floor protien skimmer and i will need a mack drive pump #5 and all hose hook up, 20 gallon tank probaly a new tank, and if i can just do a over flow box will also work with cr194 that i have but do not like to siphon the water back the small tank.i have plenty of room behind my tank. thanks gerald.

[Origami]

What make and model skimmer do you have, Gerald?