Cliff Puckstable August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 Hi, I am new here. I have a 55g FOWLR, and am now venturing into a 170g tank. I ultimately want to turn this into reef tank. As of now I am on a budget, so I would like to make best of what I have. I picked up 170g tank and stand. It came with a sump, but I have no idea what to put inside it. I would like to set up a chamber as a fuge, but I'm not sure how I would go about doing so. Any advise on how I should set it up would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 Both chambers to the left of the skimmer chamber appear to be designed for bioballs, with water entry from the top and drainage from the bottom. As designed, the opening at the bottom of the chambers might be a problem for containing the contents of a refugium. If you could add an acrylic baffle that extended to the bottom and to within two or three inches of the top of that first chamber, it might make a decent refugium, allowing water to rise in that compartment while still holding in the contents of the refugium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 That sump is of good size; however, I agree with Tom, it needs to be reworked. If it were me, I would do these things: For chamber 1, add a baffle from the bottom to an inch or so aboth the top such that it can hold water. Turn this into your refugium. For chamber 2, if you desire to keep your current pump, drill a hole in this chamber and turn it into your return section. T off the return pump line, add a throttle valve, and feed your refugium section. For chamber 3, add baffles between this and your center section 8-12 or so inches from the bottom, turn this into your stable-level skimmer section. Also, have your overflow from the tank go into this section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 29, 2011 Author Share August 29, 2011 (edited) Thank you guys for your input. Chad, I want to make sure I understand 100%. I would have the overflows feeding chambers 1 & 3, drill chamber 2 for return? The only problem is chamber 3 is already drilled for the return. Is chamber 1 getting both overflow water and return water? Edited August 29, 2011 by greeninja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 That sump is of good size; however, I agree with Tom, it needs to be reworked. If it were me, I would do these things: For chamber 1, add a baffle from the bottom to an inch or so aboth the top such that it can hold water. Turn this into your refugium. For chamber 2, if you desire to keep your current pump, drill a hole in this chamber and turn it into your return section. T off the return pump line, add a throttle valve, and feed your refugium section. For chamber 3, add baffles between this and your center section 8-12 or so inches from the bottom, turn this into your stable-level skimmer section. Also, have your overflow from the tank go into this section. Alternatively, feed your refugium more "dirty" water, rather than water processed already by your skimmer. (That is, tee off your overflow path, diverting some water to the refugium. Control how much overflow water goes to the refugium using a ball valve. That is: Chamber 1: Refugium (w/ feed from overflow and improved baffling) Chamber 2: Return Chamber 3: Skimmer (w/ feed from overflow and improved baffling) Greeninja, to shift the return to chamber 2, you'll need to close up the hole in chamber 3. You can do this using a piece of acrylic and acrylic cement, or can simply put cap on the bulkhead plumbing that's there now. Another option is to move the skimmer to chamber 2 after improving baffling in this chamber. However, any pods flowing out of the refugium will have to survive encountering possibly 2 pumps (the skimmer and the return pump) before re-entering the display. Here's a link I came across that has a short discussion between a few hobbyists: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1561567 You may enjoy this, too: http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 What Tom said Feeding the fuge with straight up tank water (not skimmed), and having the potential for water directly from the fuge (more likely to be pod-rich) go straight to the tank without being skimmed is, IMO, the best way. Teeing the return line, however, is often the easiest way to add water to the fuge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 ...someday I'm going to put my macro back online and when I do, I think I'll place it higher than the display and have it flow directly back into the display. No trips through the return pump for my pod-friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 ^haha, that is, of course, exactly the way I recommend doing it (and actually do, do it ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 29, 2011 Author Share August 29, 2011 Those links are great. Thank you for sharing. Where can I purchase acrylic baffling material? Local hardware store? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 Yes, however, you might not be able to find the thickness you need at your local hardware store (I would probably go no less than around 1/4"). Check with Dan or Justin at Avast, they both have what you need; Jeff (NAGA), the tank builder on the boards; and I think there have been at least two posts recently of folks selling acrylic sheet. For the last option, though, you would have to become a full WAMAS member, something that I recommend doing anyway since it is, hands down, the best $20 a year you will spend on the hobby. (Tom can help you with that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 29, 2011 Author Share August 29, 2011 Will do. Thank you everyone. This is my first sump, but I think I fully understand what I need to do now. I will post pictures once I'm done with it. I have been progressing very slow with this project, so please bare with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 I just received notice of your joining us. Let me be the first to welcome you to WAMAS! I think that you'll like it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amay121 August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 Welcome to wamas and let the addiction begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 Completely off subject, but whats the hole in the roof of your Subaru for.? Roof scoop.? Nice front mount on it.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 29, 2011 Author Share August 29, 2011 ^ Correct,it's a roof scoop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 29, 2011 Share August 29, 2011 ^ Correct,it's a roof scoop. So, not knowing about these things, I suppose that's one of those tricked-out WRX's? A young guy I used to work with had one and talked about all of the mods that he'd done and that were available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 30, 2011 Author Share August 30, 2011 Cars were my hobby until a few years ago. I grew up around cars, and I just out grew it. I still enjoy them, just don't have that passion for it anymore. I have moved on the aquariums for some reason. I work at a performance shop that specializes in Subarus. I suppose it's tricked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John August 30, 2011 Share August 30, 2011 You're missing a foglight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 30, 2011 Author Share August 30, 2011 Good eye, I lost a solid cover in the storm driving through a huge puddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella August 30, 2011 Share August 30, 2011 Cars were my hobby until a few years ago. I grew up around cars, and I just out grew it. I still enjoy them, just don't have that passion for it anymore. I have moved on the aquariums for some reason. I work at a performance shop that specializes in Subarus. I suppose it's tricked out. Me too.. I found another expensive hobby to replace it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad August 30, 2011 Share August 30, 2011 me three... also, since I moved to the city I no longer have a place to work on my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella August 30, 2011 Share August 30, 2011 I work in a car dealership with plenty of access, just no interest at all anymore. I dont even drive much anymore, except to the LFS.. Sorry, didnt mean to hijack your thread.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 31, 2011 Author Share August 31, 2011 ^ No worries. You're not kidding, I thought cars parts were expensive. What kind of cars are you guys into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 31, 2011 Share August 31, 2011 an easier solution. Allow water from both drains to drain into far left hose. Remove drip plate from that chamber. Use the cover for the right side drain and attach 19w Panorama Pro LED for fuge light. Water flows through both chambers and height is determined by your return pump. Re-plumb your return pump correctly! In proper order- Pump, Union Check Valve-flapper type, gate valve, pipe to tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Puckstable August 31, 2011 Author Share August 31, 2011 That is a brilliant idea. That way I don't have to buy sheets to build baffles. Brilliant! Is the way I have the return now, not plumbed correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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