Help with my sump and tank

[Justing835]

I am in the middle of breaking down all my other tanks and starting my 150 gallon dream tank. I will put my sump/refugium in the basement and this is where I need ur help out there. I have a 75 gallon tank running now with just rock and sand and a clean up crew no fish (long story I lost them in a move and I knew I was upgrading to a 150 gallon so I left the 75 with no live stock). Now I have about 3 inches of black sand in the 75 that I don't want in the 150 because I want white sand should I use the black sand as the dsb in the refugium? Below is my plan for the sump/refugium all input is welcome my plan is to use gravity over pumps and such. I plan on ting off my return pump to power my phosban reactor. So my questions are reuse the black sand in the refugium or should I use the kit below, where should I put my skimmer, and phosban reactor. Can I or should I add another reactor for carbon and if so what would be the order be carbon then phosban or the other way. Should I use socks to clean out everything or use nothing because socks are getting expensive or is there a better way to filter my water. Should I have two heaters. How should I divide both my 30 gallon tanks. I'm taking this build slow and in steps first part basement / sump room. Please help all

 

[jeffaquarius]

If your sump/refugium is in the basement, have you already figured out the size and type of return pump to lift the water back to DT in the upper floor? I think it is the most critical part of the problem and not the configuration of the sump filtration.

 

[Justing835]

Yes it's a little giant 4mdq already have it. Two of my friends have the same pump and there are pumping from their basement as well. I'm not worried about the pump turning over the water in my actual tank I'm going to use power heads for that. And the picture was blurry I put up of the setup so hopefully this one isn't.
Thanks for ur quick input btw so what do u think about how to set it up

 

[ccCapt]

I would try to simplify everything starting by using the 75 as your sump/refugium instead of 2 seperate tanks. A true DSB has sand at least 6" thick. If you plan on using that much, you can mix black with white in the sump/refuge. If you are going to tee off your main return pump, use 2 reactors in line with the carbon first and GFO 2nd.

I also have my sump in my basement. If you go to about page 7 of my build (http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/125-reef-build-100035.html), you may get some ideas for a simple and effective sump setup.

 

[Justing835]

Yes I know simple is easier but I want slower water movement threw my refugium and to do that in the 75 I'd have to put a ton of baffles in it

 

[jeffaquarius]

The way you set up the 30 gal refugium would be inefficient in a sense that most of the water going in will just go straight to the outlet by passing your filtration. I would relocate the inlet at the other end and plug one of the holes. The inlet can be a PVC pipe with tiny holes and mounted horizontally to cover the width of the tank or you can put another sock in place. There should be a ball valve at the inlet to control the flow. I would connect a T PVC coupling at one of the sock filters and connect it there and have the 2 overflows from 75 gal go directly to the small sump.

 

[Justing835]

Jeff can u draw me a picture if u don't mind and here I started the stands here is the pictures just need to put the PVC connectors in place

 

[jeffaquarius]

I would set it up this way. Ball valve at each sock filter. Skimmer and reactors at the sub sump. Lots of rocks at the main sump. Cheato and sand at the refugium. It's a good idea to add a baffle plate at main sump and refugium to start water flowing at bottom.

 

[ccCapt]

Just keep in mind if you have a power outage, the tanks will backflow into the lowest part of your setup, which also looks to be the smallest tank. Make sure that tank can handle whatever amount of water backflows....or it will flood that tank.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Just keep in mind if you have a power outage, the tanks will backflow into the lowest part of your setup, which also looks to be the smallest tank. Make sure that tank can handle whatever amount of water backflows....or it will flood that tank.

The remedy would be a solenoid valve at DT overflow. Same power source and switch as the return pump. A check valve at the return pump if your nozzle is submerged at DT. But on 2nd thought I agree that it is becoming complicated.