DIY 30g sump

[want2findnemo]

Originally Posted by dskidmore

If you don't have enough live rock in the tank, wet/dry can compensate, but if you have enough live rock, wet/dry is redundant.

Ok so its 1.5lbs-2lbs per gallon for LR, But if I go for the option of buying some Base Rock / Live Rock mix, before the Base Rock gets live I would have to have the wet/dry until all my rock is live right?

[cmor1701d]

The wet/dry also produces nitrate as it's end result. That's the reason for doing away with it if possible.

The microbubbles will go under the baffle, most will break when they go over, the remainder wil then go under. That's why you want the up/down/up arrangement. The bubbles need to go over one baffle and most will break, some will remain in the middle compartment, but those that do go under should break on the 3rd baffle. It greatly reduces the number of bubbles that get to your return pump.

[dskidmore]

Originally Posted by want2findnemo

Ok so its 1.5lbs-2lbs per gallon for LR, But if I go for the option of buying some Base Rock / Live Rock mix, before the Base Rock gets live I would have to have the wet/dry until all my rock is live right?

New Wet/Dry filter material will be just as biologically inactive as new base rock. You'll be fine as long as you stock slowly. You only need the bacteria layer, not all the pretty stuff for the base rock to be biologically useful.

[want2findnemo]

Thanks for the replies, very informative

Since i have my refug in the middle, and the water will be flowing through my refug to get to my pump, do i have to worry about too much flow going through my refug?

I think im going to redesign my sump so that it is

Skimmer-->Return<---Refug

[cmor1701d]

Mine is the middle and it's full of chaeto and PODS (and worms and snails, etc.)

[want2findnemo]

would this be better?

ImageShack - Hosting :: sump4aa5.jpg

If its this way I can make the refug a bit higher in water level and control the water going into hit with a valve?

So i got this design and my other design... ImageShack - Hosting :: sumpcl1.jpg

Please advise

Thanks!

[dskidmore]

I do like that better. Although if you really are submerging those drains (to reduce noise) then put an anti-siphon hole on the higher of the two drains.

You may have to put the valve on the left drain instead of the right one. There's no back pressure in a straight pipe to encourage much flow around the T.

[Ziggy953]

Do you have a single drain Overflow? I have a similar setup as you have pictured above (mine is in 3 different tanks rather then one unit). I have a dual drain on my overflow box. 1200gph 600gph each. I have one side plumbed to my fuge and the other to my skimmer and they all flow into the same sump with my return pumps. You probably aren't going to get much flow over to the fuge the way you have it drawn. Water follows the path of least resistance. You could always put a small feeder pump in the sump next to your return to pump water up into your fuge.

[want2findnemo]

Ya, My tank has a 1.5" hole about 2" from the top of the tank on the left side. Right now I plan on just putting a strainer on there, but perhaps i will T it with two strainers.




I altered the sump and i got this...



ImageShack - Hosting :: sumpem9.jpg

[want2findnemo]

Originally Posted by dskidmore

Although if you really are submerging those drains (to reduce noise) then put an anti-siphon hole on the higher of the two drains.

Can i solve that problem by making both sides of the drains equal level?

Originally Posted by dskidmore

You may have to put the valve on the left drain instead of the right one. There's no back pressure in a straight pipe to encourage much flow around the T.

Will my update on the new design solve this?