Looking to build a 20 gallon sump

[honeysuckle11]

how much chaeto can i add to much some how ?

 

[honeysuckle11]

what are the 2 sponges in ur refugium in doing?

 

[Mrc8858]

First you'll have to find out the head (height from pump to highest point of flow) and the match a pump to that head height but I'd go with about 10-15x gph thru it so something like 300gph going through your return but that will differ from person to person

 

[Mrc8858]

Is through in .25 lbs of chaeto (smallest amount I know of for sale) since it will grow and the sponges are just to trap any debris. Another means of mechanical filtration

 

[Mrc8858]

Oh wait haha I just realized the picture your looking at I have them in the fuge normally there in the baffles... I stuck them in there cause before switching Sumps due to the leak I placed my sponges in there to collect pods for the fewest casualties since I have a mandarin

 

[honeysuckle11]

dont need a carbon fliter anywhere?

 

[honeysuckle11]

oh nice there so cool looking i want one. i heard tank raise u can get to eat brine shrimp and stuff

 

[Mrc8858]

You can run one if you wanted to but currently I just toss in a carbon filled media bag once in awhile until I get a couple reactors

 

[Mrc8858]

oh nice there so cool looking i want one. i heard tank raise u can get to eat brine shrimp and stuff

Yes ora usually are very good about it. I got lucky with mine which isn't ora and took straight to frozen but I still like a healthy pod population for inbetween feedings

 

[honeysuckle11]

so just spongles in the bubble trap is what u do then? it does slow the water down at all?

 

[honeysuckle11]

how many gallon does ur 20 gallon sump hold in it like 10?

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya sponges are in the trap and is say about 12-14 gallons are in my sump

 

[honeysuckle11]

How do u like ur sump when u do water changes do u put it in ur sump or tank?

 

[Mrc8858]

If I'm doing a small water change (5-10 gallons) ill just suck it out of my sump with one of my pumps and then pump it back in from my storage container. Anything over that and id be exposing to much to air in the sump so I drain put the DT. Using the sump is much easier since its at floor level and keeps from my high up corals getting exposed in the DT

 

[OscarFan76]

I take water out of dt so I can vac the substrate and then add water back to the sump. If your return pump is on, the water will lower from your sump even though you are pulling it out of the dt.
Taking it out of the dt also has the added benefit of gravity for your vac line.

Top off water goes in the sump as well.

 

[Mrc8858]

I take water out of dt so I can vac the substrate and then add water back to the sump. If your return pump is on, the water will lower from your sump even though you are pulling it out of the dt.
Taking it out of the dt also has the added benefit of gravity for your vac line.

Top off water goes in the sump as well.

That's if you can pull out an entire wc without running your return section dry.. I wouldn't advise leaving your return pump on during a water change and as for substrate I don't vac mine at all. Your pumps should keep the majority of the debris off the sand bed and what does come to a rest ill usually "kick up" the debris with my hand or just fan the tank with a circulation pump before/during a DT wc

 

[honeysuckle11]

im start build my sump soon hoping withing a week or so. how big of a watts light do u have over ur refugium and does it need to be a uv light?

 

[Mrc8858]

Just a common 23w cfl should be just fine that's what I use but mine has a reflector to keep some light from bleeding out. You can also buy a fuge light specifically made to grow plants but isn't a must.

 

[honeysuckle11]

ok i see i mean im not looking to go crazy money wise but i want to make sure i build something thats nice and going to last and do what i need it to do. question i see u have sponges in trap why did u put bio balls into the trap instead?

 

[Mrc8858]

ok i see i mean im not looking to go crazy money wise but i want to make sure i build something thats nice and going to last and do what i need it to do. question i see u have sponges in trap why did u put bio balls into the trap instead?

When I bought it originally it had bio balls but they are meant for a trickle of water not submerged so really they weren't doing anything the sponge couldn't and actually I have the entire last baffle blocked with a sponge so that the water MUST go through it to get to my return which keeps any macro algae or large "critters" from entering the return and possibly damaging the returns prop