My new setup...but not entirely familiar with sumps etc

[Ready2Play]

Here is the newest setup I got to start building a new reef tank. 54 gallon corner tank....looks to be a 10 gallon sump? Been years since I had one, and I never used a sump. I used canister filtration and a refugium only.

My question....how do I hook this thing up once I get it all clean? It seems to have three chambers...the two large ones, and a small one above where the bioballs are held. Can someone point me in the direction of what goes where...which way is in and out, and is there anything else I should add/take away from this?

I don't even know where the powerhead goes...this stuff was all thrown in a box when I got it. The pump bottom right of the sump was in the rigt portion (looking at the picture) so I am assuming it should stay there...it appears that one is pump and heater all in one unless I just didn't utangle all the cords. There is a long heating element running under the sponge filter from right to left side of the tank. And where should the skimmer go on this, in the sump??

Lastly..I want to do another refugium as well, something basic with some ruble, macros, and buggies to start a good colony. How would I arrange that in this sequence?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ready2Play]

Here are a couple more pics....

I took pics of the models on the skimmer and sump pump.....can anyone tell me how good these ones are? I basically got the whole setup including the "live rock," which isn't so alive any more, for $60 all said and done...not a bad deal at all.

 

[obscurereef]

The powerheads go in the DT to add more flow. Definitely a wet/dry filter system so if you want a refugium sump, you'll have to take out the bioballs and egg crate, but the baffle doesn't go all the way to the bottom so that water can get through. This means if you put sand in there, or rubble (might not be as big of a problem), it would slip into the next compartment. (I don't know if there is another compartment that you could put the refugium in b/c its hard to see). It looks like the skimmer will fit in the last compartment? What a deal. Would love to see when it's all set up!

 

[Ready2Play]

I'll post pics through the process...with the powerhead, I was curious as to whether to put it in the tank itself, or behind the overflow shield. I have always used open aquariums with no overflow. That is another area I am new to. Didn't know if it would be best to put it on one side behind it with my water feed on the opposite in the tank to create a circular current.... As for the refugium, I plan on using a whole other tank for that. Maybe a small 8-10 gallon with large fragged substrate, a little live rock, and some macros (pods too of coarse), I want to set up a live food feed. Definitely wanna keep the bioballs, maybe add some other filter media as well. What is the third compartment above the bioballs for, and what how is the setup wet/dry? Which way should water flow into it, and which compartment should it go back to the tank from? I'm assuming the refugium should be between the return and the tank, right?

 

[obscurereef]

In the tank itself on one of the sides. I don't think that you can even put the powerhead behind the overflow, it shouldn't be there anyway...The overflow is like a suction for water to flow down to the sump so there is no reason to put it there. Refugium sounds excellent. :thumbs: The space above the bioballs isn't a compartment I think. Just holds the pipe in place? Make sure to rinse off the bioballs and a wet/dry filter setup is a type of biological filtration to process toxic ammonia and nitrite. The water trickles down over the bioballs (which is extra surface area for bacteria to grow on). The bacteria processes the ammonia and nitrites into nitrates. The water exposed to air, allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange. Water should first flow through the pipe down into the compartment with the bioballs and I can't see what compartment the water should go back up to the tank. What do you mean the refugium should be between the return and tank? Maybe you could drill holes, put in bulkheads, and the pipes could be divided with a y-connection and connect that to the external pump. That would probably require more room than you have though.

A very basic idea of the plumbing. They use a overflow box instead of an internal overflow so there is different plumbing for that.
Aquarium Filter Set-up: How to Hook Up a Wet/Dry Filter - Installing the AquaClear Pro Series
More info:
How to Plumb an Aquarium Sump or Wet/Dry Filter System by Keith MacNeil, MarineDepot.com Reef Squad

 

[Ready2Play]

I think I worded it wrong as far as the overflow is concerned...there are two 'u'cuts at the top of the overflow, one on each side...I'm assuming one would be to run the return pipe to in the tank with the y'd off fitting for return/current...I was meaning would I mount the powehead kinda overlapping between the overflow and tank in the other 'u' area...the overflow has 2 bulkheads at the bottom. i'm assuming one would just be left open, and one would have the return pipe hooked in to run back into the tank.. as for the sump ..the one compartment above the bioballs is around 2 inches or so high. it has a flat bottom with several small round holes . is this area for other filter material? which part of the sump stays dry...it looks like the water flows from the area with bioballs underneath the divider, through the sponge and along the heater coil, to the other side where the return pump and skimmer would be..then, I would bring that to the refugium, and set up another return from refugium to tank which would end the sequence.

thanks for responding...hoping to have this cycling within the next couple weeks!

 

[Ready2Play]

oh....also. what is the candy cane shaped pipe for? would that be to just to hang into the tank, utilizing the other u shape, to allow more water into the overflow?

 

[obscurereef]

The 2" compartment w/ holes above the bioballs is just so there is a trickle effect...to make drops so the water doesn't all gush down at once in one spot. Hopefully someone else knows the rest as I'm not the best at plumbing

 

[Ready2Play]

awesome! you've been a great help...thanks!