Adding sump to 40g!

[dlwn88]

Hey Everyone,

I recently acquired a wet/dry trickle filter and I currently have it working with my FOWLR 40g tank for now. After getting some advice on here about a better method, and realizing that building my own sump would be the best bet instead of modding my wet/dry to do what I want to do (doesn't give me much room to do anything).

I'd like to turn a 20g into a sump. I watched a very informative Youtube video but I've sen SOOO many layouts that it's hard to tell what would work best with me. I'm thinking I'd keep it simple. Intake chamber with a live rock, another chamber for the skimmer, baffles set up for a bubble trap, then into the return section. But I see a lot of designs with another chamber with a sand bed to grow pods and other things. Would this really be necessary for my setup or is it just a great extra to have? What size live rock should I get if I start building this sump? I'd have to go out and buy a 20g, I only have a 10g and that would be to small I'd imagine.

Any additional advice would be great. Thank you so much!

[dlwn88]

Is this an okay design? The sump will likely be just a 15 gallon since the display is 40g. Don't know a lot about a refugium but figured it'd be a great idea to leave space for one.

[Fishguy2727]

You don't need the far right baffle (first one in the intake/skimmer section).

The center section can be used as a refugium. Just grow chaetomorpha in it for nutrient export.

[dlwn88]

Scratch that, I just found this, i think it will work better, what do you guys think?

[dlwn88]

Originally Posted by Fishguy2727

You don't need the far right baffle (first one in the intake/skimmer section).

The center section can be used as a refugium. Just grow chaetomorpha in it for nutrient export.

Yeah I see what you mean. With that removed, pretty much closely resembles the photo I posted above I believe

[Fishguy2727]

Same with the photo above, ditch the first baffle in the first chamber (that pushes the water up before going under the second baffle and into the middle section).

Use dark glass, not clear. This keeps light from the fuge from growing algae in all the other sections. Same with tubing, use black instead of clear. when I used clear tubing I had coralline algae growing in it.

I had two layers of eggcrate between my fuge and return pump section so I could slide in a piece of plastic needlepoint grid between them (better at keeping chaeto out of the pump than eggcrate alone).

I used oolite as the substrate in my fuge, it is supposed to be the best at helping with Ca and Alk, and won't trap debris the way the course substrate in the pic will.

[mr_X]

that last partition with the eggcrate above it is incorrect. the height of the refugium will be dictated by this partition. you want that last partition to be as tall as you want the refugium. that eggcrate will not stop the macroalgae. (i'm referring to the image posted above)

[dlwn88]

I already purchased the glass but I'll see what I can do. Where can you buy the algae to grow in the fuge I don't think I've seen it at any LFS but I may be wrong. Would I be fine with starting off with just some sand and liverock in that section and purchase the algae a little later?

[mr_X]

online, or from other reefers. do you have any local reef clubs?

[dlwn88]

I'm not sure. I'll have to find out. I live in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia...

[mr_X]

lol..google is your friend-
Welcome to the Hampton Roads Reef Club website!

[dlwn88]

Man cutting plexiglass preciously is difficult. It's either a tiny bit too wide, or just not quite wide enough to be held by silicon. I tried putting on the first part, well see how it work after it dries, it may work, not sure.

[Fishguy2727]

I have to disagree. Although the last baffle will dictate the MINIMUM water level in the fuge, it doesn't have to be taller. In fact if it is taller that means all the water level variation occurs in the last section (where the pumps are). If you do not have an ATO this can lead to pumps pulling air. It also means that the water may be falling into that last section and creating bubbles (depending on the exact design). With a short last baffle the water level varies through the whole sump (so the water level in the whole sump goes down one inch instead of the water level in the pump section dropping four inches). It also means that if your pump pulls more water than you think it will then it will drain the pump section and pull air before enough water can overflow from the rest of the system.

This is how I had it in my sump and had no issues. This is exactly how I will do it again in my next setup too.

[mr_X]

i think the bubble trap should be after the refugium and before the return area actually. i suppose it couldn't hurt to have the water level in the refugium fluctuate, but my refugium was always packed with rubble and macros and i couldn't afford to have it drained half way.

[Fishguy2727]

Definitely, but if it is fluctuating that much (which it shouldn't) then you definitely don't want all the water level variation in the pump section.

I kept the bubble trap (extra baffle) before the fuge so I didn't have bubbles in the fuge blocking light.

I did it this way mainly becuase I didn't know how tall I could take that last baffle and still guarantee the pump had enough water.