20 Gallon long Refugium Build

Today I had a itch to rebuild my sump / refugium. I found a better design that I liked better than the one I am currently using. The one I had before the rebuild has the water come in on the left and flows through a refugium section and then to the return. With this setup the water level would all remain the same. I didnt like how i would always have to watch the level in the fuge.

The new design has the Fuge on the right and will always be at a set level. Then on the right there will be the section that has the UV sterilizer and the protein skimmer. This section will also always have the same water level. then both left and the right flow into the return in the middle.

 

New sump design.

Here is my design and the progress i have made. Once my Fuge wall is dry I will remove the old wall holding back the sand.

I do have one question for everyone. So far in the sump section i have wall 2,3, and 4 up. Counting from the left. Should i add the first wall. I had originaly planed to but im thinking the 2 will be good enough for a bubble trap and to keep the water leval high. What you you'all think.

 

I will be using a similar design to this, but with another section for calcium & GFO reactors. I think it is a good design & should work well.



Just realized you, too, have 4 sections..

 

Good work

 

Good drawing. In your skimmer area do you think that you need the first wall. I am debating putting this wall in. As it is now it seems to me that the bubbles would have to make it to the bottom first then would go back to the top and eliminate the bubbles. I am not seeing the need for the first wall in my sump/ Does anyone know of a reason that the first wall is necessary?

 

Well I plumbed the fuge and I have the ball valve turned down to let minimal flow through the fuge section but I have bubbles coming out of the end of the pipe. Does anyone have any good suggestion for eliminating the bubbles coming out of the pipe?

 

How did the water level in the fuge section fluctuate?
Seems like the return section would be the only one that would vary with evaporation.

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The first baffle sets the water level in that section of the sump. second, it forces all bubbles to the surface and forces most of them to burst before getting to the next section.
Any remaining bubbles need to run the rapids to get under the next baffle which then forces it to race back to the surface where where it then bursts before reaching the return section and pump and messing up your display tank with micro bubbles

 

I like my new fuge. Now i am having problems with the water bubbles in the fuge. I tested a standpipe like setup on the plumbing last night and it really helped controll the bubbling in the fuge section. Now i need to go to Lowes and get the stuff to setup the new plumbing

 

I am sorry I didn't respond sooner. I guess Telgar answered your question for me. Thanks for the compliment on the drawing.