All about Sumps Filters and Fuges

Discussion in 'Reef Aquarium Articles and How To's' started by Powerman, Jan 4, 2010.

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  1. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    Recently I updated the main article with some sizing and flow stuff. As always please feel free to share your sump builds here to help other that come along. Any fixes you have for dealing with air from the drains is most appreciated.
     
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  3. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

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    Thanks! I found this to be very helpful! :) :) :)
     
  4. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

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    What do you think about this?

    [​IMG]

    I have a Visi-Jet protein skimmer and an Eheim Hobby pump 1048 as the return pump. Bio-balls will be beneath the 3 filter media.

    This isn't built yet, just m design. I did it in Google Sketchup.

    I'll use a separate 6g or 10g for the fuge with a DSB and mangroves with some chaeto.
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2010
  5. Dolly

    Dolly Plankton

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    excellent thread, i am having my 90gal tank cycling and thinking what to do with the sump. i will take this article as my main source. thanks a lot, and such a good thread.:kiss:
     
  6. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Well... bio balls are good at what thety do.... it's just that there are better ways of doing thing these days.

    Also the drip trays for media are a good thing.... except media reactors are more efficient. Not that bad doing it with trays, but the floss will have to be changed out and kept clean. So over all not that bad, but reactors are more efficient and need less maintenance.

    Overall, good stuff. There really is no right or wrong black or white... we are really talking about what is more "ideal". I would ditch the trays and balls and use the space for media reactors.... but that is just my preference.
     
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  7. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    Why thank you. Be sure to post build pics of your sump here for others.
     
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  9. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

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    No problem. Thanks. I'm in the middle of a new design with a much bigger skimmer (coralife 125) and a larger capacity return pump. I'll use a 20g long with a fuge/sump together and return in the middle. Should I have 1" baffles or 1.5" ? I thought the closer together baffles are, the more difficult it is for microbubbles to survive. Though I saw a few threads that say the exact opposite..

    I don't know what you mean by drip trays. I was going to use filter media cartridges and no floss. What's exactly is a "media reactor" and how much does it cost?

    Edit: Well I know what a reactor is, but I've only seen that used for supplement additives(i.e. calcium reactor). How would I use one as a filter?
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2010
  10. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    Anything you can buy in bulk is going to be cheaper.... special single use cartridges and filters and stuff are more expensive. A media reactor is like two little fishes or Bulk Reef Supply media reactors to put carbon and GFO in.
     
  11. fredherring

    fredherring Astrea Snail

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    Great article Powerman. Really handy for me as a newbie buying equipment for my first reef tank. Rethinking my entire plan now. Thank you. K+
     
  12. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

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    What do you guys think of my new design? It incorporates a refugium and a coralife 125 rather than the visijet. Both ends flow towards a middle return where I will have an Eheim hobby pump 1250. Does the design look difficult to build? It didn't seem nearly this complicated when I thought it out in my head...

    Front View
    [​IMG]
    Top View
    [​IMG]

    Should I have 1" baffles or 1.5" ? Right now in the drawing are 1.5" baffles.
     
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