40 Breeder Sump & Refugium Design

[Reef-junky]

There are a ton of designs for sumps. What you have will work fine. If your DT has a dual overflow it’s not a bad design. Unless you are running an external skimmer not all of your water is going to get skimmed. Another common design is to have the bleed off the return feed the fuge. I doubt there is any real evidence to show one design is better then another. Another common design is to have a manifold feed by the return pump feed an ATS and comes after the skimmer. Those seem to work fine.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

There are a ton of designs for sumps. What you have will work fine. If your DT has a dual overflow it’s not a bad design. Unless you are running an external skimmer not all of your water is going to get skimmed. Another common design is to have the bleed off the return feed the fuge. I doubt there is any real evidence to show one design is better then another. Another common design is to have a manifold feed by the return pump feed an ATS and comes after the skimmer. Those seem to work fine.

I'm planning on splitting the main sump intake into 2 and simply using valves to control which end gets how much water.

 

[Reef-junky]

I'm planning on splitting the main sump intake into 2 and simply using valves to control which end gets how much water.

I would only put a valve on one side and make sure the other side can handle all the flow if the valve plugs. Any restriction on an overflow pipe is asking for potential trouble unless your DT can hold all the water from the return section of the sump. If the DT won’t over fill then I suppose it doesn’t matter.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

I would only put a valve on one side and make sure the other side can handle all the flow if the valve plugs. Any restriction on an overflow pipe is asking for potential trouble unless your DT can hold all the water from the return section of the sump. If the DT won’t over fill then I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Once I get further into building this, i can make the required adjustments. Thankfully there is no rush at all, so i can do adequate testing.

 

[Reef-junky]

Once I get further into building this, i can make the required adjustments. Thankfully there is no rush at all, so i can do adequate testing.

If you have room I would run an ATS.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

If you have room I would run an ATS.

I'm trying to figure out how to set that up now.

 

[Todvod]

What is the purpose of having the separate supply line for the fuge? Is it flow control?
I've never really understood the center return design over the basic left to right supply to return.

Edit - with the exception of the Eshopps design, which uses clever tunnels/channels to transport water to separate chambers on some designs. I still think that is flawed due to the maintenance issues inherent with tunnels, though...
Thoughts?

2nd edit - now that I think of it, that Eshopps center chamber also wasnt a return, that was a bypassable skimmer/refugium section. So - question stands: why the center return over a left to right inline configuration?

Yes, for flow control. Yes, so the fuge can get “dirty” water. Additionally, you can set the baffle between the fuge and the return higher, increasing water volume for the fuge. The skimmer dictates, to some degree, how high the water can go with the common design. I really wanted to try this design but I only have one return from the display tank. Teeing off that line to create 2 return lines makes starting/maintaining the siphon a bit more challenging from a design perspective. Since this is my first tank I decided to go the simpler route. But I really like this design and hope to try it in the future.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Yes, for flow control. Yes, so the fuge can get “dirty” water. Additionally, you can set the baffle between the fuge and the return higher, increasing water volume for the fuge. The skimmer dictates, to some degree, how high the water can go with the common design. I really wanted to try this design but I only have one return from the display tank. Teeing off that line to create 2 return lines makes starting/maintaining the siphon a bit more challenging from a design perspective. Since this is my first tank I decided to go the simpler route. But I really like this design and hope to try it in the future.

This is my first MARINE tank. I have two 6 foot freshwater tanks running with sumps already.

 

[Reef-junky]

I'm trying to figure out how to set that up now.

This is an ATS sitting on top of a 20 gallon sump.

BRS sells them as well if you don’t think you can make one.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cw-1...MIv-7h1b_W3AIVAo3ICh3BCgyZEAQYASABEgL9wPD_BwE

You can check this out as well

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-nano-algae-scrubber-step-by-step-with-pics.322819/

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

This is an ATS sitting on top of a 20 gallon sump.

BRS sells them as well if you don’t think you can make one.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cw-1...MIv-7h1b_W3AIVAo3ICh3BCgyZEAQYASABEgL9wPD_BwE

You can check this out as well

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-nano-algae-scrubber-step-by-step-with-pics.322819/

That looks like an algae scrubber

 

[Reef-junky]

That looks like an algae scrubber

That’s because it is.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

That’s because it is.

For a second i thought you were trying to show me an ATO system, but i see that my stupid brain just misread it. You prefer that over a fuge with chaeto?

That’s because it is.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

https://reefbuilders.com/2014/11/03/surface-area-live-rock-matter/

"But let us ask you, have you ever seen or heard of a reef tank with a real ammonia problem? Seriously though, we’ve never walked up to a reef tank and seen animals with symptoms of ammonia or nitrite burn. The case in point is that discussing live rock in terms of its surface area for bacteria is a complete waste of time."

That confirms a belief I've had for a long time now, additional rocks for filtration don't add any additional filtration. Use the space, and money, to make a refugium or algae scrubber. Without a doubt, either of those reduce fish waste.

 

[Reef-junky]

For a second i thought you were trying to show me an ATO system, but i see that my stupid brain just misread it. You prefer that over a fuge with chaeto?

It will work better.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Whoever said that a sump runs out of real estate quickly, you're a doggon prophet!

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

There are a ton of designs for sumps. What you have will work fine. If your DT has a dual overflow it’s not a bad design. Unless you are running an external skimmer not all of your water is going to get skimmed. Another common design is to have the bleed off the return feed the fuge. I doubt there is any real evidence to show one design is better then another. Another common design is to have a manifold feed by the return pump feed an ATS and comes after the skimmer. Those seem to work fine.

How much space should be allowed for a protein skimmer? I'm planning on giving it 10 or so inches of space.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Rough mock up

 

[Reef-junky]

How much space should be allowed for a protein skimmer? I'm planning on giving it 10 or so inches of space.

I’m not sure if the size of the space makes a difference but the water depth is very important.

 

[Reef-junky]

What’s the divider for on the end?

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

What’s the divider for on the end?

Half for a fuge, half for the return pump