Refugium Noob

[Mike628]

No problem lol @cameronh. Maybe @twilliard can help. He is a good guy and very knowledgeable.

 

[tlowery070]

I will post pics after work so we can get this started [emoji109]

 

[twilliard]

Do you have a return pump picked out?
Doing a sump for the first time can be overwhelming.
Go slow take it easy and measure twice and cut once
As was stated looking at other setups will help you get an idea of the process behind it.

 

[tlowery070]

I have nothing picked out I need all the help I can get. And i greatly appreciate you guys for helping. I want to do everything on my new tank slow bc I want it to be perfect

 

[cameronh]

I have nothing picked out I need all the help I can get. And i greatly appreciate you guys for helping. I want to do everything on my new tank slow bc I want it to be perfect

That's the way to go! OK guys, fill him in on items needed, different brands, all options.

 

[tlowery070]

I do know I don't want to do pvc.

 

[cameronh]

I do know I don't want to do pvc.

That's fine, there's other options out there

 

[tlowery070]

I also fully understand that u get what u pay for in this hobby so I am willing to pay medium to high range for equipment. What are basics? Skimmer, return pump, lights, flexible tubing, heater.... Anything I'm missing? Oh and I am going to seal the back of my stand with plywood leaving about an inch and a half gap for wires, then put a fan on the back for air circulation

 

[cameronh]

I also fully understand that u get what u pay for in this hobby so I am willing to pay medium to high range for equipment. What are basics? Skimmer, return pump, lights, flexible tubing, heater.... Anything I'm missing? Oh and I am going to seal the back of my stand with plywood leaving about an inch and a half gap for wires, then put a fan on the back for air circulation

Powerheads. Filter media (bioballs) fowlr correct?

 

[tlowery070]

Yes 90 gallon fowlr

 

[cameronh]

Alright well all that you.listed above is spot on. I'll get the rest of the guys in here that can help to get you started. [HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG]

 

[Hans24hrs]

Depending on your budget these are what I would recommend for some of the equipment
Vectra M1 (Ecotech) return pump. It is a dc pump and will allow you to easily control return flow. Also has feed mode. And with it being dc it will be lower in your electric bill than a mag pump, ect.

I have and have had multiple size reef octopus skimmers. They also make many with DC pumps too. I recommend going with the largest controllable one you can. Then you have the option to turn it down if needed.

For lighting if you are doing FOWLR you don't need any crazy, you could even go with a shop light from Home Depot. But there is benefits to LED's. Controllability is the biggest along with energy usage.

I ran a sulfur denitrator on my FOWLR when I had it. It helped a lot with nitrates (had large bio load). Now this doesn't mean you need one but it helped for me.

As far as heaters go I like titanium ones. The heat great and unlike the glass ones the don't crack or break if bumped/banged into.

Any power head will help to add circulation in your tank (which you need). As always if it's in your budget controllability is always a great option. There are many manufacturers putting controllable power heads out. Vortechs MP's are great, Neptune, Jeabo and I think Tunze all make good ones too. And there is always the Gyre. I have Vortechs (MP60 and two MP40's) and like them a lot. My buddy has a large Jeabo and dollar for dollar it is comparable to MP60 in water movement (not sure about what options it has on it)

I hope this helps. There is so many options on the market today it is overwhelming. Keep reading about people's tank builds and there pros and cons. This will help more than you think. Good luck and don't forget to post pics when done.

 

[MiguelCS71]

Here's my refugium. It houses 2" of live sand, a few live rocks and only a few mangroves now. Very little chato....

 

[Danny Folk]

I really like the ASM skimmers. A G-3 or G-4 would work gray for you. I know many people like reef octopus but I could never get mine tuned in. The ASM is reasonably priced and skimmed better for me.

 

[Betty1964]

Hello! Let's start with the plumbing:
1. Buy the bulkheads you need for the size of holes drilled. Put these in from the top (rubber seal on inside of tank) and screw it on the bottom. Do not over tighten this or you will crack it. Do not glue this part.
2. Buy the hoses in the appropriate diameter. I prefer pvc because I can take it apart and clean it as needed. Do not buy clear hoses or you will be fighting with algae all the time. Make sure hoses are not treated with algaecide. Remember that you want as straight of line as possible. Remember clamps to hold these on.
3. Buy a return pump. Match the flow you want and the tube size to the pump you like. I would recommend something in the range 900 GPH. For a FOWLR you don't need a huge amount of power.
4. You will need two pieces of pvc (more if you have more holes drilled). If you have two holes, you have a couple of options: you can use one for your drain and one for your return. I do not like this method because there is no emergency backup. I would have your return coming over the back (it looks like a shepherds crook). I would cut one tube to be about an inch below the teeth on your overflow. This is your emergency drain in case the other fails. The other tube should be around 2 or 4 inches lower: this is your main drain.
5. Put your protein skimmer in the sump along with any heaters, etc you desire. Buy the best skimmer you can afford but remember to "size up." If you buy for a tank a little bigger than the one you own, you will be happier with the results.

 

[Horn]

Take out the overflow box and plumbing , cap off the bulkhead and buy yourself a canister filter or a couple of HOB filter. If you want you can get a HOB skimmer.

 

[tlowery070]

Take out the overflow box and plumbing , cap off the bulkhead and buy yourself a canister filter or a couple of HOB filter. If you want you can get a HOB skimmer.

I'm not gonna do that whatsoever. A refugium is the best thing I can do for my fish and I'd like to do that approach.

 

[Horn]

A refugium is the best thing I can do for my fish.

What makes it the best thing you can do for your fish? What fish do you have? I can understand wanting a fuge but claiming it is the best is quite the statement.

 

[RudyB]

First things first, what is your intention for your sump. Do you want one as a sump to house your filter and skimmer or a refugium like the picture by Miguel? That one uses natural filtration (Chato, Mangroves, ect.). Then you go on to build or setup the way you need it. That will depend on the equipment you will be placing into it. You will need a return pump (I just bought the Jabao 12000 DC pump.) It is working beautiful and you can control the flow so you don't have to use valves. I will always recommend a protein skimmer. You can add a sock filter(good idea to control loose particles). I use it in all my tanks. Suggestion - extend the down spout at least half way below the water level. That will cut down on the noise level. I build a modified "Bean-Animal" overflow. You can look that up on YouTube. It is more advance but very quiet because there is no air in the line. Again this method is more advanced but once set up it is easy to maintain and moves a lot more water with the same size tubes. Once I get home I will take a picture of mine and post it if you like. With all sumps please always remember to measure and set how much water will drain from the main system in case of a power outage so it does not overflow. That will be determined by how much into the tank you place the return spout and the drain line. You can always place a flow valve but over time they fail(so I don't use them any more).

 

[tlowery070]

Refugium all natural