Sump Design for a 55 gal Display

[Assassin Smoke]

Hey guys (and ladies),

Thinking about adding a sump/refugium to my current 55 gal display tank.

What are some of the 'must haves' in a design? I'm seeing a lot of baffles, bio-balls and in-sump skimmers; but everything is vastly different in both design and the order the water flows through the sump/fuge.

A little insight from those with experience would be great!

 

[revsgirl]

:bump2:

 

[passion4reef]

a design i like to use would put the pump in the middle, a fuge in the left side and the right will be a skimmer and a filter pad side. the drain pipe will tee off and go into the filterpad side and flow down through the filter pad and back up to the skimmer section and into the middle to be pumped back up. the other side of the tee will go to the fuge and flow directly to the pump and back up. most 55 gallons have tempered back and front panes so the only way to drill it would be the sides. gl*******s.com makes a nice overflow kit that includes everything you need to put the overflow in your tank. just make sure your tank isnt fully tempered because some of the newer 55s are. in this case you have no choice but to get one of the dreaded siphon overflows.

 

[Steelerfan747]

I am a bit more conventional. I like the inlet on one side, followed by the skimmer section, then the refugium and lastly the sump/return. That way imo, everything runs smooth as it's a constant flow, the skimmed water goes in to the fuge and then the beneficial water along with any pods comes out of the fuge and is sent to the display.

 

[passion4reef]

thats a good way too but i like to have my fuge get 100% tank water. also i can run my fuge as deep as the tank and not skimp on height. i have built a 55 gallon sump with a 20 gallon fuge before. right now i have a 50 and 40 br under my tank. the 50br is my fuge and the 40br is my sump and skimmer tank. tank has dual drains. one drain goes into the fuge and the fuge drains into the skimmer section of the sump. the other drain goes into the cryptic area of my sump and through a filter pad into the skimmer section and down into the pump section.