Sump Help Needed!

[Robert_Popa_918]

I started my 13 gallon nano reef roughly a year ago and could use some help with my built in sump. As a beginner I wasn’t really sure how to fill the sump and tossed a random assortment of sponges and chemi pure blue into it. The sump hasn’t changed much since then and is still filled with what I think is mostly useless crap. With the help of some of you guys, I’d like to create a plan and reorganize my sump. So far my tank isn’t doing horrible but I think it could do better. Anyways what should be the plan to set up this sump correctly?
-Thanks, Rob

 

[Peace River]

The sponge should act as biological filtration and the Chemi Pure Blue is chemical filtration. Is it a Fluval 13g Evo? Do you have a media basket? Can you share a picture of the tank and another of the chamber? If you use the R2R search function, I think you will find many 13g Evo build threads. Good luck!

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

The sponge should act as biological filtration and the Chemi Pure Blue is chemical filtration. Is it a Fluval 13g Evo? Do you have a media basket? Can you share a picture of the tank and another of the chamber? If you use the R2R search function, I think you will find many 13g Evo build threads. Good luck!

I do have the fluval evo 13.5 but there’s no media basket. I will definitely try to find other similar builds though.

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

As you guys can see the sump is quite a mess. The first chamber is filter floss, a heater, chemi pure blue, and a large black sponge to keep things in place. The second chamber has a couple bags of carbon to polish the water, another black sponge, a bag of ceramic rings, and a handful of biological media balls. The final chamber has the return pump.

 

[Auquanut]

I personally wouldn't keep all of that floss, sponge, etc.. in the first chamber with the heater. Seems like it will insulate it and keep it from performing optimally.

 

[Peace River]

You can buy an inTank Chamber ONE media basket for either (or both) of the first two chambers or you can make a comparable DIY media basket. Additionally you may be able to make a DIY filter sock similar to the one for Innovative Marine Nuvo Fusion nano tanks to be used in the first chamber. Additionally, in line with what @Auquanut's post I would suggest that you consider moving the heater to the last chamber with the return pump.

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

I personally wouldn't keep all of that floss, sponge, etc.. in the first chamber with the heater. Seems like it will insulate it and keep it from performing optimally.

In my head I’m think the same idea but the problem is that I cannot put it anywhere but the 3 chamber. The problem with the third chamber is that I cannot get the water level to the minimum water line for my heater. I’ve tried before to add water to that third chamber but as soon as I turned on the return pump it pushed all of that water into the main display, causing it to overflow onto the floor. It was quite a mess to clean up off my hardwood flooring! Anyways I think I’m gonna purchase one of those flat small heaters that I can fit near the bottom of that third chamber.

 

[Peace River]

In my head I’m think the same idea but the problem is that I cannot put it anywhere but the 3 chamber. The problem with the third chamber is that I cannot get the water level to the minimum water line for my heater. I’ve tried before to add water to that third chamber but as soon as I turned on the return pump it pushed all of that water into the main display, causing it to overflow onto the floor. It was quite a mess to clean up off my hardwood flooring! Anyways I think I’m gonna purchase one of those flat small heaters that I can fit near the bottom of that third chamber.

Hopefully you will find an answer about the heater as you read through other EVO 13.5 threads. I have not had that specific nano tank, but I'm pretty sure that I have seen others put the heater in the 3rd chamber.

 

[Auquanut]

I’ve tried before to add water to that third chamber but as soon as I turned on the return pump it pushed all of that water into the main display, causing it to overflow onto the floor.

If your system works like the Coralife AIO, the water flows over the baffle in the first chamber, down through the second chamber, through the bottom to the return chamber. If that's the case, you should be able to slowly add water to either the display or the first chamber while the pump is running and have the water rise in the return chamber without raising the level in the display. Unless I'm missing something, which is entirely possible.