Sump question

[reefguy40gal]

I just moved from a 24ga nano tank to a 40gal tank with sump.

It has 3 chambers and is about 15-20 gallons. In the first chamber I have the return pump. I also have a ball of chaeto and a light (reverse photo period). In 2nd chamber there is the skimmer and a bag of Chemipure. The chemipure sits at the bottom....in a high flow area. Also in the 2nd chamber is a filter sock to which my two return lines flow into. The flow lines flow into the top of the sock.

Also in the 2nd chamber is my skimmer.


Is this set up properly? Any more recommendations? How should I go about cleaning the sump as 2 days ago I dropped a light into the middle chamber of the sump and when I pulled it out, the water was brown.

thanks

 

[JFrar]

if your saying the return back to DT has chaeto in it, after running through the skimmer and bag of chemipure, i think you should switch those. the chaeto should be before the skimmer and chemipure. In that way its getting "dirtier" water. thats my thought on it, and how i run mine....hope others chime in for ya.

 

[reefguy40gal]

if your saying the return back to DT has chaeto in it, after running through the skimmer and bag of chemipure, i think you should switch those. the chaeto should be before the skimmer and chemipure. In that way its getting "dirtier" water. thats my thought on it, and how i run mine....hope others chime in for ya.

Thanks.

I can't move the skimmer because the 1st partition barely fits the return pump. I could move the Chemipure to the 1st chamber and then the chaeto to near the 2nd chamber (which houses the skimmer). When I do my weekly water change, should I stir up the junk at the bottom of the sump so that the skimmer grabs it? I'm not understanding how the "junk" is able to get through the filter sock.

I was given this entire set up for free.....this is not how I would have designed it. But considering I have already spent $700 on new live rock, live sand, new lights, new pump, misc labor to help fix 2 leaky pipes and whatever else.

Just wondering if this set up is asking for trouble or can I somehow make it work?

 

[JFrar]

if it can't be changed i wouldnt move anything, i'm not a pro at this stuff but i've been doing it for a while. All you mentioned wouldnt be asking for trouble imo. but i don't use any biopellets or bags of anything so i can't speak for any of that. a good skimmer and having the chaeto is only going to do good. i'm sure other people on the forum will speak up with some good knowledge. or you could always build a new sump

 

[reefguy40gal]

if it can't be changed i wouldnt move anything, i'm not a pro at this stuff but i've been doing it for a while. All you mentioned wouldnt be asking for trouble imo. but i don't use any biopellets or bags of anything so i can't speak for any of that. a good skimmer and having the chaeto is only going to do good. i'm sure other people on the forum will speak up with some good knowledge. or you could always build a new sump

Thanks. I was thinking of having a new sump built....but looking into my cabinet, I think this one is taking up all the space it physically can.

I was told this sump was for a 100gal. tank....even though it's only a 15-20gal sump?

I hired a guy from the local LFS to help me set up this tank and for me to pick his brain for an hour. He claims that my filtration system (sump, return, skimmer, etc) is a "tad bit over done" and apparently that's a good thing. I only got 5 fish and plan on keeping it that way.

 

[tigerdragon]

Mine is three chamber first sec is skimmer flows to center sec this is return. Third sec is fuge gets water off return manifold flows to center sec