Sump Suggestions - Triton Design vs Traditional vs Modified

[William Norman]

I have a used 75 Gallon tank for my new DIY sump.

I have been researching for a while on how to design it. I have three designs in mind.

1) Triton - refugium, then skimmer, then return - high flow refugium

2) Skimmer, return, refugium - low flow refugium

3) Modified Triton - refugium, return, skimmer, - adjustable flow refugium - ability to adjust amount of flow being split between refugium and skimmer using valves.


My goals - I would like to use the refugium to help filter and grow pods and such for tank. I would like to get a mandarin at some point. I am not sure if I will use Trition. I am concerned about supply chain issues people have experienced. So I thinking I will watch for a little while and see if they get their act together for the US.

My research of those that don't use Triton is that you don't want high flow because it will kill your pods.

Anyone out their using Triton that started with an older sump and changed their sumps to Triton ? Did you see any difference with the high flow ?

Am I overthinking this ?

 

[Gungo]

What I use is skimmer, refugium, return at low flow maybe 2x or 3x turnover. I don't use a light on my refugium as I am not growing macroalgae anymore, its just packed with lots of live rock. but I can tell its full with any kind of small animals including pods.

 

[KJoFan]

I have a used 75 Gallon tank for my new DIY sump.

I have been researching for a while on how to design it. I have three designs in mind.

1) Triton - refugium, then skimmer, then return - high flow refugium

2) Skimmer, return, refugium - low flow refugium

3) Modified Triton - refugium, return, skimmer, - adjustable flow refugium - ability to adjust amount of flow being split between refugium and skimmer using valves.


My goals - I would like to use the refugium to help filter and grow pods and such for tank. I would like to get a mandarin at some point. I am not sure if I will use Trition. I am concerned about supply chain issues people have experienced. So I thinking I will watch for a little while and see if they get their act together for the US.

My research of those that don't use Triton is that you don't want high flow because it will kill your pods.

Anyone out their using Triton that started with an older sump and changed their sumps to Triton ? Did you see any difference with the high flow ?

Am I overthinking this ?

I am using a Triton style sump from Trigger but not using the Tiriton method. My goals were wanting ample space to grow macroalgae and pods and so far it's working very well. I don't think I probably have the high 10x turnover flow through my sump/refuguium that Triton calls for, but that's fine because I'm not using their method. Detritus settles out in the fuge area and my macro grows like crazy and is packed with pods. I'm 6 months in on this tank setup and no pod eaters in the tank yet, but when I do I'm not worried about being able to supply them.

In the end I'm happy I chose the Triton style sump for the large refugium area.

 

[punziracing]

Following,

I am undecided as well. I am leaning toward skimmer, fuge, return myself. It just seems to make sense to be able to control flow independently over the fuge.

 

[BigMo]

I’m Following as I haven’t decided on my sump design yet, I like the second option which is skimmer-return-refugium, looking forward to here from those that has experienced it.

 

[William Norman]

I’m Following as I haven’t decided on my sump design yet, I like the second option which is skimmer-return-refugium, looking forward to here from those that has experienced it.

BigMo - That is the more traditional method. That was my original plan, but the Triton suggestion through me off. I thought I would get more input from the community on this.

 

[BigMo]

BigMo - That is the more traditional method. That was my original plan, but the Triton suggestion through me off. I thought I would get more input from the community on this.

I was thinking about Triton method but with the lack of supply I won’t consider it now but in the future I might use it.
But if we put Triton method aside, I would really like to know the ups and downs of each sump design that you mentioned in your post, I hope someone with a good knowledge about this can give us their opinion.