DIY Sump/Fuge/Algae Scrubber

[vonjankmon]

Upgrading to a 90G with a corner overflow and I've planned out a DIY sump/fuge/algae scrubber setup I'd like some feed back on. Plans are below.

Suggestions/comments/whatever are welcome and wished for. This is the first time I'm setting up a sump so I want to be sure I didn't miss anything. One reason for the bit of overkill on space in the top tank is that I want to use it as an isolation tank if my goofy seahorses ever manage to pass the eggs successfully and I have babies to care for I can place them in the fuge area in the top tank, or if I just ever need a place to keep an injured animal. Using that space in the tank with all of its existing bacteria/filtering is easier than setting up my quarantine tank and having to make sure the water quality stays good as long as whatever is wrong with the animal is not contagious or requires copper treatment.

Also I'm planning on doing a sea grass bed in the display tank so there will only be limited live rock there, having plenty of space more rock in the fuge area is a bonus. I'm going to use flexible tubing for all of the plumbing, I'll use PVC for the scrubber construction.

I'm fairly sure I read someone that a single corner flow overflow only handles about 600GPH for drainage, if that is wrong fill me in please.

Suggestions on pumps to use for the water flow are welcome too, I don't know if there are any that run colder than others but if there are I would be interested in knowing. Less heat means I might be able to sneak by without a chiller to keep my tank at 74 degrees for my horses.

Thanks,

 

[SeaBee]

Nice.

 

[BL1]

Looks good! Can't wait to see the build thread

 

[PRC]

Why are you putting the algae scrubber in a separate tank? I don't think you're goign to have a need for the bio-balls? Am I just reading the diagram wrong?

You can just install the algae scrubber on the entry pipe from the DT to the fuge...

 

[vonjankmon]

The problem with that is that the overflow hole on the 90G tank is in the bottom so I can't squeeze it all in where I have both tanks with the upper flowing into the lower. To have a two tank setup like I would like I have to have a pump to get water to the upper tank. The reason I'm opting for a stacked setup like I have is a space issue. I basically have a small area in a room behind the tank that can fit a 36 inch long tank, by stacking two I get more usable space/water volume than I would if I just got a single tall tank.

The top tank is an algae scrubber/fuge combo while the bottom tank is mostly for extra equipment, I have some extra room so I tossed in some more live rock but depending on what the tank kind of ends up being that space may be used for other things.

Hopefully a build thread coming in about a month. Have to finish some painting, get the bathroom in the basement together, flooring, and then FISH TANK!

 

[PRC]

I'm sorry, I still don't completely understand. Do you have approx 1 ft. of distance between the bottom of the display tank and your fuge? I'm going to snap ap pic of mine, maybe that will help both of us understand.

 

[vonjankmon]

For the bottom tank yes, but I cannot stack two 30 gallon tanks on top of each other and still be below the bottom of my 90 display tank and still be able to have access to the equipment in each tank.

 

[PRC]

Ok...but is the algae scrubber the only thing going in the 3rd tank?

 

[vonjankmon]

That and live rock and maybe a couple inches of substrate. The top tank is the fuge with the algae scrubber in it, the idea being that pods that grow and get washed out of the scrubber will end up in the fuge. And the bottom tank is basically just for equipment, initially just a place to have some sponges and maybe bioballs and a skimmer but maybe more in the future, leaving some room for expansion. The reason for the sponge/bioballs is that my quarantine tank has a RenaXP canister filter with it, when I need to set it up I pull a sponge out of my filter and put it in there, instant cycle for the quarantine. Since I basically never have more than 1 animal in there at a time the 1-2 sponges I pull out of my display filter is usually more than enough to keep the water quality solid.

 

[PRC]

ok. Do you own all of this equipment already?...I just think it's overkill, most people on here only have LR and a skimmer..That's it. I've never had them but I hear bio-balls can be a hassle.

You may want to get some other opinions though...

Personally, I only have LR and an algae scrubber (I'm not recommending it) it works very well, but a skimmer definitely serves a purpose.

If I were you I'd set up 2 tanks, DT on top, Fuge on bottom, on the overflow pipe from the DT put an elbow on it, install the algae scrubber and then it enters the fuge, goes through the skimmer and back up to the DT. Much easier, less to go wrong. Takes up considerably less space, and your water is still going to be clean.

 

[imdaring]

I no longer use a skimmer my algae scrubber does it all and all my levels are 0

 

[Piratefish]

I am running a scrubber only and it keeps everything at 0. I do know that you need to ditch the bio balls and any floss type filters when using a scrubber. I have not done a water change in almost 3 months. Ph 8.2 Ca 420 mag 1350 Alk 9 Sal 1.024. I swear by the scrubber. Plus I have lots of pods in the DT.

But you has designed a sweet set up. Cant wait to see pics.