I sketched design of sumprefugium! Will this work?

[Homerrjsimpson]

1. Protein skimmer

2. Filter material
3. Smaller filter material

4. Biological balls, keramic balls, matrix stones..

5. Refugium - live sand, live rock, live small creatures, algea

6. return pump

Please Leave your comment and suggestions!

Few questions:
How much water I should overturn per hour? X1 ? or X5?
Filter size: 36 liter, aquarium 150 liter.

Thanks!

If You like, I can also post sketch of my aquarium!

 

[Marines_Wife]

Is this built to scale?? If not I would worry about the skimmer being submerged under the water. Also most people would say ditch the bio balls. I have never personally used them however if memory serves they cause nitrate issues.

 

[Marines_Wife]

also depending on the flow of your tank I believe that you only need 5-10x total volume of water in your tank turnover

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

That is including the streamers?

And, the skimmer is not in correct scale... Other things are correct...

If I ditch the bioballs maybe I don`t need the filter material as well? Just the skimmer, refugium and return ?

 

[little_fish]

Ya, all you really need is the skimmer, refugium and return section. Be sure that you make your skimmer section big enough to hold a skimmer and that the skimmer will be submerged in the correct water level.

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

I read, that the best depth for skimmer is 8 - 9 inches... so I`m gona stick with that... If I don`t need the bioballs, and filter, that means that refugium is bigger and so will be the skimmer section!

Anything else? Or can I now post the aquarium sketches and You can again help me?

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

So, this is the new version!

So, can I start cutting the glass?

 

[ponyguy]

What are u using for mechanical when the water reaches the filter? and I wouldn't have the water enter where the skimmer is. The water crashing in changes the surface tension of the water and will effect the performance of the skimmer

 

[little_fish]

Also your return area is pretty small, you might want to make it a little big for the pump and that way the evaporation isnt as hard to deal with.

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

What are u using for mechanical when the water reaches the filter? and I wouldn't have the water enter where the skimmer is. The water crashing in changes the surface tension of the water and will effect the performance of the skimmer

New york steelo is using this technic, so I guess, this time I skip Your advice, but thank You!

 

[phastroh]

Dude New York Steelo is not the worlds best reefer and other people do know how to set things up. He one time told me I was wrong about something when in fact I wasn't but I no longer have the email to read what it was.

First of all you can have the water enter where the skimmer is. I do but it drains into 2 rectangle Sump Socks which sit in the same chamber as the skimmer.

My Fuge is on the other side and my return area is in the center.

This gives you the most control over the water flow through the fuge and can allow you to let tank water dribble through there or just have the water exiting your carbon reactor dribble through there.

Check this link with the photos of my set-up and you will see the basic way it flows and this is a great way to do it and in my opinion one of the best ways.

Simple and very effective.

https://www.livingreefs.com/return-pump-recommendations-t37745p2.html

If this doesn't take you to page 2 of the thread that is where the photos are. Now you have a great idea of what to do. Gives you plenty of options as you see my UV Pumps and my Carbon Reactor Pump and my Return Pump all sit in the middle and the Fuge is nice and calm with super slow flow or fast of I choose so.

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

Thank You! Helped me a lot!

 

[wontonflip]

You should still put in a triple-baffle to trap microbubbles. It should be in the intake section.

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

Can You please explain me, whats a tripple baffle?

 

[NanoReefer]

yeah, its very common to have skimmer in first chamber. but +1 lf make the return area a little bigger

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

No, problem, return gona be made bigger

 

[wontonflip]

Triple-baffle -- what you had in the first sketch, but not in the second. 3 dividers -- the first and 3rd are flush against the bottom, the middle is maybe an inch from the bottom and goes all the way to the top of the tank -- forces bubbles to float to the top, then if they don't pop, they are forced under the middle baffle, and up again where they pop.

 

[Homerrjsimpson]

Ok, thank YOu a lot - UNDErstand now... finaly :) Changes will be done.. TIll january 1st, gona post the pictures of the result :)

 

[wontonflip]

Oh I just noticed your sketch had the 2 outer baffles above, and the middle against the bottom....just switch it. Leave maybe 1" from the top for the outer ones, and make sure there are no leaks, then the middle should be 1" from the bottom, and flush against the top so no water can float up past it.

Check out this diy vid:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o[/ame]

 

[phastroh]

My setup has zero microbubbles.

I can email you my diagram if the photo is not clear. I have the triple baffle right next to the skimmer but the Output flows away from the baffle.

Trust me my setup is the best and easiest especially if you want to add on and have a slow moving sump.