FishyReef
Broke Reefer!
The 90g tank I purchased came with a sump system - after searching online, I think it is probably an earlier version of this (mine has white/clear dividers instead of black): [ame="http://www.amazon.com/ProClear-Aquatics-Premier-without-Prefilter/dp/B00061UXI2/ref=sr_1_21?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1326822484&sr=1-21"]Amazon.com: ProClear Aquatics Premier 125 Wet Dry Filter without Prefilter: Pet Supplies[/ame]
Mine came with the bio balls (which I don't plan to use), the the return hose, the HOB overflow, and the tube that connects the overflow to the sump (the grey hose that's pictured). The guy I bought it from also gave me a new return pump (never used), but its rated for 750gph, which I think is a much higher flow than the flow coming from the HOB overflow.
I have also purchased a skimmer (Reef Octopus Extreme SX 200 Protein Skimmer by CoralVue - AquaCave) that I want to add to the sump, but I have no idea where to add it. I am at a complete loss as to where to put the skimmer and how to get the rest of it set up!
My hunch is that I need to somehow set it up so that the water from the HOB overflow goes to a container housing the skimmer, and then thinking the water returned from the skimmer should go through a hose connected to the part of sump that would normally be connected to the hose coming from the HOB overflow, and then have the return pump in the open part of the sump to send water back up to my tank. Am I on the right track? If so, what materials do I need to get to do the modifcation to attach the skimmer before the sump? How do I regulate the flow between the various sections (HOB to skimmer, skimmer to sump, return pump to tank) so that I don't get a flood in one part of the system?
If I also wanted to make the open part of the sump into a refugim, should I then put live rock/rubble where the bio balls are now? Or do those go in the open part of the sump? If I want to culture brine shrimp or mysis shrimp, can I do that in this sump, or do I have to set up a totally different refugim system separate from the sump to do that?
I read about how others have set up their systems or made their own sumps/refugims, but then I look at the one I have and have no clue where to start!! Thank you all!! (I'm hoping to post pictures soon, but my camera battery recharger is MIA right now and I can't find it anywhere!)
Thanks!!!
Mine came with the bio balls (which I don't plan to use), the the return hose, the HOB overflow, and the tube that connects the overflow to the sump (the grey hose that's pictured). The guy I bought it from also gave me a new return pump (never used), but its rated for 750gph, which I think is a much higher flow than the flow coming from the HOB overflow.
I have also purchased a skimmer (Reef Octopus Extreme SX 200 Protein Skimmer by CoralVue - AquaCave) that I want to add to the sump, but I have no idea where to add it. I am at a complete loss as to where to put the skimmer and how to get the rest of it set up!
My hunch is that I need to somehow set it up so that the water from the HOB overflow goes to a container housing the skimmer, and then thinking the water returned from the skimmer should go through a hose connected to the part of sump that would normally be connected to the hose coming from the HOB overflow, and then have the return pump in the open part of the sump to send water back up to my tank. Am I on the right track? If so, what materials do I need to get to do the modifcation to attach the skimmer before the sump? How do I regulate the flow between the various sections (HOB to skimmer, skimmer to sump, return pump to tank) so that I don't get a flood in one part of the system?
If I also wanted to make the open part of the sump into a refugim, should I then put live rock/rubble where the bio balls are now? Or do those go in the open part of the sump? If I want to culture brine shrimp or mysis shrimp, can I do that in this sump, or do I have to set up a totally different refugim system separate from the sump to do that?
I read about how others have set up their systems or made their own sumps/refugims, but then I look at the one I have and have no clue where to start!! Thank you all!! (I'm hoping to post pictures soon, but my camera battery recharger is MIA right now and I can't find it anywhere!)
Thanks!!!
