Refugium Advice / Help

[blazk]

I finally removed all my bio balls over the course of a few weeks (hand full a day). I dont really have any filtration in my sump except for the sponges. I came up with an idea for a Refugium but not sure if it will work or not. Any help would greatly help my cause.
Here is a picture to help get my idea across.

There will be sand, live rock, and the nitrate eating algae. I am also intending to put a clip on light on the sump and turning it on at night after my T5's go night night.
Thanks for reading.

 

[lightcs4]

The only issue I see is the filter is going to prevent pods from getting to your main tank. The fuge is great for nitrate export but is also good for pod breading.

 

[cthegame]

+1 light, id remove that sponge. Other than that, it looks fine. However, i would recommend the incoming water to go to skimmer first then fuge but its not a must.

 

[blazk]

Not sure if i can fit my skimmer in there. How would i go about making the water go to the skimmer first ?
If i take the sponges out wont that mean i will have no filtration ?

 

[messiah023]

Blazk,

Nice design, I would change it up a bit. You may have a problem with isolation of your refuge if the water level goes down. Try moving the refuge to the center, overflow & skimmer in the left chamber, return in the right chamber.

If you are making it, try to use black acrylic for the refuge area so you can isolate the lighting to that section only (helps with algae prevention in the sump).
Keep the lighting on exactly opposite the DT.

I "modified" your drawing a bit.....anyone else have suggestions?

 

[ccCapt]

I don't know what kind of skimmer that is, but for the best performance, most in-sump skimmers should be in a section of the sump where the water level stays the same. The section you have the skimmer will fluctuate as water evaporates.

 

[blazk]

skimmer is a octopus vortex nw-110
messiah : I have the sump already and i dont think i can change the sections as its all glass? Not sure what steps to take from here.

Here are a few more pictures to give you an idea what my sump looks like:

All the bio balls are gone now.

 

[yote]

Can you get a pic of where the plumbing comes into the sump?

 

[blazk]

Here is the plumbing coming in from the main tank. I dont mind replumbing any of it either, as this was my first go at it.

 

[yote]

Just flip the drains around to feed into the other side of your sump.All you'd have to do is cut the near 90 off and turn the drain around.
Then I'd go with Messiahs suggestion.I think that you'd be happier with,and it'd do a better job for you.
And it would keep the water level in the fuge/skimmer section at a constant level which would allow you skimmer to do a better job.

 

[blazk]

So something like this

Where would the Refugium go ? Wouldnt the skimmer suck the sand up ?

Maybe something like this would work ?

 

[yote]

To keep the skimmer from sucking up sand,you'd just need a piece of eggcrete and 4- 2 to 3 inch pieces of 3/4 or 1" PVC to make a short stand for the skimmer to sit on.
In your 2nd sketch,the fuge wouldnt be able to do anything.There would be no water flow through it.
So go with the top sketch and set up the skimmer stand.That your skimmer is getting raw water and the fuge can do its job.

 

[messiah023]

YIKES,

I don't know, you have a tough configuration there.
You may not be able to do a SUMP/FUGE combo in that trickle system.

You DO have room underneath the cabinet for an external fuge.
Or, you may be able to fashion something like this, you would have to remove one of your acrylic panels though.
There wouldn't be any flow like Yote says though.

 

[messiah023]

Yote,

In his 2nd sketch, the overflow would be dumping right into the fuge....
It would be kicking up all kinds of sand and crap. Plus, you run the risk of sucking any chaeto or such up the skimmer.
You need to separate the fuge from skimmer area.

I do agree that you wont have any flow in my design, you may have to have a powerhead in there.

 

[yote]

hmmm,Didnt think about that.

 

[Bifferwine]

I have 600+ posts to read. This thread is way over my head for tonight :(

 

[cthegame]

I think best would be to have evaporation take place where the outgoing pump is, not fuge or skimmer. But any of those designs work.

Poor biff!