Will this setup work?
- Thread starter Grassman
- Start date
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Try this instead. Put the skimmer section on one side. Put the refugium on the other side. Put the return section in the middle.
If you have dual overflows, you can run one to the refugium and one to the skimmer section. Put a Tee in the line going to the refugium and a ball valve. This allows you to adjust the water flowing into the refugium (slow it down) by shutting the valve off a bit and diverting water to the skimmer section.
The reason why I don't like the refugium, skimmer and sump all in line like your drawing is because it makes the flow through the refugium too fast. By putting the refugium on one end and diverting excess flow to the skimmer, you increase the dwell time (contact time) of the water moving through the refugium. Provided you use a DSB and some cheato, you give the water a chance to de-nitrify as it passes slowly through the refugium.
If you have dual overflows, you can run one to the refugium and one to the skimmer section. Put a Tee in the line going to the refugium and a ball valve. This allows you to adjust the water flowing into the refugium (slow it down) by shutting the valve off a bit and diverting water to the skimmer section.
The reason why I don't like the refugium, skimmer and sump all in line like your drawing is because it makes the flow through the refugium too fast. By putting the refugium on one end and diverting excess flow to the skimmer, you increase the dwell time (contact time) of the water moving through the refugium. Provided you use a DSB and some cheato, you give the water a chance to de-nitrify as it passes slowly through the refugium.
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wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
+1 RC....that's how my sump is set up....fuge gets only 25% or so water from the intake, the skimmer section gets 75%. Because of the triple baffle from the skimmer area to the return area, I get no bubbles and no need for a filter pad. I don't even have rocks below the water intake areas to break bubbles because of the baffles. I get no microbubbles in the main tank, and my pods are thriving in the fuge.
Grassman
Reefing newb
Thanks to both of you. My next questions are, what is DSB and cheato? Does your skimmer outlet go into where your return pump is or back into it's own section? Is my lighting good enough? Everything I'm putting into this system I am making myself. Except the pump and heater. The less I have to buy, the less chance my wife will kill me. :)
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project5k
Reef enthusiast
DSB is a deep sand bed, and cheato is a plant that you can grow in your fuge.. you grow it there, and have sepperate lights for it, so it will grow, and it uses up stuff outta the water, nitrogen and stuff, so then you trim it back and the stuff you trim off is your "nitrogen export" for your tank.
4 tubes, t5 lights, on a 55 gallon, hmm i dont know for sure how long a 55 gallon tank is but i'm gonna guess 36 inches, so then that would mean that the t5 bulbs are 39 watts each, so, 4*39=156W.... 156/55=2.84W per gallon, so, i think your gonna need more light. could you double up?
4 tubes, t5 lights, on a 55 gallon, hmm i dont know for sure how long a 55 gallon tank is but i'm gonna guess 36 inches, so then that would mean that the t5 bulbs are 39 watts each, so, 4*39=156W.... 156/55=2.84W per gallon, so, i think your gonna need more light. could you double up?
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messiah023
Reefing newb
Everyone's got you in the right direction.
You may want to consider dumping the "filter pads" too.
Filter pads / Filter socks will be a crap collection point in your sump and require CONSTANT maintenance.
You may want to consider dumping the "filter pads" too.
Filter pads / Filter socks will be a crap collection point in your sump and require CONSTANT maintenance.
project5k
Reef enthusiast
true that messiah
Wes888
Reef enthusiast
my filter pad/filter sock is great for collecting some floating fish junk and stuff. Without the physical filter, wouldn't it cause even more problem?
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
No problem.
DSB = Deep Sand Bed. It has to be MORE than 4" deep - 6" is better. DO NOT EVER stir it. EVER!! It will reduce nitrates in your system. Read up on the aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria in a DSB. Aerobic bacteria can only take the nitrogen cycle to nitrates. Anaerobic bacteria live in the bottom of the DSB where there is no oxygen. They eat nitrates and convert to harmless nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas bubbles out on the surface of the water. Nitrogen cycle is now complete.
Run it back into the skimmer chamber.
Yes. To start out with zoas and mushrooms - it is enough. Think of an upgrade to T5 lights later.
Doin' it on the cheap!! Ghetto style!! Love it!!
dcantucson
Reef pro
Rc knows his :pooh: !
Good info Rc.
Good info Rc.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Filter socks or pads are okay as a mechanical filter. They stop large particles from getting into the sump.
Wash in salt water every week - MINIMUM!! If you don't they will produce nitrates as the gunk gets broken down by aerobic bacteria. Easiest way to rinse is when you're doing water changes. Drain out the water into a bucket - then rinse the pads in the old tank water before you dump it down the drain. Put rinsed pads back in system.
Wash in salt water every week - MINIMUM!! If you don't they will produce nitrates as the gunk gets broken down by aerobic bacteria. Easiest way to rinse is when you're doing water changes. Drain out the water into a bucket - then rinse the pads in the old tank water before you dump it down the drain. Put rinsed pads back in system.
yote
In Memoriam
+1 above
But if you use some kind of mechanical filtration,then I suggest to have either a couple of extra media pads or filter socks on hand.
I use the media pads myself,but I've got 8 of em that fit into the my system.I'll pull the used pad every day to every other day place a dry/clean pad in its place.Then I'll rinse the the one I just pulled out to remove any crude its collected and hang it up to dry.
But if you use some kind of mechanical filtration,then I suggest to have either a couple of extra media pads or filter socks on hand.
I use the media pads myself,but I've got 8 of em that fit into the my system.I'll pull the used pad every day to every other day place a dry/clean pad in its place.Then I'll rinse the the one I just pulled out to remove any crude its collected and hang it up to dry.
Grassman
Reefing newb
The t5's are high output 46" 54W so it would be 4*54=216W 216/55=3.93W per gallon. I could add a couple more so it would be 6*54=324W 324/55=5.89W per Gallon. I'd like to stay with just 4 if I could to keep the cost hideable. ;)
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
3.93w per gallon is enough to do mushrooms, zoas, polyps, LPS but probably not enough to do clams or SPS.
5.89w per gallon will do anything your heart desires.
I know I'm going to get a lecture about using watts per gallon as a guide to reefing. I still think it works. As a comparison I have 4.8w per gallon on my 30g tank, but it is 24" deep. I can grow anything I want in my tank. I'm using 24w HO T5 lights. With 54w bulbs, you will get even higher PAR levels than I get out of 24w bulbs, so while it may not be direct comparison between 4.8w and 5.89w - it is close enough for me to feel more than confident telling you that you can do ANYTHING you want with that kind of wattage out of a HO T5 system.
5.89w per gallon will do anything your heart desires.
I know I'm going to get a lecture about using watts per gallon as a guide to reefing. I still think it works. As a comparison I have 4.8w per gallon on my 30g tank, but it is 24" deep. I can grow anything I want in my tank. I'm using 24w HO T5 lights. With 54w bulbs, you will get even higher PAR levels than I get out of 24w bulbs, so while it may not be direct comparison between 4.8w and 5.89w - it is close enough for me to feel more than confident telling you that you can do ANYTHING you want with that kind of wattage out of a HO T5 system.
dcantucson
Reef pro
+1 Rc.
Go with 6 because it will give you more options and you won't have to upgrade later.
Go with 6 because it will give you more options and you won't have to upgrade later.
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Well, I'm using a crappy Berlin Red Sea Classic...has 2 outputs. One dumps into its own chamber, and the other (controlled by a ball valve) dumps into the fuge....I lowered the rate into the fuge to around 50% or something. So basically, my fuge is getting 25% of the dirty fish tank water to the benefit of the chaeto, and 50% of the skimmed water just to allow for faster flow into the return chamber. I have a youtube vid I made for someone months ago of my then-new sump (it's much grodier and dirty now :) I'll have to make an update version)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LShjPYPvh_c]YouTube - Sump setup[/ame]
I seem to end up posting this vid a lot here LOL
project5k
Reef enthusiast
RC, no lecture, its fine to use as a "rule of thumb"
just so long as someone isnt trying to mis-inform someone about the actual-factual on how light is measured, its fine to use as a balpark (has worked for years and years and will still work for years to come)
I am going to say this tho, as technology advances, we are either going to see a new standard or rule of thumb for how many watts per gallon(it will get smaller in the future), or we will see a wave of education on light measurement, and the components that make up the light we need over our tanks
just so long as someone isnt trying to mis-inform someone about the actual-factual on how light is measured, its fine to use as a balpark (has worked for years and years and will still work for years to come)
I am going to say this tho, as technology advances, we are either going to see a new standard or rule of thumb for how many watts per gallon(it will get smaller in the future), or we will see a wave of education on light measurement, and the components that make up the light we need over our tanks
yote
In Memoriam
The only thing about the watts per gallon rule,is T-5s kinda blew it outta the water so to speak.
But the difference is in the size of the bulbs and individual reflectors.The smaller bulb blocks less of the light.I guess.
But the difference is in the size of the bulbs and individual reflectors.The smaller bulb blocks less of the light.I guess.
Grassman
Reefing newb
My thanks to everyone.
I'm going with 3 x 2 T5HO fixtures. (cheaper then buying a 4 tube & a 2 tube ballast set). Ordered them today from the electrical wholesaler. (please don't tell my wife!!)
I called around to the 2 LFS in my area and the FAFS (Far Away Fish Stores) and no one has cheato. (yes I gave them the big long name for it.) Any ideas where to get it in Canada?
I refined my sump/ref. Should I make any more modifications to it?
My thanks in advance.
I'm going with 3 x 2 T5HO fixtures. (cheaper then buying a 4 tube & a 2 tube ballast set). Ordered them today from the electrical wholesaler. (please don't tell my wife!!)
I called around to the 2 LFS in my area and the FAFS (Far Away Fish Stores) and no one has cheato. (yes I gave them the big long name for it.) Any ideas where to get it in Canada?
I refined my sump/ref. Should I make any more modifications to it?
My thanks in advance.
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Ted
Living one day at a time
is there a local reef club where you are at? People on masst down here are always giving away the stuff.
