FAQs About
Sump/Filters Design/Engineering 8
Related FAQs: Sump Design 1, Sump Design 2, Sump Design 3, Sump Design 4, Sump Design 5 Sump Design 6 Sump
Design 7, Sump Design 9, Sump Design 10, Sump Design 11, & Sumps/Filters 1, Sumps/Filters 2, Sumps 3, Sumps
4, Sumps 5, Sumps 6, Sumps
7, Sumps 9,
Sumps 10,
Rationale, Construction, Sump Components, Pumps/Circulation, Maintenance, Refugiums, Plenums in Reef Filtration, Marine System Plumbing,
Holes & Drilling
1, Durso Standpipes, Overflow Boxes, Bubble Trouble, Plumbing Noise, Make Up Water Systems,
Marine Aquarium
Set-Up, Algal Filtration in
General, Mud Filtration
1,
Related Articles: Pressure Locking Sump
Baffles; Welcome to the World of Versatility! By Joshua
McMillen, Refugiums, Marine Filtration,
Reef Filtration, Mechanical, Physical, Marine
System Plumbing, Fish-Only Marine
Set-up, FOWLR/Fish and Invertebrate Systems,
Reef Systems, Coldwater Systems, Small
Systems, Large Systems,
Refugiums,
|
|
Improved filtration/Overflow, sump setup 11/24/08 I
recently set up a new 135 gal Oceanic reef tank. I converted my old
55ga tank into a refugium underneath. The refugium is a simple design.
It consists of three compartments, divided by two acrylic sheets. The
first compartment is where I keep my skimmer and heaters, this spills
into my second compartment, which contains some live rock rubble and
Chaeto algae, and then the final compartment simply contains my two
return pumps. The volume of the system is approximately 40 gallons. My
question is do you think this simple design will be very effective?
<Yes, tis the setup nowadays.> Could I improve on it by putting a
small pump (200 gph or so) in the final compartment and pump the water
that was going to go to the display back to the first compartment to
run through the process again so to speak? <No, you want the raw
water from the tank running to the skimmer.> Also, I'm not sure
what my two overflows are rated at (if that means anything).
<Typically 1� bulkheads, good for a bit more than
300 gph per, though �rated� much
higher.> My return pumps are rated at 740 gph ea (again ratings
don't seem to mean much). <Nope.> The water level draining at
the teeth on the overflows is not even half way up the teeth. <Not a
factor, the bulkhead is the limiting factor here.> Last question,
can it handle more return? <Likely not.> Is looking at the water
level on the teeth a half-way accurate way to judge this? <No, see
above.> Thank you Corey <Welcome, Scott V.>
Sump question, des. 11/17/08 I have an Aqua
line sump and removed all the bio balls. I have filter material in the
top tray trickling down over pieces of live rock sitting on the egg
crate that the bio balls used to rest on, so my live rock is not full
submersed on the bottom of the sump. My question is should I remove the
plastic egg carton allowing the live rock to be fully submersed and
there is a long filter sponge preventing any debris to get to the area
were the main pump and skimmer are, do I keep that sponge in place?
<I would submerge the rock. As for the sponge, you definitely could
keep it there, but do be sure to clean it frequently. If you plan on a
refugium to culture pods, do not use the sponge before the pump.>
Finally I wanted to breed some co pods and other micro algae with the
live rock so do I need to hang a light on one side to allow light in as
the filter material on top will not allow light through. <You will
need a light to grow the algae, a macroalgae such as Chaetomorpha is
what you will want here.> Thanks for all the expert help. Brian
<Welcome, Scott V.>
Sump/Refugium chamber order 11/15/08 Hi Guys,
unbelievably in-depth and expansive resource you've put together.
Thank you all for your time! <A collaborative effort; thank you!>
I'm working on a sump design for my 90g reef tank. I'd like to
use Ogo (Gracilaria?) <yes> in the refugium section since I'm
a sashimi fan, which I realize will require some design finesse to keep
it "tumbling". To help facilitate that I'm thinking of
incorporating adjustable control of the flow through the refugium into
my design. How I accomplish this will depend on the order of my
sump's sections, which leads me to my questions that I haven't
found answered after lots of reading. It seems that the recommended
sump section order is skimmer and refugium on either end, with the
return in the middle. Overflows draining into skimmer and refugium.
<It is one way, generally allows for a larger refugium since the
water level in the refugium can be higher, not dependant on skimmer
chamber flow through.> -Wouldn't the skimmer catch more junk if
all the tank's overflow was passing through it, instead of some
passing only through the refugium at each pass? <It does to a point.
Running too much water through the skimmer will decrease dwell time.
This will also decrease skimmer output, to nothing if too much water is
run through. > -Would the refugium (and therefore the tank) be
happier with skimmed or unskimmed water? <I would go ahead and plumb
one of your overflows over to the refugium, feed it raw aquarium
water.> My gut tells me that ideally all overflow would pass through
the skimmer, then refugium, then return. This would seem easiest to do
by arranging the sump sections in the same order. If my gut isn't
lying this time, do you know of any design ideas/plans/pics on allowing
some skimmed water to bypass the refugium to facilitate the
adjustability I feel I might need? <Do check out
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html. Marc has a number of designs
posted here.> Thanks a ton! <Welcome, Scott V.>
Sump Change Out 11/07/08 Hello Crew,
<<Hiya Carlos>> Let me say first what a great asset you
guys are. <<And gals, yes?'¦thank you>> There are
so many questions (and differing answers) on our hobby and you are
certainly the best resource I have found. <<This is indeed true
(differing answers/opinions)'¦we appreciate the kind
words>> I have a 75 g tank that has been established for a year
and a half. One of the challenges (and enjoyment) of the initial setup
was to DIY as much as I could (I'm an engineer so I could not help
myself). <<Ah yes! I too much enjoy DIY>> I made my sump
from an old 20g tank and added a wet-dry filter consisting of two
Tupperware containers, a filter pad and some shotgun wadding. I also
made my own skimmer using an old in-line pool leaf catcher, an airstone
(wood), and a venturi that came with my pump. I've always had two
concerns about this setup: 1. That my trickle would eventually become a
nitrate factory <<This type filter really has no capacity to
further process/reduce NO3>> and 2. That my skimmer had very poor
bubble production and would eventually not keep up with demand.
<<Indeed>> I recently got a deal on a new skimmer from an
aquarium shop that is (sadly) going out of business. I'm planning
to revise my sump this way: The skimmer will sit in a container that
will maintain a constant 10" of water level (fed directly from the
overflow on the tank). This will overflow into a division that will
contain live rock. On the other side of the division will be my pump
and heater. I plan to start out by dumping all of my shotgun wadding
into the live rock area, then slowly remove portions of it and replace
it with equal or slightly more volume of live rock.
<<Okay>> Does this sound like a good plan? <<Sure
sounds fine>> How much live rock should I add at a time?
<<A few pounds at a time to replace the wadding over the course
of a couple weeks>> I really do not have a good way to cure the
rock. Would I be better of adding "dead" rock and letting it
seed from my wadding? <<Mmm, not in my opinion. I would try to
find cured/partially cured rock at your LFS and just monitor water
quality closely. There's a good chance that the small amount of
newly added live rock will have little/no impact and will be HUGELY
more beneficial than adding dead rock>> Thanks in advance for
your patience and your response. <<Is my pleasure to
assist>> Best Regards, Carlos <<Cheers, EricR>>
Sump Modification 10/12/08 Hey Crew,
<Chris.> I've finally decided that it's time to
install a sump on my 55g reef. <You will love it.> It's
been up and running for almost a year now, and yes, I am kicking
myself for not doing this right at the start. I recently
inherited an old acrylic wet/dry trickle filter from my dad's
old reef tank. My plan is to convert this into a sump for use on
my tank. The design is shown in the picture below: The dimensions
of the unit are 31.5" long x 15.75" tall x 10.5"
deep. Originally, the water flow into the unit was in chambers 1
and 2. I remember him having empty shotgun casings as a biomedia.
(This was about 1990, things have come a long way). <Quite an
innovative media.> I believe I will need to slightly modify
the existing design. The two red pieces in chambers 1 and 2 are
not there. I believe that in order for me to have live sand in
the first chamber, I will need to add these correct? <Yes, at
least the one closest to the first chamber, to hold the sand
in.> If not, that would be fantastic. <Don't worry,
these are very simple to add. Just a matter of having the new
baffle cut, place in the sump, and a small bit of acrylic solvent
to bond it all together.> Also, in chamber 3 there is an
automatic top off system that is controlled by a float valve.
Now, here is where I need a bit of guidance. In order for me to
get this sucker inside my stand, I'm going to need to remove
the center support temporarily. Obviously, this requires draining
and removing my tank. <There are ways to get around draining
the tank, but draining is the safest way.> As for water flow
into the sump, I have two options. I've been given an
overflow box that is a "gravity run" type. That is, no
option for adding a powerhead to ensure a siphon. I've heard
the type without a powerhead can be somewhat risky, but that
could've been due to the guy at the LFS store trying to sell
me his for $250 which I find completely outrageous. <As for
HOB overflows, the non powerhead using types work fine. The real
trait to look for is not dumping the water from the tube when the
return pump shuts off; this will help the siphon start when the
flow starts back up. All good HOB overflows on the market share
this trait. If you are going to tear the system down anyhow, do
consider drilling for a true gravity fed overflow. You can visit
my site for more info on this:
http://reefercentral.com/drilling_video.html.> If these types
are really that bad, the other option is to buy another 55g tank,
and have it drilled. <You can, or drill yourself.> Your
thoughts/advice are much appreciated. Chris <Thank you, Scott
V.>
|
|
Re: Sump Modification
10/13/08 Scott, Thanks for the quick reply! <Happy to
help out Chris.> I've also realized that in order to run
my skimmer in the second compartment, I'm going to need to
add a baffle there as well in order to keep the water level up.
I've also decided to go with buying another tank and having
it drilled. <A good move, do shop around a bit, some 55's
out there are tempered (undrillable) on the sides and back in
addition to the normal bottom tempered pane.> I picked up the
overflow yesterday and it doesn't look to be in the greatest
shape. I also figure that with drilling a new tank, I will be
able to get exactly the type of overflow I'm looking for. A
few more quick questions while I have your attention. For a
return pump, a Mag 7 should suffice? <Yes, is fine for
filtration purposes, you will need some supplemental flow via
powerheads or a closed loop. A Mag 7 with typical plumbing and
head height will give you in the area of 300 gph.> Do you
recommend anything higher than that? <You definitely could,
but if you have a Mag 7 or can get on cheap go for it.> The
sump will be located directly underneath the display, so I would
only be push water maybe 4 or so feet. I've also decided to
replace the substrate in the display. I have fairly large
diameter crushed coral substrate in the display now, but would
like to go with something a bit finer. <Many of us have made
this switch at on point or another!> I appreciate all your
help! <Again, my pleasure.> Chris <Scott V.>
|
Sump Question, lighting use 10/9/08 Good morning to
all, <Shawn.> I'm planning on adding a sump to my 75 gal.
mostly reef tank. I presently have a lighted refugium with live rock
and it houses my protein skimmer and heater. I have been reading
through your archives and remember reading that you can set up a sump
with out lighting which would help produce plankton. Did I read this
correctly or am I wrong about this. <It can, but so can a sump with
a light.> Would there be any advantage to setting up a lightless
sump. <There can be. Many use lightless sumps set up as biofilters
with sponges or Aiptasia. For the most part it is hugely beneficial to
set up a lit refugium with a macroalgae. This will aid both the pods
and your filtration.> My main intentions are for culturing more food
for the corals as well as adding capacity to the system and additional
filtration. I have been adding live Copepods to the refugium and tank
to try and get a reproducing population going but have not been very
successful as of yet. <Try the macroalgae refugium, lit on a 10-12
hour cycle. > Thanks in advance for your help and advice, Shawn
<Happy to share, Scott V.>
Questions from a Newbie 8/13/08 New to the
saltwater world, been reading a lot. Have had a 55g freshwater tank
for over a year. I have purchased an up and running 55g saltwater
with 5 fish, couple crabs, bunch of hermits and snails and a
shrimp, live rock (27 rocks, don't know how to estimate lbs)
and sand (about 2" deep). Uses 2 Fluval cartridge filters, 204
and 404. (Nitrates 160, Salinity 1.030 when I got it! Nitrates 40,
Salinity 1.023 now, working the nitrates down with water changes.)
I have also purchased a 120g tank with a 30g sump that I am
planning to startup. <Okay.> My questions: 1) The setup came
with one overflow box, 1" bulkhead. I'm thinking of using
2 overflow boxes, 1" B/H in each or a rated 1200 GPH, but from
reading your site planning on 600 GPH, then using a
¾" return to a Current Switching Valve (3iQ
Ventures) fed from a Rio 20HF HyperFlow for the return pump (870
GPH at my head height that I will adjust with a ball valve) and 2
Hydor Koralia #2 Powerheads (600 GPH each) for a total of about
1800 GPH total circulation. How does this setup sound? <There
are many numbers floating around about how much a 1' drain can
flow, 300 gph is the actual number. Also, consider running an extra
overflow or two for redundancy, if two will flow what you are
running, use three or four overflows. One will likely fail in time
and this will keep the water in the tank. Do also consider drilling
this tank before setting up, it is a far more reliable method to
transit water to the sump.> 2) The sump (pic attached) has
½" openings between chambers. This seems very
limiting to me. Will I have to reconfigure or will this work?
<This is a bit small, but can work. The issue you may run into
with higher flows is higher water velocity through these openings.
This means that the baffles will be less effective at stopping
bubbles.> 3) I am planning a 5" DSB in the refugium in the
sump. Do I still need a DSB in the display tank or can I go 2"
deep there? (looking for ways to reduce startup costs, but willing
to invest if best for the long run) <You can run a DSB in one or
the other, the more the better. If you do not run a DSB in the
display, 1' or less is all that is needed/wanted.> 4) Not
sure the best way to start the new tank and transfer the fish, sand
and rock. I'm thinking of filling the new tank with new water
and half of the live rock from existing tank, then cycle for a
month or until all the numbers look good. Then move the fish and
the remaining rock. With this plan, I'm not sure how to move
the sand without making a mess of either the existing tank before I
move the fish or the new tank after it is up and running. I'll
obviously be buying a bunch of new sand but would like to use the
existing also. Your thoughts? <I would just move everything at
once. One move is less disturbing, moving half your rock out
disrupts some of the filtration on your existing tank, and you
should not need to cycle/cure your existing rock in the new system.
You may even consider bringing the Fluval filter over to the new
system for the first few weeks to help out.> Thanks for your
help and for your great site. Jeff Gaines
<Welcome and thank you, Scott V.> |
|
Sump size 08/08/2008 <<Hi Jeff...Andrew today>> I
am setting up a 120 gallon tank, which I have not decided will be reef,
or FOWLR. I am planning to use a 20 gallon long aquarium as a sump.
Will this be sufficient? <<Personally, I would prefer to go
somewhere in the area of 40 gals for a sump, for a 120g. 20 Gals does
not fair much when divided up.>> Thank you for your reply. Best
regards, Jeffrey Castaldo <<Thanks for the question, hope this
helps. A Nixon>>
Sump re-design 5/17/08 Hi
Crew, <Jason> I have what I hope to be a fairly
straight-forward question regarding my sump redesign. I've
looked over your sump articles to get some ideas, but I'm still
a bit unsure on how to proceed. I have a 55 gallon display with a
15 gallon sump inside the stand. Because it's a relatively
small sump, I want to make sure I'm making the most of it.
Basically I'd like to remove the bio-balls from the first
chamber (A) and either replace them with sand or live rock rubble.
<I would use the last> I'd also like to add more sand to
chamber B as well since the current 3 inch depth is kind of
in-between the preferred depth; of course that may be a problem
because if I add too much sand then the pump for the skimmer will
be close to being out of the water (at least given the currently
sustained water depth). Eventually I'd like to add some Chaeto
to the sump - as soon as the LFS has some in stock. <I would
definitely move the skimmer and its pump to area "C">
Does my plan seem sound to you? Or, in your infinite wisdom and
kindness, can you recommend an alternative modification? <Mmm,
this is "about it"> I've attached a drawing of the
set-up to help clarify things. Thank you, Jason <A very nice
graphic! Bob Fenner> Re: Sump re-design 5/17/08
Thank you for such a quick response! I'll take your advice and
place rock rubble in the first chamber. I'm not sure if I can
move the skimmer to chamber C, as it's a pretty snug fit and
the Mag pump is rather large, but I'll give it a shot...I may
have to get creative :) Glad you like the diagram. If you have any
graphics/drawings on your site that you would like updated, I'm
happy to volunteer my services. <Heeee! Be careful where you
volunteer! The tasks are endless> Thank you,
Jason
<Welcome. Bob Fenner> |
|
Sump Design 3/9/08 Hello, I am just starting
out in the SW hobby. I have a 150 gal tank that I initially want to
use as a FOWLR setup, and maybe in the future add some corals and
inverts. <OK, many of us start out this way.> I also have an
empty 55 gal tank that I want to convert into a sump / refugium. I
have some Plexiglas to use for baffles and dividers for the sump
but am not sure what would be the best way to configure everything.
Does this design look like it would be ok or do I need to make some
changes? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated... thanks!
<Your design looks fine, although I would put the skimmer in the
first chamber to get the rawest water possible. One other option is
to put the skimmer chamber on one end, the refugium on the other
and a common sump return area between the two. With this
configuration you can split your overflow lines between the two
sections on the ends and have the both overflow into the return
area. The advantage to this is it allow you to run a higher
(greater volume) refugium. Your rock rubble can go anywhere you
wish with this. Either will work fine, just wanted to give you
another option. Have fun with this, Scott V.> |
|
Sump Question, des., store-bought... no WWM
referral... 2/29/08 Hello all. <Hi Matt> I
currently have a 55 gal reef aquarium with some mushrooms,
polyps, and leathers. I also currently have 2 tank raised clowns
and some snails. I really want a sump in order to have all of my
"gear" hidden. My tank is not drilled. I have an old 10
gal glass aquarium or I can afford to buy a 20 gal aquarium. What
do you suggest I do? <I'd go with the 20, gives you more
water in the system.> Are there any good plans out there for
building one of these? <Really need to do nothing to the sump,
just place your return pump into it unless you want an area for
chemical media. Eshopps manufacturers very affordable sumps so
you might want to think about this. Drs. Foster Smith carries
these. The model RS-75 would work great and it is priced at
114.00 including filter sock inlet assembly and at 18" long,
should provide plenty of room for your gear. See here.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+18365&pcatid=18365>
Also, I have an AquaC Remora HOT skimmer that I want to continue
to use. Can I use this and hang it on the sump? <Yes, as long
as the water level in the sump completely covers the pump.> I
do not want a refugium at this point, so I do not really want to
plan for that. All I really want is a place for my skimmer, and a
water return, just for more volume and circulation. Any help
would be great. <Do a Google search, DIY Sumps. Should provide
some links re this.> Thanks a lot. You are all wonderful.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Matthew
Diethorn
Re: Sump Question... still no referral...
3/1/08 Wow, thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
<You're welcome.> Just one more question about this
though. I will get a 20 gal glass tank. But I guess I will need
an overflow box too because my tank is not drilled. Can I just
run piping from the overflow box into the 20 gal tank which will
be under my 55 gal tank and place a pump in the 20 gal sump with
piping going right back into the main tank? Is this possible, or
do I need another box on the outside from the overflow box into
the sump? <All you will need is an overflow box to feed water
to your sump and would not pipe, but run the standard 1"
flexible drain hose. I would also install an inlet assembly with
filter sock. See here.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+16746&pcatid=16746
This will help cut down splashing and offer mechanical
filtration. A nice set up as the sock can be backflushed and
reused.> Thanks again. <You're welcome. James (Salty
Dog)> Matthew
|
Thoughts and Suggestions on a Combined
Refugium/Sump'¦and Pumps -- 01/07/07 Hi Crew! <<Hiya
Doug!>> I've been in the hobby just a few months now, and am
excited to step up from my 20G to a 120G! <<Neat! Bigger
'is' better>> I'm planning for mostly FOWLR, but may
add more inverts/corals as I slowly gain experience. <<Mmm, then
do keep this in mind when making your stocking selections'¦you
will want to collect 'reef friendly' specimens>> Here are
my current plans: - 120G tank, 48x24x24", acrylic. - Stand
40" tall, 9" canopy. - 2 corner overflows -- each with
2" inner diameter bulkhead at 20" height. <<Ahh, very
good'¦I see you've been reading!>> - 2x 1"
inner diameter bulkheads for return from sump. For a sump/refugium
below, I'm thinking of a standard 55G tank following your diagrams.
<<'Standard' glass tanks work quite well as sump and/or
refugium vessels'¦and are a whole-lot cheaper than the
purpose-built retail alternatives. Add a few baffles, drill and install
a couple bulkheads (when/if necessary), and you're
'golden''¦with money saved/ready to spend on other
areas. My own system incorporates a modified 55g tank for a refugium,
and a modified 75g tank for a sump>> - Skimmer: AquaC EV180 w Mag
7 pump. - Aiming for 15x water flow gives 1800gph.
<<Indeed'¦but I expect you will find that trying to
process this much water volume through a 55g sump will be
problematic>> - Two sump return pumps, internal Eheim 1262s (want
it to be quiet),should be about 1600gph at 5" head. <<Very
good pumps'¦and the 'redundancy' of two pumps for your
return can be a lifesaver, literally. About a year ago a faulty GFCI
tripped and shut down the return pump on my heavily stocked 500g reef
system (was off more than nine hours before discovery). The ensuing
anoxic condition resulted in the loss of more than $1200.00 worth of
livestock (fish and corals). Let's just say 'lesson
learned''¦ I now have two return pumps on separate
circuits for this system>> Questions: 1. Is that too much flow
through the refugium? <<Yes'¦ A couple to a few hundred
gallons per hour is generally sufficient for a refugium. Obviously,
utilizing 'separate' vessels for sump and refugium make
plumbing for the differing flow rates a bit easier>> 2. If so,
would it work well to use just a single Eheim for the sump return,
~800gph, with an internal powerhead like a Tunze Stream in the tank?
<<800gph through the sump would be easier to accommodate (and a
LOT less noisy), and some creative work with the baffles could provide
a 'raceway' to allow the full force of the flow to circumvent
the refugium section on its way from the skimmer chamber to the pump
chamber, while allowing you to divert a few hundred gph to the
'fuge'¦if you choose to keep with a single combined
vessel. I still like the idea of two return pumps'¦perhaps a
couple Eheim pumps of lesser size'¦>> Then maybe reduce
the drains to 2x 1.5"ID? <<A pair of 1.5' drains would
handle a flow of 800gph quite well, with a healthy safety
margin>> Your thoughts and suggestions are very welcome! Thanks,
Doug <<Is my pleasure to assist. EricR>> Rack system
with individual sump style prefilters for fish room ingenious or
idiot 12/16/07 Hi Crew Merry Christmas, <And to you and
yours> I have quick question about rack systems. Since my pursuit of
the fish hobby rests on my wife's tentative interest I have decided
to try a rack system as an addition to my fish collection. The
reasoning behind this is my wife has a particular taste in fish. Box
fish, Cow fish, Cucumbers, Octopus, Nudibranchs, seahorses, and other
special needs, and system crashing animals. typically when doing rack
systems the tanks all flow into one big reservoir. Now the design I am
thinking of doing is using all drilled tanks, but with the outlets
drilled into the back wall about an inch from the top and two inches
from the corner. <Okay...> with the return line at the opposite
side. now instead of having the drop directly into the reservoir I am
considering using individual pre filter sump boxes for each tank, five
gallons each with live rock then carbon just prior to entering the main
reservoir. <Neat idea> I have considered this because with
CERTAIN Nudibranchs, sponges, cucumbers, box fish, Sea apples and the
like can release toxins that can wipe out a system as experience has
shown. So as a precaution I figure this will help. Of course I will be
using a commercial protein skimmer in the receiving portion of the main
reservoir. Does this seem like a good idea? or will it not matter if
something goes awry? Thank you for all your help crew. <I do think
this is a good idea... make sure and situate these intermediate sumps
where you can service them... Bob Fenner>
Adding sump/Fuge to a Nano -12/14/07 Dear Mr.
Fenner & Crew, <Hello again Pearson> Below, you will find
my previous correspondence for reference. I couldn't find the
original emails, so I just copied them from the FAQs. <Ah,
good> I wanted to thank you again for your input, and to let
y'all know I finally went ahead with this project. A few nights
ago, I successfully drilled and plumbed my JBJ Nanocube 12 gallon
tank to accommodate a 15 gallon sump/refugium. While I have never
drilled a tank before, nor done any kind of DIY projects related to
aquaria, it turned out to be pretty straight forward. There were a
couple of design considerations I took into account that may be of
use to someone else considering doing something similar. <I
thank you for sharing your experiences, observations> I decided
to plumb the return line into the display portion of the tank, and
the drain line in the last chamber of the rear section of the tank.
This way, the rear section functions as an overflow of sorts, and
still causes water to flow through all three rear chambers, so they
can still be used to house LR rubble, carbon, a heater, or whatever
else you might have back there. I also made sure to line up the
return bulkhead with the location of the existing hole in the rear
wall of the display tank where the stock MaxiJet pump outlet was,
so I could take advantage of that hole, and not have to drill a
new/larger hole. This also allows me to return to the stock
configuration if I ever need to. I would only have to seal the
bulkheads, and place the MaxiJet back in place. <All
sounds/reads as reasonable> The benefits of this experiment are
already evident. I'm using a Mag 2 as a return pump. Flow in
the display is increased, and at the same time temperature is
decreased. I now have plenty of room in the sump for growing macro,
a DSB, more live rock, one or more media reactors (Phosban, carbon,
what have you), an automatic top-off system, room to fit a decent
skimmer, without having to resort to one of those tiny Nano
skimmers, not to mention the increased water volume and system
stability. <Yes> Attached are a couple of pictures for
reference. If you feel any of this might be helpful to others,
please do post. <I will definitely do so> A great big thanks
to everyone at WWM for all that you do for the hobby and hobbyists,
and for helping me work out this project. Pearson <I REALLY wish
that a couple friends/crewmembers here would crank out a title on
"Aquarium Engineering"... such a work (DIY,
mathematics...) with good graphics could/would help so MANY folks.
Thank you again for sharing. Bob Fenner> |
Outstanding. |
|
|
|