how do I build a sump and fuge?

fish are life · 02/28/2006, 11:51 PM

i know the basic idea but what materials do i need and what do i do with them?

Reef'in Colorado · 03/01/2006, 12:11 AM

A glass aquarium, a few panes of glass or acrylic, and some aquarium silicon can create a great sump/fuge.

OnTheReef · 03/01/2006, 12:20 AM

The easiest way to build a sump is with a rectangular acrylic tank, a couple pieces of plexiglass and some aquarium safe silicon sealer. Cut two pieces of plexiglass that will fit snugly crossways in the tank, making them about half the depth of the tank, making one of them about half an inch shorter than the other. Glue these two plexiglass dividers into the acrylic tank about 1/4 the length of the tank from each end, leaving about half the length of the tank in the middle part between them. Now you need an overflow box to feed into the deepest of the three compartments you just made. Put some substrate, Miracle Mud (tm), sea lettuce rocks, caulerpa, etc in the middle section and a return pump in the shallowest of the three compartments. If you include another 2" high divider in the middle compartment, you can place a protein skimmer in the sump tank as well.

nemofish2217 · 03/01/2006, 01:01 AM

www.melevsreef.com gives great ideas...

fish are life · 03/01/2006, 01:08 AM

thanks alot, i think i can get started this weekend but i only have glass tanks at my disposal, only one more question, for a 110G reef tank is a 20G glass tank enough?

nemofish2217 · 03/01/2006, 01:09 AM

i did a 20L on my 90.... if you have the space i would encourage you to do maybe a 29.... i would have loved the extra height to go along with the length....

fish are life · 03/01/2006, 01:13 AM

well i will try to find a 29G. and what does a fuge do?

OnTheReef · 03/01/2006, 10:23 AM

A refugium, or "fuge" for short, is a means for duplicating the effect of the algae-populated tidal zone of the ocean. The macro algae take up nutrients from the water, which naturally purifies the water.

fish are life · 03/01/2006, 10:29 AM

does it help lower the nitrates/trites and amonia levels?

nemofish2217 · 03/01/2006, 10:30 AM

yes....greatly...you put the macro algea in there... i.e... chaeto... and it uses nitrates and other unwanted nutrients as food.... great to have....

fish are life · 03/01/2006, 11:28 AM

awsome i need to get one of these going

02/28/2006, 11:51 PM	#1
fish are life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: tucson AZ Posts: 171	how do I build a sump and fuge? i know the basic idea but what materials do i need and what do i do with them?

03/01/2006, 12:20 AM	#3
OnTheReef Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 340	The easiest way to build a sump is with a rectangular acrylic tank, a couple pieces of plexiglass and some aquarium safe silicon sealer. Cut two pieces of plexiglass that will fit snugly crossways in the tank, making them about half the depth of the tank, making one of them about half an inch shorter than the other. Glue these two plexiglass dividers into the acrylic tank about 1/4 the length of the tank from each end, leaving about half the length of the tank in the middle part between them. Now you need an overflow box to feed into the deepest of the three compartments you just made. Put some substrate, Miracle Mud (tm), sea lettuce rocks, caulerpa, etc in the middle section and a return pump in the shallowest of the three compartments. If you include another 2" high divider in the middle compartment, you can place a protein skimmer in the sump tank as well. __________________ 100 gallon reef tank, 40 gallon sump/fuge combo with RDSB 2x ASM G2 with gate valve mod TLF phos reactor w/Rowaphos, Seachem Nitrate sponge 4x55w 50/50 actinic PC Current USA 0 amm, 0 nitrite, 0 n Current Tank Info: 50 & 100 gallon reef tanks

03/01/2006, 10:23 AM	#8
OnTheReef Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 340	A refugium, or "fuge" for short, is a means for duplicating the effect of the algae-populated tidal zone of the ocean. The macro algae take up nutrients from the water, which naturally purifies the water. __________________ 100 gallon reef tank, 40 gallon sump/fuge combo with RDSB 2x ASM G2 with gate valve mod TLF phos reactor w/Rowaphos, Seachem Nitrate sponge 4x55w 50/50 actinic PC Current USA 0 amm, 0 nitrite, 0 n Current Tank Info: 50 & 100 gallon reef tanks

03/01/2006, 12:11 AM	#2
Reef'in Colorado Reefer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Frederick, Co. Posts: 934	A glass aquarium, a few panes of glass or acrylic, and some aquarium silicon can create a great sump/fuge.

03/01/2006, 01:01 AM	#4
nemofish2217 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,606	www.melevsreef.com gives great ideas...

03/01/2006, 01:08 AM	#5
fish are life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: tucson AZ Posts: 171	thanks alot, i think i can get started this weekend but i only have glass tanks at my disposal, only one more question, for a 110G reef tank is a 20G glass tank enough?

03/01/2006, 01:09 AM	#6
nemofish2217 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,606	i did a 20L on my 90.... if you have the space i would encourage you to do maybe a 29.... i would have loved the extra height to go along with the length....

03/01/2006, 01:13 AM	#7
fish are life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: tucson AZ Posts: 171	well i will try to find a 29G. and what does a fuge do?

03/01/2006, 10:29 AM	#9
fish are life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: tucson AZ Posts: 171	does it help lower the nitrates/trites and amonia levels?

03/01/2006, 10:30 AM	#10
nemofish2217 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,606	yes....greatly...you put the macro algea in there... i.e... chaeto... and it uses nitrates and other unwanted nutrients as food.... great to have....

03/01/2006, 11:28 AM	#11
fish are life Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: tucson AZ Posts: 171	awsome i need to get one of these going