SHOW ME YOUR SUMP.....Please

cashman95 · 11/24/2007, 12:18 PM

I am going to be starting a build thread on my new 24x24x20 acrylic cube that is being custom built for me. I would like to get some ideas on sumps you guy's sump. I currently have a 75 gallon tank with a 45 gallon sump that I will be breaking down in the next week or so. I have built a couple of sumps myself out of acrylic and will be building another one for my cube. I just want some pictures to get ideas on how your sumps look(chambers and etc.). The 45 sump under my 75 gallon worked ok but seem to be a big detritus trap in the refugium causing a PO4 bloom that took me weeks to try and figure out where it was coming from. I have tried many times without any luck to use the SEARCH function, but I never seem to get it to work, so I am calling out for support and ideas!

Thanks

46bfinGA · 11/24/2007, 12:20 PM

Check out Melev's Site for Sump Info.http://www.melevsreef.com/

Jeff · 11/24/2007, 12:47 PM

I agree, Melev's site has the best information and ideas concerning sumps.

dc_909 · 11/24/2007, 02:11 PM

cashman95 · 11/25/2007, 09:54 AM

Well I currently have a sump built like one of Melev's and the refugium seems to collect detritus. So I want to know how to solve the problem. I drained the sump and cut some holes from the skimmer area going into the refugium to maybe give it more flow(and it does) but I still have detritus collecting in there.

I have an Ehiem 1260 for the return pump, so I think it has enough flow.....?

cashman95 · 11/25/2007, 10:04 AM

dc 409, since you dont have any way of ridding your drain of particles(detritus etc.) doesnt it just collect in your refugium area?

I had a problem so bad with this happening that my SPS browned out from a PO4 bloom. After I figured out the problem, I clean out the refugium's sand bed(more like detritus bed) and my PO4 levels drop to almost 0 in 24 hours. I currently dont have any sand in my refugium, but can see detritus starting to build up. All of my SPS started coloring back up there after! This means I will have to vaccum the floor of the refugium weekly with water changes. Doesnt that kind of defeat the point of slow moving refugium?

I just dont like the concept of a refugium on one side of the sump and a skimmer on the other and have the return in the middle, so thats why I built my sump to have both overflows drain into the skimmer area first and then into the refugium and on to the return portion. With the idea of the skimmer getting most of the crap out before it gets a chance to collect in the refugium. And yet still I have a collection of Detritus in the refugium........ How can I fix the problem?

dc_909 · 11/25/2007, 10:59 AM

My drain has a filter sock on it just like most others to filter particles. My refugium has no collection of crap in it. The sock takes care of most of the detritus and the sponge between the baffles get the rest. the fuge is supplied my the return area, thus you get no build up.

mako199 · 11/25/2007, 11:24 AM

firethefish · 11/27/2007, 07:24 PM

Hey Mako, that is one AWESOME sump. I too am in the progress of setting up a 120 that has been in the works for about 10 mos. (I also have kids so I feel your pain). That sump is exactly what I am looking for. If you could give me any info on it I would greatly appreciate it. Size, is it DYI or did you purchase it and if so where? Thanks.

mako199 · 11/27/2007, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by firethefish
Hey Mako, that is one AWESOME sump. I too am in the progress of setting up a 120 that has been in the works for about 10 mos. (I also have kids so I feel your pain). That sump is exactly what I am looking for. If you could give me any info on it I would greatly appreciate it. Size, is it DYI or did you purchase it and if so where? Thanks.

Thanks......

Its just a Sea Clear 38g acrylic tank with the top cut off...It needs a center brace across the top just haven't gotten to it yet. 36x15x16"H

crazywesc · 11/27/2007, 08:56 PM

Heres my 30g sump/fuge I just made.

IMG]http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc305/crazywesc/IMG_2136.jpg[/IMG]

crazywesc · 11/27/2007, 08:58 PM

oops ill try again.

mako199 · 11/27/2007, 08:59 PM

crazy your missing the first bracket on the IMG tag

crazywesc · 11/27/2007, 09:00 PM

maybe i'll get it right this time.

chercm · 11/27/2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crazywesc
maybe i'll get it right this time.

so how does the flow be like ?

crazywesc · 11/28/2007, 04:58 PM

skimmer will be on the left side, return pump in the middle and refugium on the right.

11/24/2007, 12:18 PM	#1
cashman95 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greenville, S.C. Posts: 810	SHOW ME YOUR SUMP.....Please I am going to be starting a build thread on my new 24x24x20 acrylic cube that is being custom built for me. I would like to get some ideas on sumps you guy's sump. I currently have a 75 gallon tank with a 45 gallon sump that I will be breaking down in the next week or so. I have built a couple of sumps myself out of acrylic and will be building another one for my cube. I just want some pictures to get ideas on how your sumps look(chambers and etc.). The 45 sump under my 75 gallon worked ok but seem to be a big detritus trap in the refugium causing a PO4 bloom that took me weeks to try and figure out where it was coming from. I have tried many times without any luck to use the SEARCH function, but I never seem to get it to work, so I am calling out for support and ideas! Thanks

11/24/2007, 12:47 PM	#3
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	I agree, Melev's site has the best information and ideas concerning sumps. __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

11/25/2007, 09:54 AM	#5
cashman95 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greenville, S.C. Posts: 810	Well I currently have a sump built like one of Melev's and the refugium seems to collect detritus. So I want to know how to solve the problem. I drained the sump and cut some holes from the skimmer area going into the refugium to maybe give it more flow(and it does) but I still have detritus collecting in there. I have an Ehiem 1260 for the return pump, so I think it has enough flow.....? __________________ SPS Tank with sump in the garage, 400watt Radium/Lumatek ballast,ReefKeeper2 controlling it all!! VHO actinics in the works! Current Tank Info: 24x24x20 Rimless Cube

11/25/2007, 10:04 AM	#6
cashman95 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greenville, S.C. Posts: 810	dc 409, since you dont have any way of ridding your drain of particles(detritus etc.) doesnt it just collect in your refugium area? I had a problem so bad with this happening that my SPS browned out from a PO4 bloom. After I figured out the problem, I clean out the refugium's sand bed(more like detritus bed) and my PO4 levels drop to almost 0 in 24 hours. I currently dont have any sand in my refugium, but can see detritus starting to build up. All of my SPS started coloring back up there after! This means I will have to vaccum the floor of the refugium weekly with water changes. Doesnt that kind of defeat the point of slow moving refugium? I just dont like the concept of a refugium on one side of the sump and a skimmer on the other and have the return in the middle, so thats why I built my sump to have both overflows drain into the skimmer area first and then into the refugium and on to the return portion. With the idea of the skimmer getting most of the crap out before it gets a chance to collect in the refugium. And yet still I have a collection of Detritus in the refugium........ How can I fix the problem? __________________ SPS Tank with sump in the garage, 400watt Radium/Lumatek ballast,ReefKeeper2 controlling it all!! VHO actinics in the works! Current Tank Info: 24x24x20 Rimless Cube

11/25/2007, 11:24 AM	#8
mako199 Tankless! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cary, IL Posts: 806	__________________ Mike _____________ Click the Homepage link for my (just another) 120g in wall thread. Current Tank Info: 40g Lizard tank

11/24/2007, 12:20 PM	#2
46bfinGA Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ball Ground, Ga. Posts: 1,333	Check out Melev's Site for Sump Info.http://www.melevsreef.com/

11/24/2007, 02:11 PM	#4
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260

11/25/2007, 10:59 AM	#7
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260	My drain has a filter sock on it just like most others to filter particles. My refugium has no collection of crap in it. The sock takes care of most of the detritus and the sponge between the baffles get the rest. the fuge is supplied my the return area, thus you get no build up.

11/27/2007, 07:24 PM	#9
firethefish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: pembroke pines, fl. Posts: 319	Hey Mako, that is one AWESOME sump. I too am in the progress of setting up a 120 that has been in the works for about 10 mos. (I also have kids so I feel your pain). That sump is exactly what I am looking for. If you could give me any info on it I would greatly appreciate it. Size, is it DYI or did you purchase it and if so where? Thanks.

11/27/2007, 08:56 PM	#11
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	Heres my 30g sump/fuge I just made. IMG]http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc305/crazywesc/IMG_2136.jpg[/IMG]

11/27/2007, 08:58 PM	#12
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	oops ill try again.

11/27/2007, 08:59 PM	#13
mako199 Tankless! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cary, IL Posts: 806	crazy your missing the first bracket on the IMG tag __________________ Mike _____________ Click the Homepage link for my (just another) 120g in wall thread. Current Tank Info: 40g Lizard tank

11/27/2007, 09:00 PM	#14
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	maybe i'll get it right this time.

11/28/2007, 04:58 PM	#16
crazywesc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 210	skimmer will be on the left side, return pump in the middle and refugium on the right.