Refugium/Sump

[marcgrantphoto]

I'm going to be looking for a refugium/sump for my 80 gallon tank. I have several questions regarding that. First off, I don't want to spend a ton of money on it but I want it to be effective. Should I purchase one with a built in skimmer or add my own skimmer? Has anyone built their own? What are the important details to a refugium? What minimum size should I use for my 80 gallon tank? Do I really need to drill my tank for overflows and returns or can I have an effective set up without doing so? Has anyone drilled their own tank? If so, were there any problems like cracked or broken panes of glass?

 

[AquaFXdotnet]

Hey Marc, So I can answer some give personal opinions on others and dare not answer the rest..
Drill Tank - From my experience around the forum and research if your "thinking about drilling" Buy a drilled tank. I personally have a HOB and it works just fine for me. However, when I get my next tank it will be drilled.
I just converted my sump into a refugium, not the best setup but with LR and macro algae my nitrates went from a horrific 60 - 80 to down to 10 and still dropping.
I have a built in skimmer that was part of the whole sump build. It works but now I have the refugium its really reduced the output on the skimmer.

Hope some of my answers helped, by no means am I an expert however getting there fast with all the support I get here!

 

[reefle]

Here's my experience!

I also have a HOB overflow. Eshopps ones work well and they fluctuate based on the water input so if your return pump dies, it will slow or stop the flow to prevent flooding and automatically starts up again when the return pump starts. granted I still leave about 10-20% of the sump empty to account for extra flow.

I added my own skimmer, cause you get a choice of what you want which is nice in terms of options. I've heard of anywhere between a 10 gallon sump for a 125 tank to a 125 gallon sump to a 75 gallon tank so it really is up to you how you want it set up. I run a 20 gallon sump on a 46 gallon tank.

In terms of a refugium, the simplest way to go is chaeto, a deep sand bed, a growth lights, and sufficient water flow. You can add some snails or hermits in there as well (or unwanted display tank critters). make sure there is enough flow to keep the chaeto rolling so you dont grow nasty red algae, but slow enough that the extra nutrients actually reach the algae/cuc.

In terms of refugium to skimmer to return pump placement, the order is really up to you. I've seen some pretty complex systems but I'm just running overflow to refugium to skimmer to return pump.

I've never drilled glass nor would I ever want to. seems scary to me too, but probably a good idea if you can get it professionally done.

 

[DianaKay]

Here's the one that I'm installing in the next few weeks:

[/IMG]
Also has a HOB pre-Filter so no drilling.
I'm pretty excited about it being shipped MAYBE THIS WEEK Hope it's an easy install :fingerx:

 

[reefle]

Here's the one that I'm installing in the next few weeks:

[/IMG]
Also has a HOB pre-Filter so no drilling.
I'm pretty excited about it being shipped MAYBE THIS WEEK Hope it's an easy install :fingerx:

WOW that looks intense!

 

[reefer gladness]

IMO it depends on how quiet you want the system to be. Given the choice I would always choose a drilled tank. A drilled tank can be setup to run herbie or bean-animal plumbing. The advantages are being dead silent, increased flow capacity and redundant down-pipes should the primary down-pipe become obstructed.

The sump system DianaKay posted is a Lifereef system made in the USA. They're great systems and I've used one of his overflow boxes but they can become obstructed and cause a flood. I found a nerite snail inside the U-tube once and was able to shut the system down just in the nick of time before the display tank overflowed on the floor.

 

[reefle]

IMO it depends on how quiet you want the system to be. Given the choice I would always choose a drilled tank. A drilled tank can be setup to run herbie or bean-animal plumbing. The advantages are being dead silent, increased flow capacity and redundant down-pipes should the primary down-pipe become obstructed.

The sump system DianaKay posted is a Lifereef system made in the USA. They're great systems and I've used one of his overflow boxes but they can become obstructed and cause a flood. I found a nerite snail inside the U-tube once and was able to shut the system down just in the nick of time before the display tank overflowed on the floor.

That's so weird. I thought the Lifereef system prided themselves on being flood free...

 

[kyle4201]

Here's the one that I'm installing in the next few weeks:

[/IMG]
Also has a HOB pre-Filter so no drilling.
I'm pretty excited about it being shipped MAYBE THIS WEEK Hope it's an easy install :fingerx:

OMG D<<!!! thats the one your getting? AWESOME!!!!

 

[kyle4201]

I'm going to be looking for a refugium/sump for my 80 gallon tank. I have several questions regarding that. First off, I don't want to spend a ton of money on it but I want it to be effective. Should I purchase one with a built in skimmer or add my own skimmer? Has anyone built their own? What are the important details to a refugium? What minimum size should I use for my 80 gallon tank? Do I really need to drill my tank for overflows and returns or can I have an effective set up without doing so? Has anyone drilled their own tank? If so, were there any problems like cracked or broken panes of glass?

I have built 2 for my 90g. I would never have a tank with out a fuge. Check out my chronicle and see my fuge builds, there r 2 of them. If its something like this that you want I will have no problem talking you through it. Let me know and if so we will start taking measurements.

 

[reefer gladness]

That's so weird. I thought the Lifereef system prided themselves on being flood free...

That's in reference to the U-tube maintaining continuous siphon. If the power goes out, etc. the U-tube will maintain siphon so when it restarts it doesn't overflow. If the U-tube itself becomes obstructed there's nothing to prevent the display tank from flooding the floor.

 

[marcgrantphoto]

Hey Marc, So I can answer some give personal opinions on others and dare not answer the rest..
Drill Tank - From my experience around the forum and research if your "thinking about drilling" Buy a drilled tank. I personally have a HOB and it works just fine for me. However, when I get my next tank it will be drilled.
I just converted my sump into a refugium, not the best setup but with LR and macro algae my nitrates went from a horrific 60 - 80 to down to 10 and still dropping.
I have a built in skimmer that was part of the whole sump build. It works but now I have the refugium its really reduced the output on the skimmer.

Hope some of my answers helped, by no means am I an expert however getting there fast with all the support I get here!

I appreciate the input, AquaFXdotnet. I'll probably end up drilling the 80 gallon tank that I already have. A good friend of mine owns a long established LFS here in Kansas City and has been in the reef business since the beginning. He helped me drill my first tank. I have bad memories of a skimmer that went nutzo one weekend while I was down at the lake. We had just replace carpet and pad in the entire house when it decided to overflow about 40 gallons of saltwater out onto the floor.

Here's my experience!

I also have a HOB overflow. Eshopps ones work well and they fluctuate based on the water input so if your return pump dies, it will slow or stop the flow to prevent flooding and automatically starts up again when the return pump starts. granted I still leave about 10-20% of the sump empty to account for extra flow.

I added my own skimmer, cause you get a choice of what you want which is nice in terms of options. I've heard of anywhere between a 10 gallon sump for a 125 tank to a 125 gallon sump to a 75 gallon tank so it really is up to you how you want it set up. I run a 20 gallon sump on a 46 gallon tank.

In terms of a refugium, the simplest way to go is chaeto, a deep sand bed, a growth lights, and sufficient water flow. You can add some snails or hermits in there as well (or unwanted display tank critters). make sure there is enough flow to keep the chaeto rolling so you dont grow nasty red algae, but slow enough that the extra nutrients actually reach the algae/cuc.

In terms of refugium to skimmer to return pump placement, the order is really up to you. I've seen some pretty complex systems but I'm just running overflow to refugium to skimmer to return pump.

I've never drilled glass nor would I ever want to. seems scary to me too, but probably a good idea if you can get it professionally done.

Thanks reefle..... Your setup sounds pretty much like what I'm looking to re-create except I think I'll drill the tank.

Here's the one that I'm installing in the next few weeks:
Also has a HOB pre-Filter so no drilling. I'm pretty excited about it being shipped MAYBE THIS WEEK Hope it's an easy install :fingerx:

Again... thanks Diana. That's a nice looking setup. I'll definitely take a look at it.

IMO it depends on how quiet you want the system to be. Given the choice I would always choose a drilled tank. A drilled tank can be setup to run herbie or bean-animal plumbing. The advantages are being dead silent, increased flow capacity and redundant down-pipes should the primary down-pipe become obstructed.

The sump system DianaKay posted is a Lifereef system made in the USA. They're great systems and I've used one of his overflow boxes but they can become obstructed and cause a flood. I found a nerite snail inside the U-tube once and was able to shut the system down just in the nick of time before the display tank overflowed on the floor.

I like what DianaKay posted. Nice setup and I like the idea of drilling it. I'm not familiar with the terms "herbie" or "bean-animal" plumbing. Is that hard or soft?

I have built 2 for my 90g. I would never have a tank with out a fuge. Check out my chronicle and see my fuge builds, there r 2 of them. If its something like this that you want I will have no problem talking you through it. Let me know and if so we will start taking measurements.

Hey Kyle.... I'd like to take a look at your projects. Can you provide a link/photos?

 

[reefer gladness]

If you like DianaKay's setup take a journey over to www.lifereef.com. Made in America, great quality and instructions. Prices are not cheap however and he usually has a waiting list 3 months long for full systems.

herbie and beananimal are two forum names from another forum - I can't link the original threads but beananimal put everything for his setup on his website. I guess it would be a 'hard' plumbing system that was discovered more or less by accident when herbie got tired of the gurgling from his durso overflow.

http://www.beananimal.com/projects/silent-and-fail-safe-aquarium-overflow-system.aspx

PS - many of us have our reef chronicles linked to our forum sig if you're looking for more on our own projects. Just look for the 'click here' link to the left under our forum name.

 

[marcgrantphoto]

Thanks Reefer gladness.... I'll check the Lifereef site out.

 

[kyle4201]

I appreciate the input, AquaFXdotnet. I'll probably end up drilling the 80 gallon tank that I already have. A good friend of mine owns a long established LFS here in Kansas City and has been in the reef business since the beginning. He helped me drill my first tank. I have bad memories of a skimmer that went nutzo one weekend while I was down at the lake. We had just replace carpet and pad in the entire house when it decided to overflow about 40 gallons of saltwater out onto the floor.




Thanks reefle..... Your setup sounds pretty much like what I'm looking to re-create except I think I'll drill the tank.






Again... thanks Diana. That's a nice looking setup. I'll definitely take a look at it.






I like what DianaKay posted. Nice setup and I like the idea of drilling it. I'm not familiar with the terms "herbie" or "bean-animal" plumbing. Is that hard or soft?





Hey Kyle.... I'd like to take a look at your projects. Can you provide a link/photos?

under my name, click on the "reef chronicle" blue thingie, that will take you to my site. not sure which pages the 2 different fuges are on but its only 10 pages I think so they will be easy to find. let me know if you need my help, even if you dont go with my design. I researched a bunch and am a well versed DIY.