Here is a pic of the setup I have now. I would like to turn it into a refug. I know I have to divide it off into 3 sections but I am not sure of the spacing or how high to make the dividers. Do they set so far below the top of the tank or all the way to the top? Do I need to have rock in the sump? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Here is one of those questions that will generate many responses and some very long winded ones.
In a nut shell:
Correct, 3 chambers. I lay mine out with the skimmer chamber first, it only needs ot be big enough to house the skimmer and pump. The baffle (can be made from plexi or white acryulic cutting board) only needs to be as tall as “ideal operating depth” for the particular skimmer. My skimmer has a gate valve mod done so I make the baffle an inch shorter than the top of the tank, this allows the water to flow in to chamber 2.
Chamber 2 is where you (or at least I) house the refugium. It shares a baffle with the 1st chamber, and will have 3 baffles on the other side. I’ll explain the baffle layout in a moment. This chamber’s size needs careful consideration. Ideally a refugium should be as large as possible, but making it too large diminishes the size of the return section - a smaller return seciton means you would be required to top off more frequently due to evaporation (evaporation will only occurr from the return chamber).
The baffles seperating chambers 2 and 3 are laid out with the first (inside of refugium) being attached to the bottom and sides of sump and are as tall as the baffle from the 1st chamber. Baffle 2 is attached on the sides of the sump and goes all the way to the top. Baffle 3 should be as tall as the 1st baffle and attached in a similar fashion. This creates a bubble trap to prevent your pump from pushing micro-bubles back to the display tank.
So there will be a total of 4 baffles in the sump? How much space in between the ones separating chamber 2 and 3?
on the one that doesnt get sealed all the way around, what is the spacing between the bottom of the tank and bottom of the baffle?
I think usually baffles are spaced about an inch apart and the one that isn’t resting on the bottom is usually about an inch off the bottom.
Looking at your pic - You’re running an external skimmer right? If it were me (trying to do it on the cheap), I would keep the sump the way it is, but add 4 baffles if you can.
I would add your first baffle right after where the skimmer is draining back into the sump on the left side. This baffle would be resting on the bottom of the sump, and will be as tall as necessary so your water will overflow into the refugium area. Then, move your return pump to the right side of the sump and you will have 3 baffles before the return. 2 will rest on the bottom and the middle one will be raised off the bottom by about an inch. These baffles will diffuse the bubbles so they won’t return to the display.
You will want to re-do your return plumbing so that it will extend to the other side, but it looks like flex tube so that should be easy enough.
You may want to modify your drain plumbing (if you need to) so that the display drains into the first area of the sump on the left. That way your skimmer can pick up the raw water. I think you already have it that way though.
The middle area is your fuge. You can basically put anything in there you want to - rock, sand, macro algae, etc. You’ll just need to get a cheap clip on light from HD or Lowes and set it for an opposite lighting cycle from your display.
Not to hijack your thread but…Where woud one come across some decent priced glass for such project? Im about to install baffles in my 40br sump and will be in the market myself.
[quote=“BigCase, post:6, topic:6777”]
Not to hijack your thread but…Where woud one come across some decent priced glass for such project? Im about to install baffles in my 40br sump and will be in the market myself.[/quote]
same question here!
Yes its an external skimmer and flex tube. The sump tank I have is a 15 gal. and the DT is 90. I was told I needed a bigger sump. Is my current sump big enough?
[quote=“BigCase, post:6, topic:6777”]
Not to hijack your thread but…Where woud one come across some decent priced glass for such project? Im about to install baffles in my 40br sump and will be in the market myself.[/quote]
If you wanna go glass, you can usually get cut pieces of regular float glass for fairly cheap at any glass / mirror place. Being somewhat new to the area, I couldn’t tell you where to go. I’ve always just gone down to HD or Lowes and get some of their 1/8" acrylic, and just cut it to size myself. Siliconing them in works just fine, just remember to slightly undersize the baffles so that they can expand and contract. Too tight of a fit can crack a glass tank / sump.
[quote=“nerak, post:8, topic:6777”]
Yes its an external skimmer and flex tube. The sump tank I have is a 15 gal. and the DT is 90. I was told I needed a bigger sump. Is my current sump big enough?[/quote]
Personally, I would upgrade it to the largest thing that will fit under there - maybe a 20 or 30 long. 15 gallons is pushing it IMO.
Remember, you don’t “need” to have a glass tank for a sump unless you want to have it. It just needs to be something that’s food grade, plastic containers, etc. All a sump really is - is to hold water long enough for it to pump back into the display. Doesn’t need to be fancy - just functional.
1/8" acrylic will work fine, and can easily be cut by common household tools. It has the added benefit of not being fragile as well… glass, and it is harder to cut yourself on the edges.
what do you use for filter media?
I don’t generally use any actual filter media.
My 25 gallon cube has a HOB filter that I converted into a fuge.
My 90 gallon will eventually have a skimmer and a fuge, but nothing now.
I let the rock and the sand do the filtering.
ok tell me if this looks good. Let me know if I left anything out. Thanks
Looks good to me.
OK so I just measured the sump tank and it is a 20 long not a 15 like I originally said.
[quote=“nerak, post:7, topic:6777”]
[quote=“BigCase, post:6, topic:6777”]
Not to hijack your thread but…Where woud one come across some decent priced glass for such project? Im about to install baffles in my 40br sump and will be in the market myself.[/quote]
same question here![/quote]
The place I go to get good/cheap glass is Diamond State Glass in Camden down by SPCA. Better price than Mr. Go Glass. That’s where I got my replacement glass for my tank.
I usually buy my glass from the HD and cut it myself. The cutting kit is only $10 and is very easy to use.
Most Lowes stores have 1/8" acrylic sheets and will cut it for you if you want. Just make sure you let them know EXACTLY the measurements you need and check it before you leave the store. Some people don’t give a hoot if it is a inch shorter than you asked for. (bad experience once) They also have a “scrap” bin that has really inexpensive cut pieces. They might be 15x17 or 3x8 you have to see what they got. When siliconing the baffles in use a square and a spacer like a book to keep things parallel. Installing the center one first makes it easier (I thinkso). Oh, turning the sump on the small end makes it easy to work on. You can just stack up some wood blocks or whatever to hold the baffle in place for you. Hope some of this helps.
Thanks for all the help! I will put my husband to work on building this for me!!! I believe he had some questions about it. He will be with me tonight on the meeting.