Sump With Refugium

[hamannbmw]

Hi all,

I'm in the midst of custom making my tank n sump. I came across a LFS, the gentleman told me that sump needs alot of calculation on its width, height etc etc inorder to achieve the maximum level of bacteria and so on. He claim that other LFS doesn't take this into consideration...err A SUMP IS A SUMP

He had quoted me SGD 450 for a 2.5ft sump , complete with valves, hose, pump. weipro skimmer, bio balls, coral chips, etc etc . Is it expensive ?

Please comment.......... TY

[SharkBait]

IMO,its way too expensive.if he knows his stuff,he wouldnt be giving you bio balls and coral chips.besides,a sump can be simple,it doesnt have to be complicated to work.

[hamannbmw]

I have seen lots of LFS n farms using bio balls, u mean it is not advisable

[Ian]

No bio balls and coral chips needed dude!

[oceanics]

No bio balls and coral chips needed dude!

Hi Ian, u mean totally empty...

I thought with Coral chips all the $hit will sink to the bottom, can you advise so that i can also remove all my coral chips laio

[hamannbmw]

Hi Ian,

So what is in the sump ? power head, protien skimmer, DSB, live rocks ??

[panlee]

My sump would have (i am planing now):

One chamber to house overflow (water in). This chamber also house the protein skimmer, a pump for protein skimmer.

One chamber for DSB and LR and in future macro algae (refugium).

The last chamber contains the pump that returns the water up to main tank. I also allocate enough space to this chamber for one more pump in case I need to add a chiller later.

No coral chips and bioballs.

SGD450 is expensive for the sump with weipro skimmer. If he change the skimmer to EuroReef, AquaC EV or Schuran brand then grab it.

[hamannbmw]

if there isn't any bioballs, where are those BB going to be cultivated???

Refugium with DSB??? i have always thought a refugium was created fo rthe purpose of reducing nitrate (NO3)?

[[P]owder Blue]

BB cultivated at DSB (will take longer than with bioballs). Macro algae will do the job of reducing nitrates.

[hamannbmw]

Thanks,

so now i know that....for the start, i would need bioball n alsi the DSB....n bioball will not be needed only when i have a matured DSB with micro algae....

is that right?

[hamannbmw]

can i start with a sump tank with bioball and another compartment for DSB.....n on top of this....running a eheim canister together?

seen some places using a calcium reactor? what's that for?

to control the dissolve calcium into the water as supplement for coral??

[dodo]

can i start with a sump tank with bioball and another compartment for DSB

i thk tis is good set up

n on top of this....running a eheim canister together?

y do u need a canister if u hav a sump?

seen some places using a calcium reactor? what's that for?

to control the dissolve calcium into the water as supplement for coral??

not really to control...rather it is to supply calcium to a tank. it all depends whether ur tank need a calcium reactor. if dun need, dun buy. it is not cheap

[Nalin]

HI All,

But i went to LCK 110 , they use Bio balls in their tank.According to them they have been using this method for a long time.

No Refugium , am confused liao ?

Thats the problem every one say different things...

Any comments here to help me ?

[KingFish]

IMHO, a sump is where you store your unsightly equipment, and where maintenance such as topup and additive/kalk dosing etc is kept simplified.

Keep the sump simple. Panlee has more or less the right idea

If I were to apply some workplace considerations, I'd suggest having a higher fault tolerance, as well as removal of single point of failure.

Personally, I'll rather fix my PS out of sump to maximise the water volume and the space for DSB. The larger resevoir of water should provide certain degree of fault tolerance to water issue.

Displacing the PS out of the sump should reduce algae growth due to your refugium lights.

Having pipes to channel water not only restrict you to the water throughput, as well as serve as another point of failure if it gets chocked.

Essentially, just like every single decision or design must have an objective / purpose... keep that in mind