Sump Design Thoughts

Hey Guys,

Would appreciate your thoughts on the following sump. It is for a 2m display tank 650L, not sure what will be housed in it yet but would like to be able to cater for the dirtiest fish



1 - Drains from display overflow
2 - Mechanical filtration, different layers of sponge
3 - Refugium, will grow some moss (any better ideas appreciated), etc in here (also provide lighting and run opposite to display light cycle)
4 - Biological Filtration (about 2L of matrix, already have it) also two layers of sponge above and below to catch any debris from refugium
5 - Return Pump Chamber, I already have one 1900LPH pump so will just add a second one

I have a 24W UV that can be connected to the Refugium and turned on if algae begins to grow.

The heaters will be housed in the sump, most likely in the fist chamber, they will be 2 x 200W Jagers ( may upgrade to 300W if needed)

I want to plan the sump in such a way that if next year I convert to marine I do not need to rebuild the sump, just add an external protein skimmer and all the other goodies than will be good to go

So what you guys think, what would you add, remove, change or just make it bigger?

Thanks again....

 

I'd remove baffle 1, then move 2+3 to where you have 1.
You can put a "sock" type thing over the overflow pipes and it will help a bit with noise as well as catch whatever debris, you just need to be sure it doesn't become clogged so clean at least once a week. You could also put sponge across the bottom just before where the water gets sucked "up" the baffle.


Then remove 4+5 and move 6 next to 7. This gives you a nice big area of most of your sump for a DSB or whatever kind of "algae filter" you may want to put in there. This leaves you with basically 3 compartments, overflow, refugium and return. There should really be any "debris" from the refugium but you may want to put a bit of mesh at the top of the baffle in case you house some "rogue" fish in there (which means it technically wouldn't be a refugium anymore but this kinda thing happens). If you convert to marine you actually want some pods etc to be going over the baffle and up the return pumps to feed the fishies so you don't really want to put a sponge there. The matrix can go in the first compartment.

 

So something like this should be fine?

My main concern is will there be enough bio and mech filtration in there,

I will put a small shelf in the last compartment for the purigen and if I ever need to drop anything in.

 

Something like that. You could put a shelf between 3 and 4 there. Just need something on the sides then a piece of eggcrate can go across.

 

Forget about moss in the refugium in my oppinion - way to slow growing to be an effective denitrator...You want something vigourous and fast growing,that wont be a detritus trap either... have used free floating Hornworth for this purpose in the past...removed Checkers bags full weekly... In ponds,Louisiana Water Iris has worked very well for me - sucks up nitrates,but grows way too large ...pity

 

thanks guys, just gotta finish building the overflow and getting the stand done so should hopefully start the sump in the next 2 weeks or so.

 

Seachem Matrix is really effective at biologically removing not just NO2 but NO3 as well. Just give it enough time to become really biologically active and it will lower your nitrates to practically nothing. Works best without any other nitrate removing gear or chems.

 

Yeah, Ive been running matrix in all my tanks and it works great.