A
Anonymous
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Here's a picture of what I am planning. Is this a good plan?
Looks pretty good. If it were mine I would ditch the bioballs, the filter fabric and maybe one of the first baffles with them. Also you will need to make the last baffle between the refugium and the return chamber taller to keep level of the water higher in the fuge. As tall as the last one on the other side of the fuge is standard.
Your skimmer is mechanical filtration and I am assuming you have LR that is your biological filter. You can use the filter to catch detritous but it will need routine maintanance. The general consensus now days its that boiballs will become a nitrate factory over time.
No biowheel. With a good skimmer, good flow to prevent deadspots and carry detritous to the sump,(Good lighting for a reef) and decent amount of LR you should be fine. Just dont overstock your tank. A sponge or biowheel isnt going to make or break your tank. If you follow those four (or five) basic guidlelines you will be well on your way to a success full tank.
i don't use carbon. never used it yet.
you might also have a second baffle at the end, before the return pump. sometimes when the water level drops over there (that's the only place it will drop) you'll have alot of splashing from the water falling over the first baffle, and will make alot of bubbles, that could be sucked into the display. i have done it both ways and have seen no bubbles, but alot say it can happen.
that area at the end with the return pump is the smallest area and as i said, it will be the place where evaporation happens. will you have an auto-topoff connected there?
another thing. i don't think you need the crushed coral either. save the money.
you might also have a second baffle at the end, before the return pump. sometimes when the water level drops over there (that's the only place it will drop) you'll have alot of splashing from the water falling over the first baffle, and will make alot of bubbles, that could be sucked into the display. i have done it both ways and have seen no bubbles, but alot say it can happen.
that area at the end with the return pump is the smallest area and as i said, it will be the place where evaporation happens. will you have an auto-topoff connected there?
another thing. i don't think you need the crushed coral either. save the money.
I am trying to go as slow as possible so as not to screw it up. What is auto topoff?Check out melevsreef.com. I've spent days browsing all his different sump designs. In particular you should read this FAQ which won't take long and should answer many questions.
http://www.melevsreef.com/make_a_sump.html
You could also check this sump out which is similar to your design. Its what I will be doing when I make my sump, except I will have a larger area on the left with LR instead of bioballs. Above that would be the best place for carbon where the water enters, so all the water is guarenteed to go through it.
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/l/sump_model_l.html
http://www.melevsreef.com/make_a_sump.html
You could also check this sump out which is similar to your design. Its what I will be doing when I make my sump, except I will have a larger area on the left with LR instead of bioballs. Above that would be the best place for carbon where the water enters, so all the water is guarenteed to go through it.
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/l/sump_model_l.html
An auto topoff uses a floating switch to top off your water whenever it starts getting too low.
So you have a bucket or whatever of water you have prepared, with a pump leading into the return zone. When the water level drops, the switch is triggered, the pump goes on, and tops up your water.
Otherwise you need to keep an eye on your water evaporation to prevent having no water being pumped, and breakage to your return pump.
So you have a bucket or whatever of water you have prepared, with a pump leading into the return zone. When the water level drops, the switch is triggered, the pump goes on, and tops up your water.
Otherwise you need to keep an eye on your water evaporation to prevent having no water being pumped, and breakage to your return pump.
I think its more handy than essential. Like MR_X said, because every other part of the system overflows into another section, the impact of evaporation is only going to be noticed in this final section. So the best thing is to have a large return area, so that if you leave your tank for a couple of days the return zone wont empty. If you have a big return zone, it will need topping off less often.16bitmick":3hnkm6pi said:
You certainly don't need an auto topoff...
http://www.melevsreef.com/plumbing/auto_topoff.html
do you look at your tank everyday? I do and when i notice my water level I auto top off myself!!! I don't have an auto top off and I have had tanks for years. yes it would be nice to have one but i have not ever used one yet. you can get by without one for now if you had too, you have to become your own auto top off! lol
everybody here seems to know there fuges and I would make the return area larger as well for the reasons stated. that is where you notice water loss/evaporation, that area being larger gives you more time before you have to refill and before your pump starves.
everybody here seems to know there fuges and I would make the return area larger as well for the reasons stated. that is where you notice water loss/evaporation, that area being larger gives you more time before you have to refill and before your pump starves.
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