Input on sump/refugium design?

[MaineiacJay]

first, I hope this is the right forum for this, I wasnt sure if it belonged here since its technically a tank start-up and filtration, or if it belonged in the DIY forum since it is a DIY project. or maybe it goes somewhere else entirely. If this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it, or I can delete and re-submit to the correct forum.

Alright, so Ive been on the lookout for a larger tank for my Polypterus. I want more Polys but they are currently in a 55 and I think its overstocked as it is with 3 young Polys and an assortment of other fish. My goal was for at least a 125, but a coworker of mine happened to have a 90 he was willing to give up. so Im a little closer...

anyways, this tank is pre-drilled. it has a corner piece of glass and the hole is in the bottom. I dont typically mind filters that hang over the side of the tank, but since this tank is already drilled, I might as well take advantage of it. I have a 30 gallon tank that isnt in use that I can use as a sump/refugium.

I have essentially zero knowledge of sumps/refugiums. Ive been looking at different designs and I think Ive come up with something I like. Please let me know what you think.

so, the water would drain into the far left. ill have a bag or two of mixed media. it would flow over the top into the next chamber, which would be varying thickness of foam and wool held up by egg crate. it would then go under and into the next chamber, where I would have the heater. it was empty space so I figured I could toss in some java moss and shrimp (I would keep a light over this). it would flow over into the next chamber through a drip tray (plexy glass with holes drilled) onto wet/dry bioballs, held up with egg crate so that half of the bioballs are above water, and half below. depending on the exact amount of space, I may throw some pot scrubbers between them. and lastly, it would flow under to the last chamber, where a pump would pull it back to the main tank.

alright everyone, tell me, would this work? or is it a silly design? thanks in advanced

 

[millerkid519]

I would switch #1 and #2 have it flow down threw the sponges and up threw the submerged media. #3 is good the way you have it with low flow as it would overflow over the top of section 2 and re enter at the top of the drip section or if it makes you feel better put a 5 inch piece of glass at the top of the refugium right after section 2 in the refugium setup to divert the flow into the refugium
Now another suggestion is to use lava rock for submerged media and pot scrubbies for the drip tray. Seriously does exactly the same job for pennies compared the ceramic and bio balls.

Remember to account for overflow water I the case of a power outage in your sump aswell

 

[millerkid519]

If my explication sucks I will draw up a quick design as I suck at explaining things

 

[MaineiacJay]

Thanks so much for the response! I'll take your suggestions. I wasn't sure on the scrubies compared to the bioballs, if they would be the same or worse. That's good to know, I can get those at the dollar tree!

As far as the overflow, The last two chambers I plan to only be about half full (hence wet/dry portion). I probably should have mentioned that. I think that would store any overflow.

 

[millerkid519]

Pot scrubbies actually have 3x the Sr face area as bio balls. I would take them out 2-4 times a year and clean them as they get clogged quicker. Ya I think is should be sufficent for overflow just thought i would mention it

 

[MaineiacJay]

Perfect, thank you!

Randomly tonight, at 4:30am I thought, I want to upgrade to a 125 gallon tank in the long run. That would require a larger sump, so it would probably be more convenient if I did this on a 55 gallon tank so I don't have to do it again. I was told 30 was the minimum size is want for a 90, so I imagine a 125 would require something around 55 and I conveniently have 2 unused 55 gallon tanks.

Would a 55gallon sump be overkill for a 90 gallon? Would it suffice for a 125? And would my design still work (with reversing those two chambers like you suggested)?

I've also seen a lot of premade sumps that you can buy that have 3 panes of glass a few inches apart so the water goes over, under, and over into the next chamber. I understand if it's to change the water level, but some are the same on both sides and seems unnecessary, yet there are so many designs that include it. Is this beneficial or unnecessary?

Like this, on the right: http://shop.myaquarium.tv/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/product-images/download.png

Thank you so so much for bearing with me on this! I've been in the hobby for a while but never made a sump before, I want to make sure I get it right!

 

[millerkid519]

A 55g would work just fine. I always get the biggest tank I can fit under my stand for a sump but that's just me. The one in your link looks like a saltwater sump to me because those three pains of glass are put in that way to make a bubble trap so no bubbles make it into the display tank

 

[ragin_cajun]

Yours is way more complicated than mine is, and mine works great. My sump has no baffles at all. Easier to clean. I use filter socks because they're so easy to change, and no water/gunk gets around them. For Bio-media, I just have pond matrix in laundry bags laying on the bottom of the sump.

If mine works, I think yours will. Cutting glass for baffles and getting them the right size, chambers set up, it'll be a little bit of a project.

 

[MaineiacJay]

Yeah, no rush for this. I just got the 90 gallon And the 55 I have set up is fine for now. I work at a pet shop so I can get all my supplies discounted and I'm thrifty anyways!

The glass is really the only part that is going to be a bit more of a challenge for me. Any chance of using plexy glass for dividers?

 

[ragin_cajun]

I've never done baffles for a sump, but I think I've read somewhere that you should use glass for the baffles in a glass tank. Some problem with expansion being different for different materials. Plexi baffles could burst the tank.

Might want to research that a little. Look around on reef central. They do a lot of that sort of thing over there. They'll have all the details