Designing a new sump and refugium

[Thunderstruck]

After doing some more research, and getting a new skimmer, I am in the process of designing a new sump and refugium for my 180 gallon heavily stocked reef tank, and really need some feedback before this goes into development. I now have a Bubbleking 250 external protein skimmer for my tank. The skimmer is powered by the red dragon pump. I will have to use a feeder pump as well, because of the lower flow I will be using in this design. I am considering the Blueline 30 HD pump (590 GPH @ 0 feet), but do to room constraints I will need to put an elbow before the intake of the pump. I am considering using a split sump design to allow room for a larger refugium and also a decent return section. The sump itself will be cast from 3/8 inch acrylic. The bottom half of the sump will be 41.25 inches long, by 20 inches wide, by 12 inches tall. The skimmer section will be rather small because of the external skimmer and the external pump. I was planning on having the skimmer section be 4 inches long, by 19.25 inches wide. Then, I was considering placing a media chamber attached to the first baffle. This would allow me to hold carbon and other media if I decide to use it. The first and third baffle will be 4 inches tall. The second baffle will be 5 inches tall, and one inch off the base of the sump, making the baffle 6 inches high. There will be 2 inches of space before baffle #1 and baffle #2. This will also be the area of drainage from the refugium as well. There will be only 1 inch of space between baffle #2 and baffle #3. The return area will be 29 inches by 19.25 inches. I plan to keep the water level in the sump at 5.5 inches. This will allow for a little more than 13 gallons of water in the return area of the sump. The refugium will be attached on top of the sump. It will be 29.25 inches long by 19.25 inches high. The refugium itself will be 10 inches tall, however the drain will be at the 9-inch level. The refugium will hold nearly 22 gallons of water. I plan direct 75% of the overflow into the skimmer area of the sump and 25% of the overflow into the refugium area. I will use a low flow powerhead for additional flow in the refugium. I am not sure how much flow to use in this sump design, but was considering using around 500 GPH. I would like to use a blueline pump for the return as well, and once again would have to place an elbow before the intake because of room constraints. I would love to hear any feedback and thoughts if this is a good sump/refugium design (also if it would actually work ;) and what would be optimal flow through this design as well. Thanks in advance!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/89155Bubbleking_250_Sump-med.png

[jeffgp]

it looks like a good idea but that will be alot of plastic . ive allways liked to keep it to all the same level

[EdMiller]

I have my refugium set up similarly to that. For what its worth, its a PITA to work with and I dislike it. The refugium is awkward to get into because of the limited space above it to the top of the stand. The sump is hard to access because most of it is blocked by the refugium. There is no room to put any equipment in the sump because the refugium is covering it. I am planning to build a new sump/refugium all on the same level to get away from the hassles.

[Thunderstruck]

Points well taken! I also found out it might induce air bubbles as well because of the low water level. One thing I wanted to do was hang the overhand of the bubbleking skimmer output over the top of the sump. I can get about 16.5 inche clearence. The problem is their won't be much room for a refugium and a return section. So I was thinking about combing the return and the refugium in one area? I would place the baffles in between the skimmer section and the refugium to cut down the micro bubbles and then place a small baffle at the end of the refugium so the sand would not get stuck in the return pump. This would allow enough flow so my skimmer would be able to be gravity fed as well, thus eliminating a feeder pump. The outside of the sump would measure 42 inches long, by 20 inches wide, by 16 inches tall. The skimmer compartment would be 4.75 inches wide. I then have a media compartment attached to the first baffle, this way I can put carbon or filter floss if I decide to. The first and third baffle would be 8 inches tall. The second baffle would be 9 inches tall and 1 inch off the base of the sump, making it stand 10 inches high. This would be the approximate height of the water level as well (or close to it). Then, I would have a 24-inch long refuguim section, with a 2.5-inch live sand bed. The refugium would hold roughly 20 gallons of water. Then I have the 5-inch baffle simply to spates the sand from the return pump. The small return section would be 4.75 inches long; however, with the refugium it would be 28.75 inches long, thus holding 23 gallons of water. I would need to run 500 gallons per hour through this sump in order to power my skimmer. My main concern with the design would be micro bubbles and was not sure if it was ok to combine a refugium and return area. Any thoughts?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/89155Bubbleking_Custom_Sump-med.png