how to convert wet/dry into sump/refugium

g8rorchid · #1 12/23/2007, 04:02 PM

Hello,

I have a 90g reef and I want to be able to keep mandarins and so I know a refugium is a must. I currently am using a canister filter along with a skimmer. I would like to replace the canister with a sump/refugium that has been converted over from a wet/dry. I am looking at purchasing a used wet/dry in order to do this. How or what would I need? The brand of the wet/dry is spectacular sea systems, has anyone used this brand or heard of them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Blown 346 · #2 12/23/2007, 04:17 PM

It owuld be best to build your own sump/fuge. It will be less expensive and you can have a decent fuge area.

Here is my 40 breeder sump/fuge I made.

g8rorchid · #3 12/24/2007, 09:26 PM

Well, yes and no. I am not handy in any sense of the word, so the aggravation and time to read through all the DIY posts and sights, and then attempt it all, would not be easier. Thanks though.
Anyone else know how to do a conversion?

Fish_wiz2 · #4 12/24/2007, 09:37 PM

Get us a pic, i am planning to do this too so i can help (have idea and equipment).

tony45power · #5 12/24/2007, 10:00 PM

i swapped over from filters to a sump. i hooked up my sump and refugium for a month or 2 whle still running the old filters and then disconneceted old filters.

mg426 · #6 12/24/2007, 11:14 PM

If the wet/dry is acrylic you will most likely need to make the baffles out of acrylic and use Weld on acrylic cement to hold them in plase. If you want to see some awesome sumps look here www.melevsreef.com

Lotus99 · #7 12/25/2007, 12:56 AM

If you're not handy, there are some sump/refugium type systems available ready made. I think Marine Depot has a couple, one that's a Berlin system and another that's a similar design.

WarrenAmy&Maddy · #8 12/25/2007, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by g8rorchid
Well, yes and no. I am not handy in any sense of the word, so the aggravation and time to read through all the DIY posts and sights, and then attempt it all, would not be easier. Thanks though.
Anyone else know how to do a conversion?

you are way better off 'converting'
a 20long etc into a sump/fuge then trying to 'convert' a wet/dry into one...

either way you are doing it yourself DIY!

if you have a skimmer that will sit in the sump/wet dry...
and you want to run a fuge - then you will end up w/ algae in your skimmer area from the lite on the fuge - unless you diy some way to block the lite from that section of w/d.

i originally tried to convert my w/d into a fuge
but there was algae all over and it was a hassle... although someone somewhere probably has some ingenious idea that will work if you decide you want to get it done.

why not just look online for used sump already set up?

regards

jccash · #9 12/25/2007, 06:21 AM

does anyone use a CPR fuge?

http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/afmp.html

aquawolf · #10 12/25/2007, 07:14 PM

I have used the CPR products and think they are great if you can afford them.

jccash · #11 12/25/2007, 09:09 PM

Which one are you using? Can you post a picture?

g8rorchid · #12 12/26/2007, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the responses. I dont quite understand the post regarding algae on the skimmer due to the light on the fuge. I mean, don't all sumps have a section for the skimmer and one for the fuge which requires the light without having any algae probs? Here are pics of the wet/dry I am thinking about buying. Any more info would be appreciated! Thanks!

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Blown 346 · #13 12/26/2007, 09:04 PM

The sump you have pictured wont do well as a sump/fuge. You will need something bigger. After you have the skimmer,return pumo there wont be room for a fuge. Make your own.

zhenjw · #14 12/26/2007, 09:34 PM

I had the exact wet/dry as the one pictured above. Here's what it looks like as a fuge. The first is the right side which was where the overflows dumped through the bioballs. Its now a fuge with a return pump. The second picture is the left side which was where the return originally was. It is now where the overflows empty...into a diatom bag. Heater is also located in this compartment with two bags of carbon. I did have the skimmer hanging off of the left side but to prevent accidental overflow, I put it into the sump.

http://web.mac.com/pjcheng/iWeb/Site...l?slideIndex=4

http://web.mac.com/pjcheng/iWeb/Site...l?slideIndex=5

g8rorchid · #15 12/28/2007, 02:12 AM

Thanks zhenjw for the pics. Im guessing this project is going to be more than I had in mind! Anyone have a used sump/refugium? I have been looking at the for sale forum, but havent found anything that has all the parts I need, i.e. overflow, or is more than what I wanted to spend.