Sump/Refugium Combination...

BriSape23 · #1 08/03/2005, 11:36 AM

I was curious about something...I have a 46bow and have ordered the Aquafuge Refugium..it is a HOB....Now, the more research I do, it seems a SUMP is a great idea if you can do it.

If I get a 20gallon tank for the sump...can I use the HOB refugium on that? Also, does the sump need live rock and live sand? or just water...

Thanks,
Brian

griss · #2 08/03/2005, 12:34 PM

Yes, you can just mount the HOB Fuge onto the sump (as long as you have room).

Many people put LR in their sump, but it is not required. It really is a matter of personal preference.

Avi · #3 08/03/2005, 01:14 PM

You may very well have a problem using the HOB Aquafuge Refugium on your sump, at least to the extent that I've seen them in a fish store. It's my understanding that they receive the water that flows through them by way of a small overflow. That requires that the water level in the tank....or sump...be almost to the top of the tank or the sump. I think that you wouldn't want to keep the water level that high in a sump since you need a enough room in the sump to accomodate any water that drains from the tank in the event that you shut off the return pump for feedings, or the pump stops for one reason or another.

If I'm incorrect about this issue, since I don't own one of those fuges, I'm sure someone will clarify.

griss · #4 08/03/2005, 01:19 PM

Avi, you might be right there. I was thinking that the pump/powerhead went into the tank or sump and supplied water that way. But, now looking at the pics on CPR's website, it looks like the pump goes in the fuge and water enters via an overflow.

If that is the case, Brian, you will be better off hanging the fuge on your tank. You can still run the sump though.

Avi · #5 08/03/2005, 02:22 PM

BriSape, I agree that you ought to do both. You just have to make sure that the configuration on the back of your 46-gallon bow will allow you to mount the HOB fuge back there AND a normal size HOB overflow for circulation down to the sump that you would set up. Those take just about 6 inches of width and about 4 1/2 inches of space out from the back of the tank. You'd most likely have the room on the back of your tank unless there is some kind of glass brace back there. But, IF you do have the room for a sump, as well as the HOB fuge, you should consider setting up the sump. It's a great convenience.

BriSape23 · #6 08/03/2005, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Currently I already have the my skimmer as a HOB as well -- AquaC Remora...so I am running out of real estate quick...my stand is tall enought that I could possible get away with running the skimmer on the sump. I will check it out. I am going to do the sump and will maybe have to have DIY set-up with these combinations.

On my tank there is a brace down the middle for the glass which also limits my options some.

Thanks Avi and Griss.

Shooter7 · #7 08/03/2005, 07:50 PM

No, the pump hangs in the main tank and pumps water into the aquafuge...this passes through the fuge and exits via a large tube by gravity back into the main tank. In this setup, the "main tank" could be his sump tank. He could hang the aquafuge on the back of the sump tank and get the fuge and sump benefits that way.

Avi · #8 08/03/2005, 08:51 PM

SHooter, I'm not certain I understand that at all. Are you saying that it CAN be hung on the back of the sump even though the water level in the sump is not at the top of the tank that makes the sump?

mfinn · #9 08/03/2005, 09:08 PM

You can put your aquafuge on the wall of the sump just like a main tank. Shooter has it right. The water is supplied to the fuge by the pump. You may get some splashing noise when the water returns to the sump if the water level is low in the sump.

moparcolt · #10 08/03/2005, 09:09 PM

I wondered why you dont just turn the 20 into a refugium with bioballs at each end and a small section at the end fora pump or powerhead to pump the water back into the main tank.
That is how mine is set up I even have extra pannels that I used to divide mine that I could send you as well as drawings and pictures of how to do it.
I have been running this system for seven years never needed a skimmer and everything runs like clockwork once you get it going it is practically maintinecefree.
I quit checking most of my levels years ago because they never change.

Shooter7 · #11 08/03/2005, 09:16 PM

I'm going on the thought process that he already has the aquafuge on order and intends to use it. With regards to hanging it on the back of the sump....I did not use the rio pump that came with the aquafuge and instead used a maxijet 600 connected with a piece of tubing and clamps. You could feasibly place your pump all the way down at the bottom of the sump tank if you so desired using this setup. And as what was stated above, the return pipe IS up high, so there would be some splashing. Perhaps another elbow and length of pipe further down for the return side to avoid this? To me, one good thing about this setup is that you wouldn't have to worry about how fast the water was flowing through your sump if you had a fuge built into it...as in it flowing through too fast. This way the flow in the fuge area would be constant and not too fast.

mfinn · #12 08/03/2005, 09:23 PM

I used a rio 800 because I put a longer supply tube on it and had the pump near the bottom of the tank (you can do this with the sump also). This way I could do large water changes with having to turn it off.

Avi · #13 08/03/2005, 09:25 PM

Okay...so let's review....IF you want to put the HOB fuge on the back of the sump, rather than on the back of the main tank, you'd have to make some modifications....the way Shooter7 describes. Seems that moparcolt has a point too, that you could use the 20-gallon tank as a refugium the way he describes. But...I would recommend that you use a skimmer in addition to the HOB fuge and the sump. I think the skimmer's essential..but that's just one reefer's opinion.

Shooter7 · #14 08/03/2005, 09:30 PM

I was thinking too that if he used the HOB fuge, that would open up that relatively small 20 gal sump to the possibility of a good sized in-sump skimmer if that was so desired, without having to worry about leaving room for a fuge.

Avi · #15 08/03/2005, 09:32 PM

I agree with that idea. That way, you can have the best of all worlds.

moparcolt · #16 08/03/2005, 09:53 PM

just seemed like a bunch of extra equipment and plumbing!

Avi · #17 08/03/2005, 10:02 PM

well, he's already bought the HOB fuge, so why not use it? Sump has additional value.

BriSape23 · #18 08/04/2005, 04:51 AM

Wow. This is all good feedback! And now it seems I have even more choices. I did already purchase the Aquafuge and should have it here this week. So I plan on using that regardless, and from earlier posting with Shooter, I did order the MaxiJet 600 to replace the RIO that came with it.

It seems what might work best is to place my Remora Skimmer on the sump tank and then use the HOB Fuge on my display tank. Which to be honest I would prefer, since the remora is still creating some microbubbles that really more a nuisance than anything else. Better to have those in the sump I assume than the display tank.

When I get everything in, I will let you know how it goes. My guess is that I am going to change things probably a couple times until I get the results I want.

Thanks for the info!

Avi · #19 08/04/2005, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BriSape23
It seems what might work best is to place my Remora Skimmer on the sump tank and then use the HOB Fuge on my display tank. Which to be honest I would prefer, since the remora is still creating some microbubbles that really more a nuisance than anything else. Better to have those in the sump I assume than the display tank.

My guess is that I am going to change things probably a couple times until I get the results I want.

Thanks for the info!

You are probably better off with the Remora in the sump...just make sure water level requirements, if any, are met. If there are micro-bubbles coming from the return of the skimmer, you can prevent them from working their way to your main tank. You can do this by configuring the baffles in your sump so that there there is a strip of foam that the water in the section of the sump where the skimmer return goes will have to go through to get to the section that the sump return pump is in. That foam will effectively block all the micro-bubbles. Of course, you'll have to rinse that foam out regularly but that's not a big deal.

Shooter7 · #20 08/04/2005, 05:28 AM

However, remember, because of the way the remora returns water, if your sump's water level is down from the top of the sump tank a few inches, you're probably going to get a splashing sound out of that as well. Leave your options open to use that aquafuge on your sump. You might like the idea of not having one more powerhead and a return pipe visible in your display if you put the fuge down below. There's also the night time aesthetics if you have something like moonlights, but want to keep your fuge lit 24/7...if you have the fuge on the display, you could get light bleeding over to your display. Just yet a few more things to have to think about. Enjoy!