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June 24th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Building a Sump
hello guys!!!
I was wondering if anyone could please tell me how can I build a sump, I already have the parts that I need, I just dont know how can I do it or what is it supposed to look like. or what else do I need. I just know that the guy that I bought my tank from, he had a sump but he put it apart and now I have no idea how to put it back together. Thanks!!!  |
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June 24th, 2008
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Fish Helper
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Last edited by zeebo; June 24th, 2008 at 10:53 PM.
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June 25th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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give us a list of what you have and we can help you assamble it.
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June 28th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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June 29th, 2008
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Moderator
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Looks like you have everything you need. What size is your display tank ? What size is your sump ?
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June 29th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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its a 40 gal and the sump size is a 10-15gal. thanks!
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June 29th, 2008
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Moderator
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OK ... The return section is on the left, the middle section is where you place your protein skimmer, and the right section is where the water flows down from the overflow box into a filter sock (the only item missing).
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June 29th, 2008
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Moderator
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Here's my setup. It's a doesn't use a sock but instead a DIY bubble tower with live rock rubble or Seachem Matrix rock.
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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So a sump and a refugium would it be the same thing? what is the difference, I have read that a refugium would give you more benefits, is that true? If it is how could I make it into a refugium? thanks!!
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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A sump and a refugium are 2 different things. A sump is used to increase water volume and gives you a place to hide equipment so that it is not seen in the main tank. A refugium is a place for propigation of marie life free from preditors.
Now you can section off a portion of your sump to use as a refugium if you want, but if you have the room it might be a better idea to have a 2nd container for the refugium.
In a refugium you generally put some live sand, llive rock and macro algea. This helps to further filter teh water in the system.
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumbleweed
A sump and a refugium are 2 different things. A sump is used to increase water volume and gives you a place to hide equipment so that it is not seen in the main tank. A refugium is a place for propigation of marie life free from preditors.
Now you can section off a portion of your sump to use as a refugium if you want, but if you have the room it might be a better idea to have a 2nd container for the refugium.
In a refugium you generally put some live sand, llive rock and macro algea. This helps to further filter teh water in the system.
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So how can I add the live sand, live rock and macro algea to the sump? do I have to keep the same set up if I use a section of the sump? Or should there be another section built in there? I'm planning on doing this today. The fish are running on a different filter now so I need to set this one up as soon as possible |
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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So I got this picture of the tank thats is going to be the sump and refugium. Its just a planning of what I think it should look like. Is there something wrong with it or should I add or move something else? thanks!!
Last edited by jguitarm15; June 30th, 2008 at 04:54 PM.
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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If I am looking at your picture correctly it looks like your sump has 3 sections. You can use the center section as a refugium if you must. Another option if you have the room and money is what I did. you can use a commpletly different container for a refugium. Leave the sump as it is, but on your return line to the pump, t off of it and use a ball vlave to control the flow and pump water also into another section, then have a drain line run from the refugium back into the center section of the sump.
Here is a crude drawing of what I meen.
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumbleweed
If I am looking at your picture correctly it looks like your sump has 3 sections. You can use the center section as a refugium if you must. Another option if you have the room and money is what I did. you can use a commpletly different container for a refugium. Leave the sump as it is, but on your return line to the pump, t off of it and use a ball vlave to control the flow and pump water also into another section, then have a drain line run from the refugium back into the center section of the sump.
Here is a crude drawing of what I meen.
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I really like that idea!!!! but the thing is I dont really have the money to do that right now, I could do it like in a couple of months or it could be just one. and also I will have to rearrange things to make room for it. though in the future I will do that have two separate containers. So now my question is, Do I keep the sand just in the middle section? (see picture) |
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Yes just in the center section. Do you have a skimmer or plan on putting in a skimmer? If so It would need to go in the center section and you would not be able to keep sand and LR in that section.
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumbleweed
Yes just in the center section. Do you have a skimmer or plan on putting in a skimmer? If so It would need to go in the center section and you would not be able to keep sand and LR in that section.
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Yeah I am but I was looking to get one that hangs on the back of the aquarium, Is it better to have it in the sump?, but in the future I will have a second container just for the sump and one just for the refugium. |
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June 30th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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In my experience the skimmers that go in the sump tend to be more effecient and easier to maintain. You will be just fine running a sump with skimmer for now and adding the refugium later. That is what I would do.
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