1o gallon sump/fuge for a 55 gallon???

b-baby80

Member
We just set up our 55 gallon and my husband is thinking of making a sump/fuge out of a extra 10 gallon.It will be a syphon one though.As the 55 gallon is not drilled.Any help here is greatly appreciated.He was thinking of the water syphoning out going over some LR rubble and sponges,then over into the heater plant area?(what's the plant that goes in their?).Then through the bubble traps and into the pump chamber.We were thinking a Mag 7 for pump.
We are new to this so any help is greatly appreciated.We want to do this right but are on a strict budget

I remember seeing pics of someones 10 gallon sump but can't find them now
 

ibew

Active Member
that sounds perfect if you want to use a sponge use it in the bubble trap before the pump the type of micro you can use is cheto or calurpa are good choices put some LS in the fuge also make sure your overflow drain pipe is sized right and your set looks like your on the right track
 

b-baby80

Member
Originally Posted by Ibew
that sounds perfect if you want to use a sponge use it in the bubble trap before the pump the type of micro you can use is cheto or calurpa are good choices put some LS in the fuge also make sure your overflow drain pipe is sized right and your set looks like your on the right track

Thanks i went blank trying to think of the plants LOL!Oh well i'm over feeling dumb for dumb questions LOL!
Thanks for your quick reply.My husband is trying to figure out the right size pipes to use.So the water fall and pump ratio's are right.Is their a way to calculate that?Also will putting turns and stuff in pipes make a difference.we're thinking of syphoning from the center and pumping back in on each side.
I'm curious to know if the 10 gallon will be big enough?We're only doing this cause we have the extra tank anyway.
 

ibew

Active Member
Originally Posted by B-Baby80
Thanks i went blank trying to think of the plants LOL!Oh well i'm over feeling dumb for dumb questions LOL!
Thanks for your quick reply.My husband is trying to figure out the right size pipes to use.So the water fall and pump ratio's are right.Is their a way to calculate that?Also will putting turns and stuff in pipes make a difference.we're thinking of syphoning from the center and pumping back in on each side.
I'm curious to know if the 10 gallon will be big enough?We're only doing this cause we have the extra tank anyway.
there is a way to calculate it but this isn't my area some will chime in im sure I have a CPR overflow that is rated at 600gal from there I have a piece of 1inch PVC glued in the bottom of the overflow to the bulkhead from there I slid on a 1-1/4 pvc over the 1inch and put a stainless still clamp on flex pipe that just goes into my sump from my return I also have a mag 7 if your placing the mag in the sump then you can hard pipe out of the water than go to flex pipe. I used 1/2 to 3/4 pvc adapter than found a flex pipe adapter from 3/4 pvc threads to 3/4 inner diameter flex pipe than ran that up to a ball valve than to a return tube in the tank. yes all the turn and 90s does cut back on your GPH on the return side of the pump thats why I used flex pipe and hose clamps but you have to hard pipe out of the water so you can use hose clamps
im sure my drain pipe is an overkill should probaly been 1inch inner diameter PVC I think my return is right though
 

ibew

Active Member
a 10 gal should work ok everyone always tells you the bigger the better that because the bigger your sump is the more area you can desinate for the fuge the way I like my sump and I think it is most benificial is from right to left goes pump first chamber bubble trap fuge second chamber since you have a small sump skip the second bubble trap just a divider than skimmer and your drain pipe
 

b-baby80

Member
Originally Posted by Ibew
a 10 gal should work ok everyone always tells you the bigger the better that because the bigger your sump is the more area you can desinate for the fuge the way I like my sump and I think it is most benificial is from right to left goes pump first chamber bubble trap fuge second chamber since you have a small sump skip the second bubble trap just a divider than skimmer and your drain pipe
Do you by chance have a pic of yours?
 

ibew

Active Member
this is an ecoystem 2410 but basically how you want to create it minus were I have the rock before the pump and also I don't have my pump in the sump I plumbed it inline (outside of the sump) you can see it in front on the bottom left
 
Top