DIY fuge water depth

[michelle l]

We are in the process of building a sump/refugium out of a spare 55 gallon tank that we have. How high should the water level be in each compartment?
We will be running it as sump first, then have two baffles, then into the refugium, then two more baffles, and then into the final compartment where the return pump will be.
By the way, should the first baffle be an over or an under? I have posted a tentative drawing....any input??

 

[michelle l]

Bump.

 

[thegrog]

OK,
I would say that the first baffle should be an "over". If by over, you mean that the water flows OVER it, than over it should be.
The last baffle (before the return pump) should be as high as the baffle next to the fuge section.
I have a similiar setup in my sump. I put the first baffle about an inch higer than the others so my skimmer chamber always overflows into the fuge. Don't know if there anything to it, but no problems have every arised from it.

 

[stimpy4242]

What are the pros and cons to having either setup below?
1. Water flows from returns and Ts to the fuge and then the skimmer chamber then both flow to center where returned to tank
2. Water flows from returns to first chamber involving skimmer, then fuge, then returns to tank...
I thought 1 was better because some of the needed nutrients and maybe even bad stuff will go to the fuge before being removed by the skimmer...

 

[michelle l]

Due to the fact that the 55 gallon we have won't be able to fit under the established 125 DT, I am pretty sure that we can't route the sump/fuge like you describe in #1. The 55 gal. tank is going to have to sit beside the 125 on the floor, so we are going to have to plumb it with tubing/hoses (a lot like a wet/dry setup) and with the water flowing from one end to the other (I think).

 

[michelle l]

Okay, so like this then? I changed the first baffle to have the water flow over it, then under into the fuge and changed the height of the last baffle to be equal to the one in the fuge...

 

[stimpy4242]

Originally Posted by Michelle L
Okay, so like this then? I changed the first baffle to have the water flow over it, then under into the fuge and changed the height of the last baffle to be equal to the one in the fuge...
According to your numbers, the last baffle isn't the height of the one in the fuge, if I am looking at the correctly.
Also, don't put your sump fuge beside your tank...since you are moving things around figure out a way to get it under there...perhaps you need to build a new stand...but it will surely take away from the beauty of the tank to see a sesspool lying next to it...if you are concerned because there is bracing or something in the way, there are a few posts about methods to remove the brace. You could also have a display fuge...but you are now adding the maintenance of keeping your sump/fuge nice and clean and displayworthy.
I suppose a third suggestion, would be to create some type of cover for the sump/fuge beside it...like a bench type thing that you could sit next to the tank that would go over top the sump/fuge...just some ideas

 

[michelle l]

Yeah, sorry about that, I noticed after I changed and saved the diagram that I didn't change the text portion. Oops...the last baffle would be an equal height.
We absolutely won't tear apart the tank to build a sump/fuge. It's been established too long, and I have read threads about bracing the stand while the tank is full and sawing apart the center brace...no way!!

We have the tank for our own enjoyment and honestly, we have vistors once in a blue moon so nobody ever sees the tank but us. So, we don't mind the fuge sitting in a visible place. Really, I think that sumps/fuges can be very interesting in their own right and don't always need to be hidden away.
The cover idea is a pretty good one though.... :thinking:

 

[squidd]

Originally Posted by stimpy4242
What are the pros and cons to having either setup below?
1. Water flows from returns and Ts to the fuge and then the skimmer chamber then both flow to center where returned to tank
2. Water flows from returns to first chamber involving skimmer, then fuge, then returns to tank...
I thought 1 was better because some of the needed nutrients and maybe even bad stuff will go to the fuge before being removed by the skimmer...
>2.< "Flow Thru" designs work, depending on the intendedn "goal" of the fuge...They are the simplest system to set up, but may not produce the effect your looking for...The biggest downfall of the flow thru is that "all" water returned from tank flows "thru" fuge and may end up too fast a flow to be effective...
In the example above, I'm guessing the fuge is 24" wide X 13" tall X 13"deep....about 17 gallons... Lets say Michelle L runs 600gph thru it (with a 125 I'd assume dual overflows and higher drain, but for this example let's use the lowest/single overflow number)
600gph "thru" a 17 gallon fuge is 35X turnover in the fuge ...that's awfully quick for pods to be swimming around in, and not much "time" for nutrient absorbtion if thats the goal....
>1.< "Sump in center" with overflow/drain lines "T"d to bothe fuge and overflow/skimmer area and then both draining to return chamber...allows more control over the ammount each chamber recieves...
Slower, controled flow in fuge (depends on size) can benifit inhabitants and export ratios, and controled flow of "raw" tank water to skimer can maximize effeciency in skimming ...

 

[michelle l]

Great diagram, Squidd. Hubby & I have looked at it closely and we have decided to most likely change our plans to this type of fuge/sump. I had seen ones like it, but didn't know the purpose behind why they were made that way instead of the flow through design. I thought there wasn't a way to do it (that's what I told stimpy4242) with the location that we are going to place ours, but I think if we are inventive we can build it the way you presented. Our goal with the sump/fuge is nutrient exchange, purification of water, and pod growth (I really want a mandarin someday!)
Here is another question....do I actually need a sump? I am going to use a hang on the back skimmer, so I don't need to design room with a footprint in mind for a submersible skimmer. That will hang on the return chamber just before the water returns to the tank, right? Can the heater go in the fuge? If so, do I even need to incorporate a sump?

 

[squidd]

Technicly, you still have a sump...
Wherever water is sent...collected and the returned from, is the "sump"...the fuge is just an aditional chamber feeding into it...
Top View with HOB skimmer.....