Is It a good idea to separate a sump/refug?

lennon

Member
Someone told me that they have a small sump and then a completely separate refug because that avoids the skimmer and such items from the sump to get dirty and have algae that would come from a connected refugium.
Does this make sense?
thanks
 

squidd

Active Member
Yes and no...
It makes sense to keep the sump and fuge seperate and feed each a suply of "raw" tank water as each preforms best when working directly in relation to the tank malnutrients...preskimming before a fuge or running thru fuge before skimmer lessens the efectiveness of the later...
However both the skimmer chamber and fuge can dump into the return pump chamber allowing the use of just one pump for return...
 

hot883

Active Member
Originally Posted by Squidd
Yes and no...
It makes sense to keep the sump and fuge seperate and feed each a suply of "raw" tank water as each preforms best when working directly in relation to the tank malnutrients...preskimming before a fuge or running thru fuge before skimmer lessens the efectiveness of the later...
However both the skimmer chamber and fuge can dump into the return pump chamber allowing the use of just one pump for return...
So squid is a skimmer in a refuge a bad idea? Just clearing this up for myself. I'm looking at arefugium w/skimmer for my 55.
 

popnfrresh

Member
CPR makes a skimmer fuge combo. I would seperate if you will be viewing the fuge as a tank also. IE for display. Keep the filters/heaters skimmer in the sump.
 

lennon

Member
Originally Posted by popnfrresh
CPR makes a skimmer fuge combo. I would seperate if you will be viewing the fuge as a tank also. IE for display. Keep the filters/heaters skimmer in the sump.
Wouldn't the algae and stuff from the refugium still get to the skimmer and equipment in the sump?
Do you think i should get a completely separate system? Maybe a small sump that just holds equipment and then a large refugium??
thanks
 

funkyman

Member
I pretty much have the exact same one planned as Teresa.
Teresa.....why do you have a bubble trap outside of the fuge? I don't think the flow coming out of there will be strong enough to generate any bubbles. Is that what you were thinking?
 

lennon

Member

Originally Posted by funkyman
I pretty much have the exact same one planned as Teresa.
Teresa.....why do you have a bubble trap outside of the fuge? I don't think the flow coming out of there will be strong enough to generate any bubbles. Is that what you were thinking?

Does someone make that same thing all ready to go? I am not handy at all..so I need
complete.
What is actually the difference there? Is it the water from the fuge is separate and does not pass through the sump?
I am new...sorry
 

lennon

Member

Originally Posted by funkyman
I pretty much have the exact same one planned as Teresa.
Teresa.....why do you have a bubble trap outside of the fuge? I don't think the flow coming out of there will be strong enough to generate any bubbles. Is that what you were thinking?

oh, since you said that..I am better off getting a hang on tank skimmer instead of one in the sump??? I was curious about that.
 

funkyman

Member
Unfortunately, there are no pre-made "sump kits" for lack of a better term. This part of anyone's system is very personalized. You pick:
- the size you want the sump to be
- how you want the sump set up
- how you want the water routed in and out of your sump
- how much flow you want, which encorporates the return pump and such
The list can go on and on. If you want to avoid this whole aspect of a salt water setup, then a hang on the back skimmer will be the easiest way out. They also make hang on refugiums. Once you get over say...75 gallon tanks though, this hang on equipment becomes relatively unaffective.
 

lennon

Member

Originally Posted by funkyman
Unfortunately, there are no pre-made "sump kits" for lack of a better term. This part of anyone's system is very personalized. You pick:
- the size you want the sump to be
- how you want the sump set up
- how you want the water routed in and out of your sump
- how much flow you want, which encorporates the return pump and such
The list can go on and on. If you want to avoid this whole aspect of a salt water setup, then a hang on the back skimmer will be the easiest way out. They also make hang on refugiums. Once you get over say...75 gallon tanks though, this hang on equipment becomes relatively unaffective.


Im doing a 75 gallon. I saw an oceanic model 1. It had a small sump and came with everything to start up the system. I figured I could get that for the water and then being that I have the space, put a completely separate refugium next to it . would this be unecessary? I was just told that if I put my equipment in a combination sump/refug..that the algae will get on everything and make it more difficult to clean.
 
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