refuge question for squidd

saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
I have a 55 gallon cornor tank that I want to set Up a refuge for. I will be useing a coralife 65 super skimmer inside the refuge. I will be custom makeing my own triangle shaped sump from plastic. I have no measurements to give you at this point but if you could point me in the right direction as far as placement of baffels and layout it would be a big help
 
jasenhicks

jasenhicks

Member
Im not squidd, but i ahve a suggestion anyways. Make the return section and the intake/skimmer section just a little bigger than you need to fit the skimmer and return pump, this will maximize your fuge section and hence maximize the benefits of having it. The baffles should be about an inch apart from eachother and id recommend three, one low one high then one low so water flows over, under, over. Sounds like it should be pretty cool when you are done, i wish you good luck with building the odd ball shape sump.fuge.
Jasen
 
saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
Thank you for yor response that was what I pretty much had planned but I wanted to make Sure I was On the Right track, All baffels should be spred 1 inch appart was also helpfull at this point, The skimmer and return pump should be in the same chamber or different chambers?
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
Depending on how much flow you want, I would space the baffles no less than 1.5" better would be 2". Less spacing and more flow, bubbles will get through to the return. Skimmer should be separate from return on the other side of the baffles.
Corner design should be interesting.......
HTH
Tim
 
saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
55 gallon tank, so the flow through the refuge/should be 3 to 5 times the tank volume if I have understood correctly in other threads
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
I think it really depends on what design you go with. I like the center pump design where the fuge and sump meet in the middle at the return pump. The fuge doesn't need to be baffled b/c the flow should be regulated fairly slow. Maybe 10-12x fuge volume. The sump should carry the rest. Also this style allows for the skimmer and fuge to be fed raw tank water b/c of the split drains.
I've actually been thinking about the corner issue and will take a crack at it if you want. Hopefully squidd will be around also.
What do you plan to keep? What are the dims under the stand?
Could be quite challegeing!
Tim
 
jasenhicks

jasenhicks

Member
To be honest, id make the flow through the system only as much as the skimmer can do about 3X an hour. So if your skimmer does 300gph, id only do 100gph through the sump. Let powerheads or a closed loop move your water around. This way your skimmer is really good at getting the gunk out, and your fuge is really good at nutrient export.
jasen
 
jasenhicks

jasenhicks

Member
I took like the return pump in the middle idea, thats how mine is setup, dont think id do it anyother way. Although i would NOT split the drain, i had done that originally and didnt like it at all. Id T the return pump and direct some to the fuge via a valve and then the rest to the tank via a valve.
jasen
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
I actually built a corner tank once...:thinking:

To use it as "sump/fuge/return...will be a challange...
Need to get "actual" size we can work with... and then do triangulated calcs to see what can work...
Then "fit" in equipment...:thinking:...
Kinda like...
 
saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
The stand is 22.5 by 22.5 bordering inside cornors, The center of the radius would be 22 all measurmens would have to be reduced by 1 inch so there is room on the sides for my timed switchs so we would be looking at a tank 21.5 by 21.5 by 21.5 or, if i can have the front of the tank done "BOWED" 21.5 X 21.5 on a 21 center radius. I apprieciate the pictures, the tank is up and running with a "rube goldberged fuge now: Used a 20 gallon hexagon and split it down the middle, fuge on 1 side. pump and skimmer on the other its working but I think it could be better I am useing a cora life super skimmer, the skimmer with pump will need an area of approx 11x7 inside the fuge. the tank would need to be removed from the stand to install the new fuge
 
saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
Originally Posted by Squidd
I actually built a corner tank once...:thinking:

To use it as "sump/fuge/return...will be a challange...
Need to get "actual" size we can work with... and then do triangulated calcs to see what can work...
Then "fit" in equipment...:thinking:...
Kinda like...
unreal I would have never thought that outlay up
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
21.5 on a side, 18" tall in a triangle is only 18 gallons...
Would be OK for sump only, but really "squeezing" it if you try for "fuge" area too..
Because of the shape, you don't have a lot of "useable" footprint to work with...
 
saltysteve

saltysteve

Member
No I dont have much room. So Im going to try it anyway. Every thing in my life has been on the hair edge why not my refugium
 
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