Refugium Sump??
- Thread starter twogirls
- Start date
trigger11
Member
I will make an attempt to answer some of your questions. Others can chime in as well who may have more experience.
1. Basic Sump theory. Typically this process will start by having some kind of overflow system on the tank. The water will overflow and then go into what would be called a sump. For the most part it is designed like a smaller sized tank with several compartments. In first compartment where you have the overflow water coming in you would either have bio-balls or live rock in there for filtration. Additionally you could have other compartments where you could have a small refugium or a protein skimmer. From the sump you would then have some kind of return pump going back up into the top of the tank. Too make a long explanation short there are multiple configurations you could get with a sump. It all depends really if you are buying one that is pre-made or if you are making your own. Any container would work really.
2. Basic refugium theory. This would also be some kind of smaller sized tank set up. These will oftentimes be less complicated in the set up. The main idea is that it will house plants. So you really only need to have a place where you can keep a light, and then have the way to get water moved into and out of it. Some benefits to having a refugium are that you can have a place where it helps copepods grow for those fishes that eat them. Having the extra algae plants in the system like chaeto helps keep your nitrates lowered. This makes it so the regular algae that would grow in the tank doesnt get a chance to do anything. So all the way around they are beneficial.
You can find some sumps which have a compartment with a fug built in there. It really will come down to what space requirements you have as to how creative you will have to be to get some things going.
Of course a lot of this will depend on tank size as well. For larger sized tanks I would definitely recommend having both a sump and refugium as part of the filtration process.
I myself have a 60g hexagon tank and I have both. It really helps on the maintenance end and after only being set up for 4 months now I hardly ever have to check for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrate levels. They always run at zero.
I hope I was able to answer some of your questions.
1. Basic Sump theory. Typically this process will start by having some kind of overflow system on the tank. The water will overflow and then go into what would be called a sump. For the most part it is designed like a smaller sized tank with several compartments. In first compartment where you have the overflow water coming in you would either have bio-balls or live rock in there for filtration. Additionally you could have other compartments where you could have a small refugium or a protein skimmer. From the sump you would then have some kind of return pump going back up into the top of the tank. Too make a long explanation short there are multiple configurations you could get with a sump. It all depends really if you are buying one that is pre-made or if you are making your own. Any container would work really.
2. Basic refugium theory. This would also be some kind of smaller sized tank set up. These will oftentimes be less complicated in the set up. The main idea is that it will house plants. So you really only need to have a place where you can keep a light, and then have the way to get water moved into and out of it. Some benefits to having a refugium are that you can have a place where it helps copepods grow for those fishes that eat them. Having the extra algae plants in the system like chaeto helps keep your nitrates lowered. This makes it so the regular algae that would grow in the tank doesnt get a chance to do anything. So all the way around they are beneficial.
You can find some sumps which have a compartment with a fug built in there. It really will come down to what space requirements you have as to how creative you will have to be to get some things going.
Of course a lot of this will depend on tank size as well. For larger sized tanks I would definitely recommend having both a sump and refugium as part of the filtration process.
I myself have a 60g hexagon tank and I have both. It really helps on the maintenance end and after only being set up for 4 months now I hardly ever have to check for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrate levels. They always run at zero.
I hope I was able to answer some of your questions.
twogirls
Member
I'm going to try to explain what I plan on buying and maybe it will help me understand more of everyone's wonderful information.
dimensions 24x10x12
1st chamber (where the water overflows) is 6 inches
2nd chamber (where refugium is grown) is 9 inches
3rd chamber (where protein skimmer and return pump are placed) is 9 inches
refugium capasity is 18 gallons and 800 gallons per hour
I don't quite understand what part is the sump and what part is the refugium. Or if basically the "refugium" is just a big word for where the cheato grows. I don't know. HELP
dimensions 24x10x12
1st chamber (where the water overflows) is 6 inches
2nd chamber (where refugium is grown) is 9 inches
3rd chamber (where protein skimmer and return pump are placed) is 9 inches
refugium capasity is 18 gallons and 800 gallons per hour
I don't quite understand what part is the sump and what part is the refugium. Or if basically the "refugium" is just a big word for where the cheato grows. I don't know. HELP
trainfever
Active Member
A sump is really just a way to expand the water in your system thereby making it less of a chance for you water parameters to become a dangerous level. Too many people make way too much of a deal with baffles. The real use of baffles is to keep bubbles from gettong pumped back into your display tank. If you have a return pump with a sponge filter on the intake, then baffles are not needed at all.
trigger11
Member
Yes, refugium is just the word basically where the chaeto or other live plants will grow. The main sump part of the equation is the first compartment the water will overflow in to. So you would have either bio balls or LR there. From what I understand you have to clean the bio balls fairly often so LR would be recommended.
There are many different options for the overflow. Basically, you have a return pump in the sump which brings the water back up into the tank. This water would be continually flowing which is why you need an overflow. So basically the tank fills up with water until it hits the overflow. (The water level in the tank will always stay the same then. You would notice evaporation loss in your sump). The overflow is more of a gravity thing and not a mechanical thing if that makes sense. So, either your tank will be drilled with an overflow. Or you will need to get some other kind of hookup there to get the water down to the sump. I am not familiar with those other options so I wont be much help there. If it helps any when I got the point where you are at I spent a fair amount of time in the LFS talking to them and then bought the sump from them to make it worth their time. That way I could get a visual on it.
There are many different options for the overflow. Basically, you have a return pump in the sump which brings the water back up into the tank. This water would be continually flowing which is why you need an overflow. So basically the tank fills up with water until it hits the overflow. (The water level in the tank will always stay the same then. You would notice evaporation loss in your sump). The overflow is more of a gravity thing and not a mechanical thing if that makes sense. So, either your tank will be drilled with an overflow. Or you will need to get some other kind of hookup there to get the water down to the sump. I am not familiar with those other options so I wont be much help there. If it helps any when I got the point where you are at I spent a fair amount of time in the LFS talking to them and then bought the sump from them to make it worth their time. That way I could get a visual on it.
sexyfishers
Member
??
running a 125 g, have bioballs, do I need to add chaeto to my compartment where the skimmer sits? Or am I good with what Ive got now. Also, read on another post of someone adding hermits to the fuge. Is this also something I should think about?
running a 125 g, have bioballs, do I need to add chaeto to my compartment where the skimmer sits? Or am I good with what Ive got now. Also, read on another post of someone adding hermits to the fuge. Is this also something I should think about?
trainfever
Active Member
Originally Posted by sexyfishers
??
running a 125 g, have bioballs, do I need to add chaeto to my compartment where the skimmer sits? Or am I good with what Ive got now. Also, read on another post of someone adding hermits to the fuge. Is this also something I should think about?
Do you have live rock in our tank? If so, dump the bio balls and put some rubble rock and chaeto in that chamber.
??
running a 125 g, have bioballs, do I need to add chaeto to my compartment where the skimmer sits? Or am I good with what Ive got now. Also, read on another post of someone adding hermits to the fuge. Is this also something I should think about?
Do you have live rock in our tank? If so, dump the bio balls and put some rubble rock and chaeto in that chamber.