sump/refugium question

[zachary]

Right now I'm running my 75g with lr,ls,critters and an eheim biological canister. My nitrates are sky high. So I want to make a sump/refugium out of a 30g that I have (frog is going back to the creek). My question is what kind of filtration should I use in the middle chamber. I plan on adding an emperor aquatics protein skimmer in the first chamber, possibly feeding the sump. The eheim I'm using has river stones as the biological media. They have been running another tank for three years and then mine for the past 8 months. Should I use these in the new sump?
Also, I've read that overflows aren't really ideal. Skimming the top water brings the oils in. That's why I thought of using a power head to feed the protein skimmer which would empty into the first chamber, filter in the middle?? , caulerpa,etc in third chamber with a power head as a return?
The more I think about it, the more confused I get. Am I confusing a sump with a refugium?
Thanks for any help.

 

[dburr]

Overflows skim the top and gets rid of the scum that builds up. Also if you skim you will be skimming out this matter. I couldn't wait to build my overflow and set it up! but that's me. I don't use any thing else bt lr/ls for my 55 gal. LOL

 

[dburr]

Also I think you should just use macro algea for the middle camber. it has worked on nitrates for alot of people.

 

[jimi]

Yeah dburr is right, overflows are definately what you want.

 

[jimi]

By the way canisters are notorius for producing high nitrates. How much live rcok and sand do you have?

 

[fender]

Another tip about the overflow - Hope I am not beating a dead horse at this point.
- most of the dissolved nutrients in our tanks form a water air bond. One end of the molecules like water, the other air. As a result, these molecules 'stick' to air bubbles, this is why a protein skimmer works. Even without a protein skimmer, if a tank has good circulation, these particles are drawn to the surface where a water/air environment exists. Over time (not very much time) a film will appear. Getting rid of this film is a very good idea. Sending it into your skimmer will remove it from your tank which is why most ppl use an overflow.
A sump can be turned into a refugium and often is.
Technically a refugium is a place for macroalgea, amphipods, copepods and others beneficial critters to grow without predation. Macro algae such as caulerpa can be grown a periodically harvested allowing excess nitrates/phosphates to be removed from the system. Water flow should be slow for optimal results.
A sump is usually just a plumbed container placed under the tank where equipment is kept so as to remove it from the main tank or because the equipment won't fit in the main tank.
A section of a sump is usualy walled off for some water flow thru it, a live sand bed with algae, some rubble rock etc and a light placed above it for a refugium.
[ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: fender ]

 

[zachary]

I have about 50lbs of live rock and 3in of live sand, both taken from that same mature tank. I would like to add more of both. How can I add more sand?
Back to the point, if I use an overflow into the first chamber can I then use a power head feeding the skimmer inside that same chamber. And then there would be no mechanical filtration? I would like to grow some macro algae because it doesn't survive in my tank.
I understand the difference between a sump and a refugium, but can I make a hybrid of both into one? equiptment in first chamber and algae in last? Thanks

 

[johnnysalt]

Zachary,
That is EXACTLY what I am doing with my sump...silcone for the dividers is drying as we speak! Here's an excellent idea my lfs guy came up with to reduce the gph through the refugium section ONLY! I wanted to have the refugium as the 3rd section, with the return being last...BUT then you have 500 gph (or however fast your return pump is) flying through your caulerpa! Check out my diagram of my sump with refugium. If the pic doesn't show up, email me for it.... johntori@home.com With the ball valve, shown in red in the pic, I can regulate how many gph's I want in the refugium alone. I'm about halfway finished with the project now....what diameter tubing or pvc do you guys use for your overflow and return lines?
Hope that helps you Zachary....there's probably a few ways to do it, but that idea would probably work for you too.
My pic link works now!!
[ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: JohnnySalt ]

 

[dburr]

My overflow is 3/4 I.D. pcv. I'm running at about 350 gal. with my head. I wish I made my overflow 1" I.D. It will be upgraded when my tank is.