Sump help

[mm2meyer]

Hey guys,
Ok, I now have the stand and just moved the 180 into the house. That was a PITA! But before I can put the tank on the stand I need to get the sump and refugium set up so it's all working and plumbed before I can place the DT. This is where I need advice. The sump is going to be a 40 breeder, and the refugium is going to be a 20L. When I asked my LFS for the best way he told me to build a little stand for the 20 so it sits higher than the sump and use a bulkhead to run the overflow into the sump with one drain from the overflow going directly into the sump and the other drain from the other overflow T'd off and draining partially into the refuge and the sump. Is this a good Idea or should I have both drain into the refuge then have the refuge drain into the sump and then back into the DT??? I can draw a diagram and post it if that would help any.

 

[mm2meyer]

Ok here's the link for the diagram not super clean but gives you an idea of how it should look if I did it the way my LFS told me to do it. Any suggestions or critiques would be greatly appreciated. Pictures by mm2meyer - Photobucket

 

[yote]

I set it like your LFS advised.You dont want a whole of flow through the fuge.The water needs some dwell time in there for the fuge to actually do its job.

 

[mm2meyer]

EPIC! thanks yote I appreciate it a lot

 

[mm2meyer]

ok one more question, Does the shape of LR matter. I'm putting some in the filtration system and was going to make my own and to makimize the amount of rock in there I was going to make in blocks with spacers in between to maximize surface contact. and would it go into the 40 or into the refuge, or does it matter?

 

[yote]

Personally,I like irregular shaped rock,even in the fuge.I dont know that it would actually make a difference though.ANd yeah,put the rock in the fuge.

 

[mm2meyer]

good to go. thanks!

 

[yote]

Anytime.

 

[mm2meyer]

ok now I'm ready to build. If I'm doing a sump tank and a separate refugium tank would I need partitions in refugium or just the inlet from the Dt and the drain into the sump? And as for the sump, besides the bubble trap between the return pump and the skimmer/heater area will I need a partition between the skimmer area and the inlets from the refugium/Dt into the sump??? If it seems a little unclear check the picture posted and you'd get the idea of what I'm talking about

 

[yote]

I dont think you'll need a divider in the fuge.Of course it wouldnt be a bad idea to set up something with some eggcrete to keep the chaeto out of the overflow.
Just let the water dump into the skimmer section,or maybe use a filtersock to catch the large particles.But a divider wont be needed between the drain and skimmer.
And I'd just let the fuge drain into the skimmer section.

 

[mm2meyer]

would the pre filter that came with bulkhead work for chaeto?

 

[yote]

It'll keep the chaeto out of the plumbing,but it'll also keep the pods out.

 

[mm2meyer]

k thanks!