DIY Sump/Fuge

[elm0]

After much research and checking out the premade products on the market I've decided to attempt to build my own fuge/sump, I think i'm going to use a 20g glass tank and silicone in my own glass baffles on each end a few inches from the top of the tank to allow water to overflow into the fuge and then into the return champer for the submersible return pump. I think i'm going to use one of the ready make hangon overflows from CPR, but I have no idea what kind, size or where to purchase the return pump. My tank is only a 46G bowfront, and this is my first experience with a fuge/sump of any kind, so any suggestions would be appreciated....thanks

[NaCl_H2O]

Sounds like a fun project! A few comments:

Water flow through the sump may be a little too high for the fuge "section", you may want to consider another small tank (10g) for a fuge with a powerhead supplying water flow from the sump? But this will greatly complicate your plumbing. Or you could bypass the fuge section with most of the sump waterflow somehow??

I have been told that the CPR overflows are junk! I would get one from Dan, or beter yet have your tank drilled for an in-tank overflow.

Best submersible pump IMO is an Eheim

Have fun!!

[elm0]

What i was trying to do is to have a sump/fuge all in one tank...i dont really see the need to have two seperate units, esp considering the size of my tank and the amount of space i have to work with under my stand.
So...too much water flow through the fuge will be bad for it? Unfortunately drilling this tank is not an option, my next one will most certainly be drilled, but i'm kind of trying to experiment with this one before moving up with you big boys...lol
I pm's dan a while back a few time but never really got any usefull info from him, perhaps he was busy with holiday stuff, maybe i should try again.
As for the pump do you have a suggestion for which Eheim would work best for my application, i have an Eheim canister filter now, and have been very pleased with their quality.

[NaCl_H2O]

One purpose of the fuge is to remove "bad" stuff from the water, such as Nitrites/nitrates/phosphates - that's what the macro algae in the fuge does. If you are pumping 10x turnover or more through your 46g tank, that means 460 GPH through your 20g fuge/sump = 23x turnover and probably much more if you just look at the fuge volume. At this flow rate you won't be able to keep sand in your fuge, much less algae ;)

If you are turning over less water through your tank (say 5x) and adding flow to the tank via powerheads, etc., that is still a bunch of flow for a fuge. You really want a low flow (5x or less of the fuge volume) flowing through it in order to give it time to "work" - so if your fuge is say 10g, you want to pump 50 gph through it, maybe even up to 100 gph, but not more.

Regarding Ehiem pumps, that all depends on the target flow rate you are trying to achieve from the sump to your main tank? They have 158, 317, & 602 GPH models, any of which may be appropriate based on your target flow?

Just taking a section of your sump, with full water flow, and "making" it a fuge won't accomplish the desired resuly (IMO). Somehow you need to flow most of the sump flow around the fuge - browse through fuge posts and look at various designs for ideas.

Hope this helps?

Oh, and I am sure Dan will response if you try again. Or many LFSs carry his overflow products that he mass produces - check Texas Tropical. (Just noticed you are Austin - scratch the TX Tropical suggestion).

[elm0]

Any other perspectives?