Sump Conversion/Fuge

[RNall]

I'm going to have some time this weekend to try and convert some space in my sump to a fuge. I have some ideas but wanted to see what some of you guys may come up with as well. Any ideas are welcome :D

I have a 300 gallon rated Aqua Logic Wet Dry sump that's no longer a wet/dry. It's 35X12.25X18. Please see the drawing. The bio ball chamber and drip trays rested on the rails (red).

I want to convert as much space as possible and do it for as little as possible (of course). Down the road I know I will upgrade (I'll probably call Ace). For now, I want to try and make this work for a few months. So it doesn't have to be pretty, heck I could use epoxy putty, eggcrate and acrylic to do it without even taking it out...

I have a micro bubble problem so I want to fix that as well.

So, what do you think???

[SaltyJim]

Ron,
Looks good, but I think you will probably want to increase the sump volume.
Are any of the cross-width pieces already in place? This looks something like mine, but I was able to use the existing pieces and just add one in between to create a larger sump volume before spilling to the return section. I can take a pic tonight if it helps.

[RNall]

Please do send one!

I'm a bonehead. I drew it incorrectly. The first green line where the sponge is does not exist (to the left of the tall piece with holes in the top). The sponge fits between the tall vertical piece with horizontal holes drilled in the top and the shorter on to the right of it. Besides that, the sump is exactly like it is shown right now. I have not made any modifications yet.

[RNall]

Was that confusing? Sorry, please see updated drawing. This is what i have to work with.

I was thinking of just adding a tall piece from the bottom up just left of the existing top down tall piece.

Thanks,

[RNall]

Oh, and removing the sponge.

[SaltyJim]

Was that confusing? Sorry, please see updated drawing. This is what i have to work with.

I was thinking of just adding a tall piece from the bottom up just left of the existing top down tall piece.

Thanks,

That is exactly how I did it. Sorry, but I forgot to get a pic. I put my piece from bottom up about 2 inches from the top down piece. This gives a nice over-under-over. If you leave the the far left top-down piece, that will make it so you kinda have 2 chambers. That's how I can keep the cheato contained.

[RNall]

Did you extend the short right piece that now holds the sponge in place? Was this piece cut out as it is in mine?

Thanks!

[SaltyJim]

It was a cut out piece...I think that is so the flow can go through the sponge. I just cut another piece of acrylic just a little taller than that other one and silicone'd it into place. It was easy since the other piece that I removed was just propped in place against some small braces on the side, and held tight by the sponge. The water line on the return side of mine is still higher than that piece though. Just helps to stop the bubbles.

[RNall]

Ok, my attempts at making a bit of a fuge out of this sump were futile...

My flow is really high and it just won't work well. I definitely couldnt put sand in there at all. Chaeto gets ripped from eggcrate - it's bad. So, I need to do something else...

What do you think of this? I wonder how busy Ace is???? I wouldn't have to shut things down and rip the sump out. IT would just require a little plumbing.

Do you think the rails would support it?

[hobogato]

sent ya a pm, but i qas thinking about your question about the rails supporting the weight. not sure they will, but i can build a support stand for under the fuge out of pvc or acrylic.

[LoneStar]

Yeah I would second the support stand made out of pvc. Thats what I did for my fuge. Very strong. I'm 250+ lbs and I was jumping on mine.
http://www.maast.org/albums/August06TOTM/Filtration.jpg