Help with sump type

[tarain11]

I am so lost :cry_smile: on how to get my new 120 gal tank started. The tank is pre drilled I need a sump and have been looking on line there are so many and I don’t know what to purchase. I am hoping some of you will drop in and give me your opinion. I would also like set up a refugium in addition to the sump. Do I hubby build me a sump or buy a sump new/used? :at_wits_end: Is there truly a difference in the type of sump I use and if there is what makes one better than the other? Like anyone else I would be open to saving some $$$ if I can.

If I purchase new these are the items I have looked at:
ESHOPPS Reef sump RS-200 Dual
ProFlex Model 4 Sump

[FireWater]

There are a bunch out there. I'm on the phone right now and being lazy so I can't pull up links but, there are plenty of good examples of sumps on here. Look at Texreefers 60 gallon cube, Big_Puns 150, I like mine and it is under Johns new water holder in large tank forum.

[ramsey]

Talk to hobogato here on MAAST. He builds custom sumps and could probably help you out. I think Elegant Reef also builds them. I'd see what they can do before buying either of those.

[tarain11]

There are a bunch out there. I'm on the phone right now and being lazy so I can't pull up links but, there are plenty of good examples of sumps on here. Look at Texreefers 60 gallon cube, Big_Puns 150, I like mine and it is under Johns new water holder in large tank forum. Thank you will look them up.

[tarain11]

Talk to hobogato here on MAAST. He builds custom sumps and could probably help you out. I think Elegant Reef also builds them. I'd see what they can do before buying either of those. Thank you for your reply I will check out both maybe drag hubby out to Elegant Reef today..:bigsmile:

[johnsutter71]

I took at 29 gallon tank and had glass baffles cut at Lowes then used aquarium silicone to attach them where I wanted. I used a T valve so it would drain into the skimmer and fuge side then then it flows to the middle chamber which has the return pump. The whole thing cost me less then $50.

[tarain11]

I took at 29 gallon tank and had glass baffles cut at Lowes then used aquarium silicone to attach them where I wanted. I used a T valve so it would drain into the skimmer and fuge side then then it flows to the middle chamber which has the return pump. The whole thing cost me less then $50.

nice much less then the trigger system

[johnsutter71]

nd you wont have to pay for shipping or tax. People are spending way to much money on things that you can make for yourself much cheaper. I know it's supply and demand but these companies that make this stuff must be making huge profits. I also cut a side door into my stand so I can get access easier. After I got the materials it took me only a few days to make just to make sure the silicone was completely dry.

http://youtu.be/T7AlnWMHKWU

[tarain11]

nd you wont have to pay for shipping or tax. People are spending way to much money on things that you can make for yourself much cheaper. I know it's supply and demand but these companies that make this stuff must be making huge profits. I also cut a side door into my stand so I can get access easier. After I got the materials it took me only a few days to make just to make sure the silicone was completely dry.

http://youtu.be/T7AlnWMHKWU

the fuge on your sump is the last chamber does it matter where you place the fuge the ruby trigger I was looking at has the fuge in the middle.

[jcnkt_ellis]

My fuge is my first chamber, so short answer is no it doesn't matter. As long as you have a slow to moderate flow through the fuge it doesn't really matter. Some googling will show that people have split return lines so that one goes to the fuge and the other to the skimmer, while others believe in placing the skimmer after the fuge to make sure the macro gets first dibs on the nutrients in the water. All in all, its personal preference with no concrete empirical data saying which "one" way is the best.

[johnsutter71]

The reason why my return chamber is in the middle is because you wouldn't want the nutrients from the water to be filtered like it would be if the fuge was in the middle. The fuge is where you want your beneficial bacteria and pods to multiply so in order to do so you need detritus from the tank for a food supply. filtered water going into the fuge defeats the purpose. You would have a gate valve on your PVC which goes into the fuge so you can throttle down the water flow. I recommend you visit Melevsreef to learn more about refugiums. Every thing you would ever need to know about how they work can be found here. I spent a lot of time studying his web page when I started learning about how to maintain a reef system.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

[tarain11]

The reason why my return chamber is in the middle is because you wouldn't want the nutrients from the water to be filtered like it would be if the fuge was in the middle. The fuge is where you want your beneficial bacteria and pods to multiply so in order to do so you need detritus from the tank for a food supply. filtered water going into the fuge defeats the purpose. You would have a gate valve on your PVC which goes into the fuge so you can throttle down the water flow. I recommend you visit Melevsreef to learn more about refugiums. Every thing you would ever need to know about how they work can be found here. I spent a lot of time studying his web page when I started learning about how to maintain a reef system.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

Wow! alot of info to read