New sump refugium question

[Hanali]

there are more than enuff bristle worms and such in your live rock. there really is no need to go and spend money on a pod culture they will cover your fuge in due time.

Yeah so... my live rock. Well it is alive but it has seen better days.

See I have had this tank up for almost 3 years and I am shocked it comes back after a long trip or my lack of knowledge and money. So not sure how much will come back. 2 weeks ago there was some pods and I saw a bristle worm. Now... nothing but I let it go some to rebuild it to this.

fuges can serve several functions, they can be used to reduce nitrates(DSB, macro), stabilize parameters such as PH and alk, and /or to provide a natural food source for your tank. what you are trying to accomplish will dictate the design of your fuge. most folks on here who use s fuge seem to use it primarilly to reduce nitrates, so DSB and macro are the order of the day, but liverock rubble is prime for growing pods for fresh fishy treats 24/7.

So why do I have a fuge... well to up the amount of water for my 55. I was only holding about 5 gallons extra and tonight I loaded 15 more gallons to the tank with the new sump. The fuge is to hopefully stabilize my tank so when I travel for work for a week I can come back and not have it crash. I am not the best about water tests and all that other stuff so trying to make it a hair more tolerant for those times I am not there.

The sump is fashioned in a stair step so one chamber is lower than the one before it. I T'd the line and placed a ball joint to limit the flow.

I am really unsure how to hold the pipe up and over the sump, but that is easy enough.

So far no leaks and I need a TON of sand.

So skimmer and return is working. Looking for sand and Cheato... or however you spell it.