Len let me know what time you going to the expo, Carl and I are also going. Maybe goto FAB before we go..
Len's cube 2B
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Sump
OK, here is the sump, decided to make it bigger. It is 150cmx50cmx60cm with a total volume of 450l, and will hold approximately 300l of water.
It will have separate compartments for a DSB (big area in the left), an area for a ball of Cheato (in the middle) and a play area on the right where I can experiment with live rock, frags, etc. These areas will be fed from a Tee-off from the overflow (before the skimmer) and three valves, as well as a pipe with from the skimmer outlet with three valves. In this way I can control the flow trough each area and supply it with skimmed and unskimmed water.
The skimmer will sit on the side on the left and the sump return pump in front on the right. The main flow will be trough the channel at the back with two bubble traps.
Have seen much elaborated teeth designs on refugium overflow, why do people use it? My logic tells me that a wide overflow area will work the best for refugiums as well (like in the main tank) as it will catch the most things for export to the main tank. Not sure if it is easier for algae and snails to get out this way?
Can someone pls post some photos of how their Reef Octopus “connects” into the sump, not sure what holes I need?
Will this work?
This is the sump from the front
this is the sump from the side and back
this is the sump from the top and back
OK, here is the sump, decided to make it bigger. It is 150cmx50cmx60cm with a total volume of 450l, and will hold approximately 300l of water.
It will have separate compartments for a DSB (big area in the left), an area for a ball of Cheato (in the middle) and a play area on the right where I can experiment with live rock, frags, etc. These areas will be fed from a Tee-off from the overflow (before the skimmer) and three valves, as well as a pipe with from the skimmer outlet with three valves. In this way I can control the flow trough each area and supply it with skimmed and unskimmed water.
The skimmer will sit on the side on the left and the sump return pump in front on the right. The main flow will be trough the channel at the back with two bubble traps.
Have seen much elaborated teeth designs on refugium overflow, why do people use it? My logic tells me that a wide overflow area will work the best for refugiums as well (like in the main tank) as it will catch the most things for export to the main tank. Not sure if it is easier for algae and snails to get out this way?
Can someone pls post some photos of how their Reef Octopus “connects” into the sump, not sure what holes I need?
Will this work?
This is the sump from the front
this is the sump from the side and back
this is the sump from the top and back
Mekaeel
Moderator
well planned out Len!cant wait to see this tank once constructed.
Best program I have worked with, this took me about 1/2h to draw! I still don't know how to change things after I have drawn it though, even thinking of reading the manual
I wanted to make sure I can run the skimmer at its optimum flow (still not sure what it is) and have separate flow/control over the water that flow trough the DSB, refugium and playpen.
So this way, the main water flow will be from the skimmer outlet into the receiving area, trough the debris and bubble trap into the channel. Here it will mix with the water from the DSB/refugium and playpen, there is then another debris/bubble trap before it flow into the return chamber where an external pump will take it from. Heaters will go into this area, and into the inlet area if required.
The DSB, refugium and playpen will be feed from overhead pipes (I still don't know how to draw those). There will be two pipe "buzz bars". The primary one will come from the skimmer outlet with a down pipe and ball valve above each area. The secondary one will come from the skimmer inlet, with the same configuration as the first one.
This way I will be able to feed the different areas with skimmed and un-skimmed water and have different flow rates without in each without affecting the skimmer flow in a significant way. I will also be able to bypass the skimmer, without having to switch off the return pump.
For example, I can change the playpen from slow flow when I have LPS in it to high flow when I have SPS in it, without affecting the flow in the DSB.
I have raised the panes that internally separate the areas with 1 cm to keep the waters separate.
Been taken trough the concept of a gravity feed refugium by someone this week, so thinking about that now, but is proofing to be more complex. What I like about this design that it is all gravity feed and I will only have the skimmer bubble pump and a return pump.
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Len, looking great. I take me hat off for you. I have not seen someone plan so much before just diving in and setting up a tank. Well done Len.
Overflow Refuguim
Hi
Need some views and opinions. Have been told about, and have been reading a lot on Refugiums/DSBs that gravity feeds into your tank as oppose to the water been pumped back into the tank.
This requires that you raise the Refugium/DSB to a level above the tank’s water level, you then pump water from you sump into the refugium and it then overflow out of the refugium into the tank.
The idea behind all this is that the pump after the refugium kills most the “little things” and you therefore can’t restock your tank properly with life.
All good and well, but my equipment will be in a outside cabinet that is significantly below the ground level of the tank (81cm), the refugium will have to be raised 206 cm (81 (to ground level)+ 50 (tank stand) + 75(tank height)) of the ground. Even if I only let half of the refugium be above the water level (-30) the cabinet will end up to be 265cm high (+60 (refugium height +30 (airspace above refugium) as I have to make space for a light and fans.
It is not a construction issue and I can make something strong enough and bolt it to the wall for stability, but:
Going natural will cost a lot more in terms of construction cost, glass and a pump and will put the refugium out of normal view. I also have a worry that I will be to lazy to get a ladder every day to climb up to check it out.
Do you think the benefit I will get from this overflow refugium arrangement offsets the cost and effort? :2mad:
Hi
Need some views and opinions. Have been told about, and have been reading a lot on Refugiums/DSBs that gravity feeds into your tank as oppose to the water been pumped back into the tank.
This requires that you raise the Refugium/DSB to a level above the tank’s water level, you then pump water from you sump into the refugium and it then overflow out of the refugium into the tank.
The idea behind all this is that the pump after the refugium kills most the “little things” and you therefore can’t restock your tank properly with life.
All good and well, but my equipment will be in a outside cabinet that is significantly below the ground level of the tank (81cm), the refugium will have to be raised 206 cm (81 (to ground level)+ 50 (tank stand) + 75(tank height)) of the ground. Even if I only let half of the refugium be above the water level (-30) the cabinet will end up to be 265cm high (+60 (refugium height +30 (airspace above refugium) as I have to make space for a light and fans.
It is not a construction issue and I can make something strong enough and bolt it to the wall for stability, but:
Going natural will cost a lot more in terms of construction cost, glass and a pump and will put the refugium out of normal view. I also have a worry that I will be to lazy to get a ladder every day to climb up to check it out.
Do you think the benefit I will get from this overflow refugium arrangement offsets the cost and effort? :2mad:
you know my feelings on this subject, but on that amount of work and effort I'd say NO
google sketchup, you can download it for free and Len is the Sketchup GURU!
Here's the link http://sketchup.google.com/
Not working
OK, I gave up on this idea, here is it in scale :2mad:
OK, I gave up on this idea, here is it in scale :2mad:
Hey great sketch! I have a above tank dsb / sump and it is just about 300mm higher than the tank, just have a good flow capacity back to the tank. Perhaps two 40mm pipes. My feed pump has a t piece on it with valve towards the display, so I can regulate the water going to the sump. Because I have just one 40mm pipe feeding back to the display tank.
Sorry, never responded to you, been off the site for a few years.
No, it has not been build yet. Long story, placed the order with someone who disappeared with my money and tank (not sure if he ever actually build it).
The final design was more modest (75cm x 75 cm x 75cm), star-fire glass on 3 sides and a bottom close loop system as Tom suggested, never got the walk around figured out, so the overflow remained on the back.
Got a box full of equipment (Ocean Motion 4way, lights, skimmer, etc) waiting in my store room. Will look at this again once I stopped moving (now in Cape Town), bought a Nano to get going again intill I resurrect this.
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