Seperate fuge?

What are your thoughts on combined sump/fuge vs. a seperate sump and seperate fuge setup. I have seperate right now and was thinking about doing a 55g combined setup to save some space. I could really use the extra 2 feet for a chiller and whatever else. Benefits to either? I have looked at alot of sump/fuge designs and it seems ones with the fuge on one side and pump in middle would work very well.

 

I like the idea of combining them for several reasons, a few being that it saves space, it's less total equipment to mess with, you don't have to worry about getting water from one to the other and so on. When I finally get a chance to make mine it will be combined for sure, but that's just my opinion.

 

I agree with bc219 I have mine separate right now but I will find a larger tank to combine them in the future. Right now I have all the equipment in the master bedroom closet. You will use less pumps and less room and it serves the same function if they are separate or combined.

 

If you need space then combine them. I have mine separated but I move a lot of water across a 4' 75g sump that if I shortened it I would have bubbles getting back to the display tank.

 

thanks guys. Yeah I didn't want to use extra pumps either. When I did this fuge, I got a 20g and built a small stand for it so it was higher than my sump. Then drilled it and ran plumbing to drain into the sump via gravity. After doing all that I just want a one piece unit lol. I should have done it to begin with!!!

 

Yeah Otty if I had the room that you have I would definitely do seperate. You can have some serious added water volume in there. I want to keep everything under the cabinet. Also my only problem with the one sump/fuge and having the return chamber in the middle is I have an external pump. There isn't enough width to get the pump on the side of the sump. So is it ok to just run a 90 and a couple feet of pvc to the pump and locate that a cuple feet away? In other words will this affect its performance?

 

No. I would make the pipe diameter a little bigger though so you don't have flow restrictions. If it's 1" then run 1.25" PVC to it. Two 45's would be better then one 90 if you have the room.

 

I'm setting mine up seperate, mostly because i have the room, and will run the sump return into the Fuge ( 55 gallon ) that will then gravity flow back into the DT from behind the wall ( pipe covered by canopy ) but I'm concerned about micro bubbles into the DT from the fuge? will only be about a 14 inch travel with about 3 inch or less drop....and have the return stop under water in the DT....? Will this work ??