All about Sumps Filters and Fuges

Quick question, just so I understand this correctly.

I already have a wet/dry filter that has a protein skimmer built into it.

So my plan:

1. Create a Y Fitting at my current filter before it goes thru mechanical filtration, sending a PVC line to my fuge and of course just cap it off at the end of it and drill some holes so it has a slow fill.

OR

Would it be better to tap the return line to the tank then run it thru the fuge.


The question I have is and where I am confused is does the area with the sand and macroalgae just overflow into the sump where the return pump is when you create that plexi wall?

Do I still need to have those 3 other pieces of high and low plexi?

Thanks and let me know if you need any clarification.

 

Depends on how your wet dry is set up.

First it isn't plexi, it's glass. Yours is probably acrylic so stick with that. Use plastic with plastic and glass with glass for best bonding.

yes the fuge just overflows the baffle to the return.

Those three baffles are bubble traps for the skimmer. Water goes over under over... bubbles can't make it to the return. yours bropably already has something to deal with bubbles.

The best way is to split the drain coming from the tank. Teeing off the reurn just sort of recircs the sump. It will work that way and people do it cause it is simpler, but the best way is from the drain.


Question... are you converting your wet/dry, or making a new sump/fuge. I just ask cause if you are converting you have to deal with what you have.... if you are asking these questions cause you are making a new one then ya, you want to do it like I have it for best rtesults.

 

I am just adding to it. As you can see the wet/dry and skimmer are together. I just plan on T'ing into the drain line and setting up a fuge with just the sand, macro algae, and the return line.

Then running another return line to the tank.

This is the RP3 filter I have

 

OK then... don't worry about teeing off. You tee to be able to supply a fuge and skimmer independently, then they go to the return in the middle. So with what you have everything is in line and all the flow will still be going through the fuge. Yes you will divert raw water to the fuge, but flow wil be the same through it.... plus without knowing how much your skimmer processes, you may not supply it with enough.

I don't know how much flow you have through the filter so I'm not sure if a sand bed will stay put in the bio-media chamber. Depends on how it flows from the skimmer. Fine sand is best for a DSB and it might get stirred up in there.

You can put in some cheato and light it and get some nutrient export from it. That would be beneficial. Pods will live there and without fish eating them will still keep pods in your system. It isn't exactly ideal... but everything can be tweaked to make it more beneficial.

 

Are you talking about putting the sand in with the bio ball chamber? I am totally confused with your whole post.

 

What most do when putting in a fuge in a W/D is they take out the bio balls.

It just dawned on me though by your post that you may be doing a fuge on the side of what you have.

So are you trying to incorporate a fuge inside the filter you have.... or are you trying to add a fuge along side the filter you have?

 

Along the side. Outside of the filter entirely and into a small 10gal aquarium.

That W/D is incredibly small and narrow.

 

OK... glad to join you on the same page.

So things you want to think of....

Make sure you can up your flow rate, or do what you can to make sure you have the most. The flow you have goes to your skimmer and filter... now you are going to divert some of that to a fuge. You don't wan to starve the skimmer and bio balls.

Next, when you tee off make sure you are on the bottom of the drain. You wan to know you have water filling the line going to the fuge and not a bunch of air. Do you know what I mean?

You want to tee off the drain not the return line. It will work either way, but teeing off the return line sets up a bit of a recirc. Pods could go through the return pump a couple of times before it ever made it to the display tank.

It is easier to tee off the return, but once you get it done and setup it is all the same. So try to split the drain and then you will have a good setup and be done with it.

The baffle for the fuge just overflows to the return. If you are using a separate 10g then you will have to drill a hole in the side for it to overflow into the filter. You will also have to elevate the fuge for gravity to do all the work. Lots of folks do it that way and it's the safe way.

In my setup that is a sump and a fuge. You just want a fuge. The three baffles are for a bubble trap from the protein skimmer. You will not need that. You will not need the other one either with a separate fuge. Just tee off to it and let it overflow into the filter. So no baffles but yo uare going to have to drill the side.

 

I think I am on the same page now, I had really planned on just running another return line to the tank to create more flow.

T off Drain
Run a drip into the fuge
Overflow from fuge into a small sump area within the 10gal tank
new return line into tank seperate from the current W/D

Run a risk of overflowing the Fuge? and 10gal tank entirely by doing the above setup?

That W/D comes with an AFS that automatically fills the W/D, damn I could have turned that into the fuge and not worried about creating another return. I wish I could get it separately.

 

In case you were wondering what the AFS is: Aquarium Kits, Aquarium Care Products, Freshwater & Saltwater Aquarium Kits, Power Heads - Tom Aquarium Products