sump filtration

What are you guys using for filtration in your guys sumps? I'm in the process of building a diy sump out of a 20l tank. Its going to have 3 chambers intake/fuge/return but for now the fuge section will remain empty besides my heater until I decide to add a sand bed etc (if ever). I know on the intake I'll run like an filter sock but what else should I run? Do I just dump some activated carbon in the sock too or what?

 

well, my sump goes intake (that I have some filter floss in kind of acting like a sock), then fuge (with sand and cheato), then skimmer, then return. I put phosguard and carbon in media bags and they are placed in my return section near where the skimmer dumps in where there is plenty of water movement.

I'm thinking based on Todd Sails' advice, of removing the floss and putting live rock in that section.

This was built for me by a friend. If I was able to DIY, I like the design that has the RP in the middle with water from the DT going to the fuge (T'd off). I'm sure it was a member on here that posted a great read about that design. I just can't remember who it was or what the link was

 

If you could find the article that would be awesome. I have a empty 20l to work with so I'm starting with clean slate. I'm already kind of against a refrgium but would like to have the section there if I decide to go with one eventually.

 

I did a DIY sump with a 29 gallon tank from petco.. water drains into left side into a filter sock, skimmer and heater are in the same compartment...water goes through a series of baffles to get rid of airbubble and flows into the return pump section in the middle..i have a bag of carbon and purigen that I put in that section as the flow seems to be higher then in my drain section...off the tubing from my return pump to display tank I have a t valve that splits water into my fuge(on right) that I can control the flow with a ball valve, water overflows through the fuge back into the return section. I dont run sand in my fuge, just live rock rubble and chaeto. set up has been up and running like this for about 8 months and has worked out really well for me

 

What setup is better or more efficient or are they about the same? Intake/fuge/return or intake/return/fuge?

 

I ultimately with my layout due to the fact I can control flow through fuge via ball valve... With fuge in the middle flow is determined by your return pump pulling water through your sump which may be too fast depending on your end goal.... I went back and forth with designs and I think the consensus was more went with drain/return/fuge

 

I go, intake (1 feed from tank straight through live rock), then (2nd feed from tank through sock) skimmer section, then fuge, then return.

I have 1 heater in the skimmer section and 1 in the fuge, I also have a small 600 powerhead in the bottom of my fuge to create constant flow low down, as I was experiencing some green algae forming when the water wasn't moving much.

My sump/fuge is 140 gallons, I have crushed shells as the substrate with more algae growing than I can deal with (I'm throwing half a 5 gallon bucket away monthly) I have turned the light down to 4 hours a day, I used to have it on 24/7 but that's just way too much.

 

How big should I make each section? I have a 20l tank 30"x12"x12". I figure I should have a 2 gallon or less return section in case the overflow fails my DT won't overflow. And the intake section big enough to not overflow if my return pump fails. My tank is above a finished basement so I really don't want water on my floors.

 

I believe I am going to use a design I found on this forum. Its a intake>return>fuge setup. Not sure how tall I should make the first baffle I believe I will go with about 9" tall. That will leave me with a 5.1 g intake/skimmer section. A 3.3g return. And a 4.7g fuge. Does that sound about right? Or should I make the baffles higher to get more volume in each section. As my design sits now I will have about 13.1 total gallons in my sump.

 

I'm sorry I can't help with your question but if you found the design on this forum, it's probably at least one of the ones I've seen. Did it T off to the fuge? You also need to include your skimmer into the design.