Sump + Wet/Dry together

After reading all forums, I thought it's time for me to go refugium. This doesn't mean by existing wet/dry filter causing any issues, as all levels are normal and both fish/coral doing great. Thought of increasing pods, better nutrient supply by adding sump. I am not planning to remove existing wet/dry with bioballs but instead add sump and make both do their job. Is that good idea?

Attached pics of current setup and future setup on my mind..sorry for bad diagrams...also please check and let me know bubble trap baffle dimensions are OK?

 

Awesome pics attached, I'm very surprised this topic hasn't been touched on more than this. I guess an earthquake and some free lighting takes precedence over all.....lol

I personally have been thinking of this same idea, but since I have a HOB skimmer, I found a tank company to build me a custom refuge that stands behind my 55g, the HOB skimmer would feed the Fuge, and then being 2 inches higher than my tank, would gravity feed right back into my display. Pods, Macro, and, I was thinking, that maybe some Horses could live there, and not get harmed in the display. I have two companies right now that are going to make quotes on the build and get back to me.

 

You will starve the fuge to death if it is only fed by the output of the skimmer whose job is to remove all the excess stuff a fuge thrives on. Also the flow thru the fuge will be 10 times higher than it should be since your forcing all the water thru it to get to the return pump.

 

Thanks...hope you are excited with new build.

 

Thanks for suggestion, so if I move return section to middle and fuge to end, flow problem will be solved??

regarding skimmer removing all nutrients flowing to fuge, I don't know whether to completely disagree with you. Mine is coralife super skimmer rated for 65 gallon being used on 80 gallon tank, so I believe still good amount of stuff available for fuge to thrive.

 

I am having a hard time getting this. Is it that you are attached to the wet/ dry and just don't wanna let it go? I would be far less expensive to just but a "sump sized" glass aquarium and divide in 3 parts. Ditch the Wet/Dry have a skimmer (half water goes in there) and a fuge (half in there) and a return section in the middle. Shoot with the money you save you could buy a skimmer that would really work well on your tank (it needs to be rated for two times the up to tank volume) Right now it seems with this plan you are just doing both methods of filtration kinda half way... hmm maybe I am wrong but I am saying ditch the wet dry, save on the the custom sump, buy an awesome skimmer. We will help you here figure it out. trust me if I can DIY a sump.. SO can anyone Hope I don't come across as harsh or critical, I am "new-school" and I just don't get the whole wet dry thing.. Sump, Skimmer, Fuge is kinda my mojo

Heidi

 

plans

That a nice way to exspand your system, food for thought - Install two 1" bulkheads at on wet/dry sump end to the end of new filter. Leave out the first bubble trap, this will be you refugium. The two bulkheads below water height will balance out water in both areas. This will give you a larger refugium flowing with more water than's skimmed. I like that your skimming before you refugium it should be a natural food chamber first and other things after. You will know if it's working because your fish will live their lives around your inlets playing and eating.


Good Luck!!!!

 

wow, it seems to be much better idea than what I had on my mind...but I couldn't figure out how bulkheads should go, will you mind getting picture of it? so it's asking bit more. once again, thanks for this idea.

 

well, i know sump/refugium is far better than wet/dry filter, but tank has been setup for 5 years with FOWLR and added many softies in past 1 year all with using wet/dry filter, HOB filter and underrated skimmer. Here's First Reef tank - 80 gallon video of my tank taken 2 months back, now most of them grown even more. so it's means tank has proper lighting, wet/dry filter doing its job so underrated skimmer, so why I should kill it by removing them? just thought of adding fuge will help even better.

 

Balance water between to filters

First lets say you can have 10" +- water depth, you would install bulkheads center of what you want your water level. Use two and you won't have any problems and water will always be balanced between to filters. It looked like acrylic so it's very easy to drill just divide filters ends into thirds then install bulkheads at center on the two end thirds. Say that fast Adding another area for water to system is a good thing. My last two cents is high flow through filters, Refugiums of any kind like high flow we try to turn our main tanks over thirty times a hour then low flow through filters.........NOT. Remember my two cents.
You will learn many things no matter which way you go and that's the fun part too.