what goes in

Hi all. I have never had a sump before and was just wondering what all goes into it. The one I am looking at is a 30 gallon tank with 3 compartments. If I get it, I would like to know how to set it up and what goes in it.
Thanks. Bill

 

are you planning to use it as a refuge as well? Basically a sump is a place that you can house all your equipment and filtration to remove it from the display. Some can be very simple and others more complex. It really depends what you want to do with it and the type of filtration you use on your tank.

 

The sump is nice because you can put heater, protein skimmer( vs. visible hanging on back type), pump , other things like carbon /gfo reactors, auto top off equipment ect ect.. Best to have enough room for a refugium.
Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

 

I have played with refugiums and find they seem to cause more issues than they solve. I was fugeless for years and added one for about a year ago and just tore it down. Tank already looks better, without a lot of work, they just turn into nasty cesspools IMHO. Currently my fuge is simple, 2 compartments, a skimmer, GFO/GAC canister and heater in one, and return pump in the other. I also run an ago and mild-vinager/kalk drip into it. That does it for my filtration though.

 

I agree... A typical refugium with sand and Macroalgea just creates a place for nutrients to pile up. That's the reason Macroalgea grows in here.
My new set up has a refugium compartment, but I am planning on using it to store starfish for my harlequin shrimp or to place a fish or coral that needs a "time out".
The bigger your sump, the better.

 

the unit has 3 compartments. Intake, center and discharge. I plan on putting a skimmer, and heater in the center compartment, and was told I should put lr in the intake compartment. I was wondering if I could put lr in all 3 compartments.

 

I'm pretty sure you don't want anything but your return pump in the third compartment.

 

Is it going to be a trickle style filter or sock? If its trickle then LR can go in the first compartment but if its socked then put the rock in the second. Keeping rock in the return is a bad idea because there's little flow. Plus thats where you want the cleanest water to be.