please help with FW sump, not a wet/dry

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bussardnr

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Frederick, Maryland

• Jul 18, 2005

• #1

please help with FW sump, wet/dry

Ok for the past several days im been trying to figure out how do make a sump into a mech/bio filter im thinking about 4 compartments: 1st mech, 2nd bio(lava), 3rd refuge, and 4th the return pump. the sump would be around 38in long. Anyway, i would like to get it at 500gph. Would this be to much for a fuge? (im thinking yes but have no idea really) im mainly trying to figure out how to setup the media compartments. If anyone has a drawing or can give any help I’d really appreciate it.

 

Last edited: Jul 20, 2005

tai95

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• Jul 18, 2005

• #2

You could set the sump up with the 2 filter sections to one side, the refugium on the other side with the return in the middle. Just add a T into the return line with a ball valve going to the refugium and set the flow rate to what you want it to be. Here is a pic.

 

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RTR

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Braddock Heights, MD

• Jul 18, 2005

• #3

500 GPH is pretty high (pump rating or actual delivered at the head between the sump and tank water nevels?). What size display tank?

 

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bussardnr

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• Jul 18, 2005

• #4

its only a 75. but i like over filtration. i'll probally get one thats alittle lower.
would this work?

 

Last edited: Jul 18, 2005

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bussardnr

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• Jul 19, 2005

• #5

are micro bubbles a proplem in freshwater like they are in SW? do i reaaly need those extra baffles to remove them?

 

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RTR

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• Jul 19, 2005

• #6

Microbubbles are less of a problem in FW than SW because they do not form as easily (the same principle by which foam fractionators - aka skimmers - do not work as well in light BW & FW). But they are not desirable anywhere. The baffles are also to smooth the flow and set levels as much as anything.

On the drawing - I don't like submerged biofilters if emersed is available. Can't you set the filter as a tower (conventional W/D)? There is a big difference in efficiency on oxygen levels. Submerse requires dissolved O2, emerse get atmospheric oxygen without having to deplete the dissolved O2.

 

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bussardnr

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• Jul 20, 2005

• #7

ok im looking into a wet/dry. how would i place the mech media? i'd like to get a sponge or 2 and some floss in it.

 

Last edited: Jul 20, 2005

R

RTR

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Braddock Heights, MD

• Jul 20, 2005

• #8

I have W/Ds with a tray or drawer above the biomedia, immediately below the spraybar or drip plate. Personally I prefer sponges in the back of the overflow box, but you can use a finer material over the biomedia if you want/need/desire such. I've used just the blue/white bonded pads for that use. they are not as lasting as sponges, but if the large junk is already filtered out in the overflow box, that is not a problem. If my overflow does not have a sponge (as simple tube constant-level siphons without prefilters), then I'd go with sponge for durability.

 

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bussardnr

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• Jul 21, 2005

• #9

hows this?

is there any reason this wont work?
the 1st tray will be mech, 2nd drip tray, im looking at a mag 7 pump that will have 480gph at 4ft head.