New Sump - Empty Chamber

[Rjohn]

This weekend I swapped my Tidepool sump for a 20 gallon long with three chambers. The first chamber is my outflow and my skimmer sits there cause it is the largest. The last chamber is my return chamber and the phosphate reactor also sits there. I tentatively have my heater in there as well but that decision won't have to be made until fall, I think. I started running a clip-on cooling fan this morning.

The chamber in question is only 9 inches wide so I cannot put anything very large in there. My goal is to use it in such a way that it improves the overall health and stability of my system. How should I use that middle chamber?

[+dapettit]

How about a refugium. Live rock and chaeto.

[Zarathustra2]

+1 on Dapeitt but would add a nice DSB. Go for ~6" and you will be good to go. If you need some seed sand for the critters, let me know.

So do a DSB, with some rock on top, then chaeto on top of that. Great use

[joshman1204]

Depending on the water level in this chamber I would either do a dsb or just some rubble, chaeto, and some mangroves.

[Rjohn]

OK assuming I go with a dsb of approximately 6 inches of sugar fine sand, do I start with new sand and infect it with a cup or two of someone else's sand or do I just buy a couple of gallons of live sand from someone?

[+Eckreef]

If this is the sump is from Southside45 then I am familiar with it....it is the one i built.

I kept Chaeto and rubble in the middle chamber. I think the baffles are designed to keep the water level at 8 inches.

[Robb in Austin]

Mussel cluster!

Love the usage of "infect". I think new and inoculated with help from your friends is the best/safest route.

[Rjohn]

If this is the sump is from Southside45 then I am familiar with it....it is the one i built.

I kept Chaeto and rubble in the middle chamber. I think the baffles are designed to keep the water level at 8 inches.

Yea that is the one. He told me you built it. It is just the right size for my 72 and because it is a bowfront, it slid right into my stand.

[DaJMasta]

Infect is good, but it will gradually seed itself from being in an established system or with a small piece of live rock. Just will take a little longer to get fully working.

[Zarathustra2]

RJohn, If you decide to go the DSB route send me an IM and I will be happy to get you a cup of my DSB sand. And the bags of live sand are a complete waste of money. Get the sand from Dave and get someone to get you a cup of sand.

Since you "only" have 8 inches of water depth you may want to think of doing 4" of mud and plant some mangroves and macro. The mud gives you the same benefits of a DSB in a smaller form factor but it is more expensive to set up. If you drop a mail to John at reefcleaners he may have some left.