new sump plan will it work?

[subsailor]

I am getting ready to start up a new tank and i have a pretty good idea on the sump I want to build. I just wanted to see if anyone has done something like this or sees any problem with doing this thanks for all your input.

The container on the left will house two mangroves a couple of live rocks and a dsb. Water will be pumped from the main sump by a powerhead and returned via a 1" bulkhead with pvc as it is higher than the main sump. The inlet from the main tank and outlet from the mangroves will be let out over LR rubble. protein skimmer in the first area of the sump (which i wont need after the mangroves grow out) and then on to a refugium utilizing mirale mud and then on to the main pump back to the tank. The refugium and mangrove lights will be on an opposite cycle of the main tank. Well, what do you think?

[Shootergs]

I am getting ready to start up a new tank and i have a pretty good idea on the sump I want to build. I just wanted to see if anyone has done something like this or sees any problem with doing this thanks for all your input.

The container on the left will house two mangroves a couple of live rocks and a dsb. Water will be pumped from the main sump by a powerhead and returned via a 1" bulkhead with pvc as it is higher than the main sump. The inlet from the main tank and outlet from the mangroves will be let out over LR rubble. protein skimmer in the first area of the sump (which i wont need after the mangroves grow out) and then on to a refugium utilizing mirale mud and then on to the main pump back to the tank. The refugium and mangrove lights will be on an opposite cycle of the main tank. Well, what do you think?

I've seen setups like this before with a remote refugium. I like your ideal and design, but I would split off the drain from the main tank as to have fresh water from the tank gravity feed into your refugium. You can have this tap off the main drain and eliminate any need for a pump to supply water. I still also believe that you will want to keept he skimmer as the mangroves aren't gonna be enough to get rid off all that fish poo

[Headless_donkey]

I've seen setups like this before with a remote refugium. I like your ideal and design, but I would split off the drain from the main tank as to have fresh water from the tank gravity feed into your refugium. You can have this tap off the main drain and eliminate any need for a pump to supply water. I still also believe that you will want to keept he skimmer as the mangroves aren't gonna be enough to get rid off all that fish poo

What he said

Fewer pumps mean less heat and things to go wrong. That being said get a quality return pump to avoid problems.

Skimmers a needed unless you want to take stocking REALLY slooooow and mangroves don't export that many nutrients. I would add some kind of macro algae.

[stoneroller]

I have a similar two sump set up: drain-fuge-DSB-bulkhead-skimmer-return. I could be wrong but I don't think you want to have Live Rock sitting directly on top of your deep sandbed because it will inhibit exchange. I saw recent pics of a eggcrate rack supporting live rock off the top of the DSB.

[subsailor]

thats actually what i was planning on doing after i drew it that was the first thing that came to my mind about the live rock on eggcrate. i dunno why i didn't think about a split i guess i just wasn't thinking cause that makes it a ton better lol.

[chatfouz]

i would honestly add more mangroves. they are REALLY REALLY slow.

you could easily add another dozen trees.

as far as thier nutrient export i really believe they have a noticeable affect.

[reefman]

You mentioned using Miracle Mud in the refuge. Have you used it before? I have it in a CPR HOB refuge, and could not honestly recommend it over sand based on my experience, and the expense of it. I don't have anything against it, just that I have not seen all the miracles happen they advertise about from it. I think the success I've had on that tank are as much a results of a Deltec calcium reactor, Euro-Reef skimmer, and plentying of testing and addiing supplements as anything the Miracle Mud has done.

Stephen

Edited February 4, 2008 by reefman

[Entropy]

Unless you have the tank flush with the wall I would return over the back and use the return bulkhead as a second drain and feed the mangrove tank with that. This way you don't have any complicated plumbing, you can use one less pump, and you have a second drain for redundacy. The second drain might not flow enough to save you, but it would in the event of a partial blockage of the main drain. I am a big fan of letting gravity do the work whenever possilbe.

Also make your return chamber as big as possible so you can handle evaporation without worrying about the pump going dry.

[ckimble]

It looks like you are going to be passing all of the flow through the main refugium. Typically you want reduced flow through a fuge. Have you thought about flipping the return pump / refugium area? You can still feed from the main drain just T-off in 3 directions to feed the mangroves, skimmer, and fuge sections.