marine/reef tank sump question... Commercial or DIY?  4/21/10
Thank you for all the information posed on the web site. It has been very useful to help me after my impulsive purchase of a marine tank in February. I currently have a 45 gallon tank with 45 lbs of live rock and 2" live sand; fish wise it has a tang, a pair of clowns, 5 green Chromis, and a mix of cleaning crew's. Due to noise and viewing
enjoyment, I want to move away from the current magnum hot filter and a CPR BakPak 2 skimmer to a sump with a skimmer and refugium. I want to spend my time enjoying the tank, not fiddling with a home made set up, and was wondering if you would recommend any existing set ups for this? I can find lots in the FAQ's on this part or that, but was hoping to find an 'easy' solution. Thank you for any comments!
<None out there that I would personally use. There are a few out of the box, ready to go sump setups. But all a sump really constitutes is a vessel that holds water. This is a cheapo Rubbermaid bin for many, expensive custom acrylic tanks for others. By getting something simple to hold water and adding a good skimmer, such as an in sump AquaC, you will get much more bang for your buck here. As for an overflow I strongly urge you to drill the tank rather than go with an over the back type overflow. It is much more reliable. For more info on drilling see my site Glass-Holes.com.>
Jim
<Scott V.>

90 Gallon with a CPR "AQUAFUGE PRO" or an EV120 sump  11/20/08 Thanks for all the help that your website has given me in the past. <Happy it has helped you.> I have just bought a used 90 gallon tank. It came with a CPR Aquafuge Pro (sump with a built in skimmer and a refugium). From a few other posts regarding this model it seems that it is regarded as an average product. I also have an EV120. The only place that the EV120 will fit without modification is in the refugium compartment. Can you suggest what to do until I am ready to modify the sump, use the CPR Skimmer and refugium or just the EV120 without the refugium? I want to use the refugium for nutrient export. <First, do realize the EV series can be placed outside the sump, so if you have room there you may be able to run both. Otherwise I would choose to run the skimmer if it is either or. A refugium is of great benefit, but a skimmer is of greater benefit IMO, especially on a new system. Scott V.>

Re: 90 Gallon with a CPR "AQUAFUGE PRO" or an EV120 11/20/08 Thanks Scott, for your quick reply! <Welcome.> I think my first email was not clear enough, The CPR refugium has a built in skimmer, I can use either that skimmer together with the refugium or just the EV120 alone without a refugium. So the question is, is the built-in-sump CPR skimmer together with a refugium better then an EV120 alone? <No, I did understand. I have personally used both over the years. The AquaC is just that far superior a skimmer.> I can not find much about the performance of this CPR skimmer other then it may work better by adding a needle valve to the airline. Thank you, David <Welcome, Scott V.>

90 gallon AGA Sump Choices 2/3/08 Hi guys. <Hello Jason.> As usual, I love what you guys do for your fellow reefers. Thanks a ton. <WWM is a pleasure to be a part of.> To the task at hand. I've had a standard 90 gallon AGA tank sitting in my office for over a year now and I'm finally getting down to business with getting her started. I've been running a 37 gallon reef for a few years now and I'm glad to be going bigger. <I bet you are, congratulations on the new setup.> I would like your input as to sump/refugium idea's as this is the way I plan to go for filtration on the reef. I've thought of designing my own sump/fuge but I don't have the time to do so and I just plain don't trust myself to do a good enough job with it. <I'm sure with some research you could do a fine job, but you do have to consider what your time is worth!!> I was hoping you could suggest some Brands or places I could look to get one already ready to go. <Premiumaquatics.com has some common units on their site. Glass-Holes.com (this is my own company) will build them on a custom basis, as well as MyReefCreations.com, they will build custom and have some nice prefabricated designs.> I know that some believe it's best to have the refugium in addition to the sump and I've seen a few that I've liked but have no idea if they'd be proper enough for what I'm looking to do. <You can definitely incorporate a refugium into a sump. Having an external refugium is generally easier if you are planning a larger refugium, space permitting.> I'm going to attach a jpg and a link of one that I've been looking over online, <<This graphic is commercial, someone else's work. Not posted therefore. RMF>> <From the picture it appears to input to the refugium on the left, then under the intake to your return/skimmer chamber. The intake goes through whichever filter media you use in it straight to the return/skimmer chamber. You will need to either pump into the refugium or split your overflow line to feed it. The only problem I see is the refugium water will have to pass through the skimmer chamber before it returns to your tank. This poses a hazard to any microfauna produced in the refugium. If you set up a recirculating skimmer fed directly from the overflow this will not be an issue.> as well as I thought I'd as if anything is known about ADHI brand refugium/sumps. <These are fairly nice models for the money, they generally do have a relatively high water level in the skimmer chamber and a rather anemic refugium light for my taste. Depending on your skimmer you may have to set it on top of something to get it at an appropriate depth.> Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thank you again! Jason <Welcome, have fun setting up, Scott V.>