setting up a refugium and need advice

[Abbyreefer]

Wasnt sure if I should go DSB or no sand at all ? My current tank is 95 gal with a 20 gal sump and the fuge would be a gravity fed 20 gal fuge. I'm trying to get my extra nutrients in control as I have a high bio load do to feeding and stocking.

So I was thinking of option (a) - setting up the 20 gal fuge with cheato and possibly other helful macros (not quite sure which to plant) or (b) DSB but then the amout of cheato and macros would be less due to space of course. I unfortunatly cannot do a remote DSB due to space so can only do one or the other or any other suggested ideas.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sump would be 24 long x 14 wide x 16 high .

Thank you in advance.

[mark]

Running my 20g cheato and LR fuge BB. Like the BB as feeding it direct from tank so allows me to easily siphon out any detritus that settles out.

[Abbyreefer]

I was thinking about having one of the lines going to the sump an dthe other going to the fuge which would then be gravity fed to the sump.

Anyone else with ideas or recommendations ?

Cheers !

[Abbyreefer]

Thanks Mark,
Anyone else with ideas or suggestions ?

[mark]

Originally Posted by Abbyreefer

I was thinking about having one of the lines going to the sump an dthe other going to the fuge which would then be gravity fed to the sump.

Anyone else with ideas or recommendations ?

Cheers !

See here for ideas.

As for you plan, I'm doing the same (have two drain lines) but one of the lines is tee's to both the sump and ref. With the tee'd and a valves I can control the flow to the fuge, and also bypass if wanted.

One thing that did surprise me was how little flow I'm getting from a 1" horizontal bulkhead (~200gph). Seems would have been better off with a deeper overflow but didn't have the height to make it into the sump.

I'm unable to send pictures (photobucket is blocked at work) but can when I get home.

[Abbyreefer]

Thanks Mark that would be great if you woundt mind doing that for me but dont go out of your way if its an inconvinience at all.
Your suggestion about having it BB being able to clean out the ditritus is a good one I never thought about that at all.

In your experience woudl having more macro in the fuge export more nitrates then a DBS and less macro ? Also does Cheato take out phostates as well as nitrates ?

[mark]

The valve on the downward leg controls the amount of flow to the fuge, horizontal is to isolate it.

Can't really say which would be better for Nitrates as have always tested zero or near zero (Salifert) both before and after installing the fuge. Can't see the DSB taking out phosphate unless as a sink, but the macro will use them.

[Abbyreefer]

Thanks for the picture Mark thats pretty much exactly how mine will be set up.