Need advice on building a refugium/sump

[Damsel7]

I have a 30 gal tank that I am interested in building a small sump/refugium for but I have no idea how. Looking to buy a 10 gal for this. Can someone give me ideas on a very simple setup, what I need all that stuff
I would alos like to get my mini skimmer out of DT

[bnumair]

usually a sump is divided into 3 parts. division is done by bubble traps.
1st compartment is drain
2nd is refugium
3rd is return.

[mgrmax]

Here is a link for a site I used when building mine.

http://www.melevsreef.com/make_a_sump.html

[cloak]

Check these out.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php (parts 1,2, & 3)

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/newbie/index.php

Here's a picture of the 10 gallon sump I have underneath my 20 gallon tank.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w16/jAb83_2007/eshoppsskimmer001.jpg

[FNDsalt]

If you have the room may I suggest a little larger tank (20 gal) for the sump, a 10 gal will leave you with very little room in each section for your different filtration needs. You get a little more room for macro, room for in-sump skimmer etc. Plus with the added water volume you increase the stability of some key water parameters. If space is a concern though, a 10 gal will work just fine.

[Damsel7]

thanks so just so i have this right i can keep heater and skimmer in sump but keep hang on back filter in DT?

[FNDsalt]

Although cloak just proved me wrong on the in-sump skimmer, so I may have to retract that statement. Never had a small tank, so I guess I never looked into what skimmers were available for smaller systems.

[Damsel7]

well I have a mini skimmer that is inside my tank so I assume I could put in the sump

[FNDsalt]

Definitely. Always a bonus when you don't have to buy equipment for a new project.

[Damsel7]

where do i buy baffles to seperate compartments

[cloak]

In my town, there's a place called Tap Plastics. It's not necessarily a hardware store, but something along those lines. HTH.

[FNDsalt]

Don't personally know of any place that sells baffles, but I went to a local glass shop and had mine cut. You can usually get away with doing it pretty cheaply if you tell the shop they can use scrap or scratched glass. I wouldn't go less than a 1/4" thick, thinner than that and it could break pretty easy if you are moving things around inside the sump.

With a small sump you could take the tank in and show them what you need. I say this because if your tank is 12" (example) you can't just have a piece cut to 12" because you won't be able to angle it into place. This way they will know exactly how wide a piece you will need, rather than guessing and having it cut to narrow.

[cloak]

FWIW, sometimes the tops on big tupperware containers can be cut to fit.

[Phantom54]

I second the local glass shop 7 pc 11 5/8" x 9" with neeled edges 17 dollars and some DAP silicone