Skimz sumpro up21 or other option for sump

[Glubglub]

Hello all, for a 75g tank I have the option for a Skimz up21 or 40g breeder tank converted to sump with refugium. I’ve attached my quick sketch on the 40g sump layout. 
Which would be the better option for a 75g?

I’ve also considered redo-ing the 40g sump layout and putting the refugium before the return pump. I have also seen layouts with the skimmer first and others with skimmers after refugium. If you have any input on that, I would appreciate it. Thanks

[Krux]

No input on the specific sump, but when I ran regugiums I enjoyed having a barrier to stop smaller pieces of algae from being shot back up into the display.  This was usually in the form of baffles.  If I was going to build a sump I would personally go with the fuge first.

 

i imagine you can find arguments either way though on what is most efficient.

 

Have you considered an algae reactor/scrubber in the sump area, or are there functions other than nutrient export you want the refugium to perform?  There are quite a few options now, or if you want a DIY project they seem relatively easy to make.

Link

Should be easy to find someone with a cheap/free reactor to use for the project.  Seems easier than cutting material for baffles and gluing them in.

Edited July 30 by Krux

[Glubglub]

Thats a great idea Krux! That might work with the up21, I will have to check if it, with skimmer, has enough room for bio media as well. I’m doing bare bottom so my thinking is anywhere I can get bio media would be good. 

[Krux]

Biobricks (this is a brand name, lots of brands make similar physical media) all over the sump will help.

If you know someone near you, grab some bricks now and have them throw them in their sump so they are ready to seed your tank when it is up and running.  You could also try to wheel and deal with your closest fish store - offer to buy the bricks from them if they will perform the sump storage for you 😛

This is a service I would love to offer, but I am still recovering from some dramatic biological swings in my tank and I wouldn't trust myself to be sending out the best quality media.

Edited July 30 by Krux

[Colbymac92]

id go scrubber if you can. Refegium's need to be much larger than most people plan in order to be see an impact of the nutrient exported. A scrubber will do that and help remove algae from the tank. or no refegium and do a massive skimmer. But thats just my personal prefrence.

if youre going to throw a bunch of bio media, you'll want to stuff a wavemaker down there or crud will get stuck

[Glubglub]

9 hours ago, Krux said:

Biobricks (this is a brand name, lots of brands make similar physical media) all over the sump will help.

If you know someone near you, grab some bricks now and have them throw them in their sump so they are ready to seed your tank when it is up and running.  You could also try to wheel and deal with your closest fish store - offer to buy the bricks from them if they will perform the sump storage for you 😛

This is a service I would love to offer, but I am still recovering from some dramatic biological swings in my tank and I wouldn't trust myself to be sending out the best quality media.

I already asked Cuttle fish and corals and he offered to throw some bio media in one of his sumps for me. Nice guy!

[Glubglub]

17 hours ago, Colbymac92 said:

id go scrubber if you can. Refegium's need to be much larger than most people plan in order to be see an impact of the nutrient exported. A scrubber will do that and help remove algae from the tank. or no refegium and do a massive skimmer. But thats just my personal prefrence.

if youre going to throw a bunch of bio media, you'll want to stuff a wavemaker down there or crud will get stuck

Thanks for the advice. I hadn’t looked at scrubbers and will check them out. Will have some time before i need to worry about that though