sump/refugium for my fluval edge..........design help

[MPevine11]

OK so I'm not sure if i should make one or order one from lifereef.com like i did with my bio-cube sump/refugium..........

i emailed lifereef and he said:

In a sump design I try and get five compartments:

1. Input/bubble area

2. Mechanical/chemical chamber

3. Protein skimmer chamber

4. Refugium

5. Sump/return pump area

the fluval edge is 6.5 gallons, and the system i am planning is going to be about ~16 gallons (23 inches long X 10 inches wide X 16 inches tall) i would like it to take up the bottom of the stand i bought (bought a stand for a 20 gallon tank and the fluval edge fits perfect on it)

i would like a media rack, is that a good idea to have?
do i need a skimmer? (if so any recommendations?)

this system will be my filtration for the tank, as the hang on back system is being removed to make room for the overflow.......


i have never made anything like this before so im sure it wouldn't look very pretty........so i don't know if i should have one ordered or try to make one my self


any help is great
thank you;
-mike

 

[MPevine11]

any help in this subject?

 

[MPevine11]

so i think i decided to build my own rather then ordering one.........

i have my fluval edge on a 20 gallon stand and a 15 gallon high would fit inside the stand......i have no idea how to duild a sump/ refugium though........
i would like a place for:
* water to come in
* media basket
* refugium
* and pump for water going out


here is a picture. my stand is very simmlar to this one (minus the freshwater tank) and heres the 15 gallon high and demnsions

any ideas???

 

[Royalty]

How much space will you have so you can maintain the tank ?? from the bottom of the stand in side to the top?

 

[MPevine11]

8 inches

 

[Royalty]

Did you want to go with Acrylic or Glass? And how big did you want your Refugium chamber?

 

[MPevine11]

glass

refugium as big as possible.......

 

[MPevine11]

the 8 inches would be from the top of the 15 gallon tall to the top of the inside of the stand.............

 

[Royalty]

the 8 inches would be from the top of the 15 gallon tall to the top of the inside of the stand.............

In that case try going with a 10in refugium and a 3.5in chamber for the water inlet and a 4in return chamber and try making a bubble trap with 2.5in's to make chambers like 3 panels

 

[maxxattk]

I used this guys concept when I built my first sump and it worked pretty well. He goes over how to cut the acryllic and glue it in etc. You may not use all of his ideas exactly, but he goes over the basics on setting the baffles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o&feature=fvsr