Do your astrae snails reproduce in your tank ?

To be honest I'm not sure exactly what they are. I haven't purchased ANY livestock in about 3 years what I remember is some were astera and some turbo.

Turbo being the larger non coned shaped. I have hummm... hundreds of what seem to be baby snails They are oval about 3/8" long 1/4" wide/flat on the bottom/about 1/8" tall/grayish white in color with a few dark bands going the shorter distance the 1/4 " width/some are bright purple.

They really only come out when the lights are off and have a somewhat hard shell I have observed some of them growing to a full snail (cone type) algae eater

Simplified Reefkeeping

About keeping a "Wide variety of corals" in one reef aquarium

A "wide variety of corals" will have a equally wide variety of demands.

As you know I am not a proponent of extreme wattage, which has been one of the reasons for doing my survey Id suggest to have a look at that. Anyway, again I would recommend easier to keep corals and usually...the higher the light requirements the more difficult to keep.

 For example a HL SPS tank will consume a of allot of calcium, so a calcium reactor may be in order and depending on your physical location the heat from the lamps and pumps usually transfer to the water so If your in this league.. a chiller may also be called for. Keep in mind a wide variety can really be *a wide variety* but the long term costs of operation is extremely  costly believe me!

Simplified Reefkeeping

Limited room for a sump box in the reef tank.

If you don't have that much room for my 55 gallon tank and the natural system doesn't require extra sumps and things.

Out of all the systems the 2 most popular are the Berlin and Jaubert. Quite a few people who do run a Jaubert also use a skimmer and that is called believe a NNR system. I hear a

llot about algae problems associated with plenums over a period of time and It has happened to me. My recommended system is the Berlin and using eggcrate and the spraybar makes it a "Glorified Berlin" It works extremely well and of course I highly recommend it.

It seems to me as a general observation that because these systems never really caught on that there must be a reason for it. *Most* hobbyists are economical and if a less expensive system would work it would be more widely used. I guess that's the basis or your question, I wish I could be more help and in the future (once the dust starts to settle) I may do some experiments with these systems

Simplified Reefkeeping

Mixing Kalkwasser

Kalkwasser should be mixed with ro or di water using a powerhead. In a 5 gal bucket place the powerhead on the bottom of the bucket take a piece of airline or sufficient length to go from the bucket into the sump, and attach a weight to it to hold it 3/4 " above the bottom of the bucket. Fill with water, turn the power head on, add 5 heaping teaspoons of kalk, mix for approximately 4 – 5 hours, unplug the power head, let the mix sit for 4-5 hours, then drip into the sump near the intake of the skimmer.

The best time to add the mix is in the AM this is when the pH is lowest although adding late at night is acceptable as well. A convenient schedule is begin mixing around 7-8 pm end before bed and add first thing in the am

Simplified Reefkeeping

What is your recommended dosage for Lugols solution?

I would *start* with 1 drop every other day.

Test the water to get the reading you desire, and increase if needed. Usually the recommended dosage is 1 drop per 20 gallon every other day or to achieve a test result of 0.06ppm (the contains of NSW). I would recommend to start slow ... as each tank differs as to demand, skimmer removal and maintenance (water changes).

 I belive one of the drawbacks of lugols is that it is so economical that its tempting to add too much.I have been using it for about 6 months now and works well as a supplement, however I believe that frequent water changes with a good salt will almost eliminate the need for adding iodine, unless of course you have corals that have a high demand.


Simplified Reefkeeping

What are you referring to when you say downdraft protein skimmer?

I consider a downdraft protein skimmer one that is fed at the top, water flows downward and the output (for figurative reasons) is at the bottom.
Ok my understanding is 3 kinds of skimmers

1. A counter current uses small pump and airstones 
2. A Venturi that uses larger pump and a Venturi valve restrictor and small air intake 
3. A downdraft or ETS environmental tower scrubber. 

This has a TALL like 5 ft x 2" "tower" filled with bioballs, the water gets pumped into the top of this column under relatively high pressure through a fairly small 5/16 or 3/8 piece of plumbing fitting kind of like a tapered fire hose nozzle. At the top of this 2in x 5ft tower there is a hole about 3/8in that allows air to be "down drafted" into this bioball column The turbulated, air induced, foamed water then crashes into a small rectangular box about 8x8x12 inches the foam then drifts over to a LARGE like 8in acrylic reaction foam collection, accumulation riser, much like a regular protein skimmer. Bubbles burst foam rises, and overflows into a collection area like a regular skimmer.

 This works very well as there is virtually no restriction to a very high flow rate. Mine processes 1200gph for the skimmer and another main pump 1200 gph for the main

Simplified Reefkeeping

I understand the goals of the water treatment equipment, and the function of the live rock filter. I'm planning for a high intensity lighting system so I can keep a wide variety of corals, hence water quality is paramount.

Ok  a "wide variety of corals" will have a equally wide variety of demands. As you know I am not a proponent of extreme wattage, which has been one of the reasons for doing my survey Id suggest to have a look at that.

Anyway, again I would recommend easier to keep corals and usually...the higher the light requirements the more difficult to keep. For example a HL SPS tank will consume a heck of allot of calcium, so a calcium reactor may be in order and depending on your physical location the heat from the lamps and pumps usually transfer to the water so If your in this league.. a chiller may also be called for.

 Keep in mind a wide variety can really be *a wide variety* but the long term costs of operation is damn costly Believe me!!

Simplified Reefkeeping

You also talk about a skimmer on you reef page. What does that do that my Power Head doesn't? And what is an est. cost of a skimmer?

All a power head does is circulate water. A skimmer or foam fractioner removes organic waste by bombarding the water column with tiny bubbles. Waste in the water sticks to the tiny bubbles rise to the top and burst.
This becomes a buildup of greenish brown organic material that overflows to be removed from the system.Skimmers range from around $100 to $800.

Most hobbyists use a CPR backpack for a tank your size they are around $100 My suggestion to you would be forget the hex tank. If you really want to do  a reef tank buy a 55 gall. Its an affordable tank and will give you a much more functional system and better display. Also it is a standard size so components are much easier to find less expensive and will simply give you  a better system. I strongly recommend to all.... to think well before they begin.

 This hobby is very expensive and starting off wrong will end up costing more money in the long run.


Simplified Reefkeeping

Thoughts on using a 60 hexagonal tank for a reef aquarium.

Tall tanks are not really recommended (at least by me) because there wont be enough room
for positioning the live rock and having the lighting evenly dispersed.

Using a tall tank one usually has to stack rock upon rock which in turn doesn't allow life forms to grow beneath the stack.

Also lighting will be an issue


Simplified Reefkeeping

How do I correct a bad algae problem in my reef tank

Are you using Reverse Osmosis or  Dionized  water? Most significant algae problems are caused
by not using RO or DI water.

 Most hobbyist test kits wont read a
tremendously accurate silicate or phosphate test.

Problem algae is  usually traced to water, over feeding, light bulbs past their life
expectancy, low pH and not using Kalkwasser, insufficient skimming

Simplified Reefkeeping

How to drill a glass reef aquarium?

Your better off having a glass shop do it. a few considerations though..

• a glass shop wont guarantee that they Don't break it
• most tanks bottoms are tempered and you/they cant drill that.
• If you want a drilled bottom you have to order a special non tempered bottom
• some good LFS (local fish stores) can drill the tank

Out of 10+ holes I have had drilled they (glass shops) never broke a tank on me and charge$10 - $15 per hole
most important is to bring the fittings with you when you do have it drilled


Simplified Reefkeeping

Are there any restrictions on the livestock I can put in my reef tank?

I recommend that the largest population of livestock in the reef tank be shrimp, starfish, clams, urchins, snails, and harmless crabs. Next, in a lesser amount, would be the corals; they produce a minimum amount of waste, and in fact some of them will process waste. Finally, fish should be added, in the smallest numbers. They are the largest consumers of food, and therefore produce the most waste. Having only a few fish will mean that you will be putting in less commercial food. This reduces the risk of food going uneaten and accumulating in the prefilter, possibly becoming food for algae and/or leading to diminished water quality.

Your fish should be reef-compatible only; that is, they should eat algae but not coral. As I have mentioned in other areas of this book, nearly all of the creatures we put into our tank should be able to consume their fair share of naturally-occurring algae. The selection of livestock is important for algae management.

I recommend that nearly all of the livestock in your reef tank be algae consumers—fish especially. To be allowed into your reef, just about every creature should consume its fair share of algae. This way, not only are the tank inhabitants interesting and beautiful, but they will serve an important function! They will manage the unavoidable, naturally-occurring algae that would be a major inconvenience for you (the reef keeper) to remove manually. Let the fish, snails, crabs, and urchins remove it for you, naturally!

1. Mat for live rock frame (eggcrate) $ 15
2. Sand aragonite: 1 10-lb. bag 10
3. Live rock: 1.5 lbs. per gallon, x 55 gallons = 83 lbs. @ $10 $830
4. Turbo snails (herbivores): 10 @ $5 $50
5. Coral banded shrimp: 1 $15
6. Cleaner shrimp: 4 @ $15 $60
7. Serpent starfish (scavengers): 2 @ $12 $24
8. *** Brittle starfish (scavengers): 2 @ $12 $24
9. *** Hardy corals: 4 @ $45 $180
10. Tridachna clam: 1 $50
11. Yellow tang, small: 1 $35
12. Hippo tang, small: 1 $35
13. Sailfin tang, small: 1 $35
14. *** Basselette: 1 $35
15. *** Goby: (your choice of type): 1 $35
16. *** Misc. invertebrate (your choice): 1 $35
    TOTAL $1,468
    ***To keep costs down you may use less livestock on the items marked.
    
    
    
    

Simplified Reefkeeping

How to deal with problem algae in the reef tank

You should not have a problem with algae if you have followed these recommendations:

• Purify your tap water with a triple carbon prefilter and reverse osmosis or deionizer system;
• Use Kalkwasser regularly to keep the pH between 8.2 and 8.4;
• Do water changes every 2 to 3 weeks;
• With water changes, vacuum off as much as possible of the debris in the rock crevices;
• Change your prefilter pad every week;
• Have the lighting on for no more than 9 hours a day, using the wattage recommended
• Do not use unnecessary additives
• Employ herbivorous livestock (turbo snails, small hermit crabs, hard star fish, and algae-eating fish such as yellow tangs, blennies, angels, etc.).

By following the recommendations here, you should be able to manage the micro-algae in your tank. These procedures will ensure that your reef will not be overtaken by green, brown, or red algae that would cover desirable livestock and organisms (such as the hard pink coralline algae) that depend on water flow and light.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of following all the previous recommendations, as they will ensure that the undesirable algae do not have the conditions they need to survive, and undesirable algae are the scourge of reef keeping. Follow the suggested procedures, and the algae should be manageable!

Micro-algae will grow!

The growth of micro-algae is a natural occurrence and will happen in most healthy tanks. It is only when the algae become unmanageable that we have a problem. Managing the growth of micro-algae means (1) limiting the conditions they need to thrive, (2) having livestock that will eat most of the algae, and (3) removing the remainder by hand with magnets, blade scrapers, and brushes.

In my tanks, brown and some green algae form on the glass on a regular basis. They do not thrive for long in other areas; they are only a problem on the glass and overflow pipes.

The glass is easily cleaned with an algae glass-cleaning magnet. When buying such a magnet, purchase the largest one you can find. Usually the larger the size, the stronger the magnet and the better the cleaning capabilities (pull) it will have. The magnet does a nice job for weekly or twice-weekly cleaning. Little bright green patches will eventually form. These should be scraped off with a razor blade. You should only have to “blade” the glass about once a month at the most.

WHY REEF STORES DO NOT HAVE AN ALGAE PROBLEM

Keep in mind that algae will grow and will have to be removed by hand on a regular basis. Do not be deceived when you go into your favorite reef store and observe that their tanks have no visible algae. You may think, “My tank has algae, why doesn’t his?” The fact is that every morning someone cleans the glass and maintains the tanks so they will look absolutely pristine. This gives the impression that the people in the store know something about water quality that you don’t. In fact, all they are doing is daily maintenance, in addition to the procedures listed above.

Then of course, the remaining algae will be removed by hand, particularly from the glass and overflow pipes. By using a strong magnet or a razor blade for the glass, and a bottle brush for the overflow, it is not a problem to remove undesirable algae.

It is important to remember that we want to remove the algae, not just dislodge it. When using the magnet, after a few swipes you will feel the scrubber part of the magnet cleaner getting full of algae. Take this to the sink and rinse it off. Resume cleaning and repeat the rinsing process as often as needed. Rinse the scrubber when you are done. When using the bottle brush, swirl it to trap the algae in the bristles, and rinse it out in the sink.

A strong algae magnet and bottle brush are useful tools. Some algae, of course, will get away from you. This cannot be avoided. Remove as much as you can, within reason. Algae that are dislodged and left in the tank will either reattach elsewhere, decompose into food for other algae, or get trapped in the prefilter.

Summary of algae management:

If you follow the suggestions I have given, it can be done easily. Algae accumulation can be a serious threat to the enclosed reef system. Left unmanaged, it can become a problem that would test anyone’s patience and sanity; it is not something you want to battle with! However, if you select your livestock carefully and follow the other recommendations I have discussed, the naturally-occurring algae in your tank will be a good food source for the livestock, and what they don’t eat can be managed with regular maintenance.

Simplified Reefkeeping

How to understand and use Kalkwasser

EVAPORATION MAKE-UP WATER & KALKWASSER

Because the tank is exposed to air, and strong pumps are circulating the water throughout the filtering system (overflow pipes, drip plate, prefilter, and protein skimmer), you will get a significant amount of evaporation. In fact, the better your skimmer and the stronger your water pump (both desirable features), the more evaporation you will get. You will need to replace the evaporated water regularly. An important reminder for the new hobbyist is that the water evaporates, not the salt. Do not add salt mix with the make-up water. The result will be a higher salinity than is desirable.

Adding make-up water provides a good opportunity to replenish much-needed calcium, which gets depleted rapidly in an enclosed reef system. This vital element is used by virtually all living creatures. Some of it also gets removed by protein skimming. In my opinion the best calcium additive is “Kalkwasser,” which is calcium hydroxide. It is added on a regular basis by mixing it with the purified water being added to compensate for evaporation. These regular additions of calcium hydroxide also keep the pH elevated to the desired 8.2 to 8.4 level.

Kalkwasser is a German word. Literally, it means “lime water.” Kalkwasser is a trade name for calcium hydroxide. The terms “Kalkwasser,” “limewater,” and “calcium hydroxide” all mean the same thing in this hobby.

The water you use to replace what has evaporated will be called “make-up water.” It is extremely important to use purified tap water mixed with calcium hydroxide (a.k.a. Kalkwasser, a.k.a. limewater) for the make-up water! Do not, I repeat, do not, use regular tap water or anything else for make-up water! This is asking for trouble.

As I have stated from the beginning, nothing will ensure your success more than the quality of your water. Once you have made the investment of a water purifying system and have started the reef with purified tap water, the reef will be accustomed to that quality of water. It would be extremely foolish to try to cut corners here. This is the last place to skimp. In fact, it would be inviting disaster by possibly introducing impurities (metals, silicates, phosphates, etc.) that are harmful and troublesome (hard to remove) into the pristine environment that we have tried so hard to create.

When to add make-up water:

Add the Kalkwasser within a day after you mix it; it gradually loses effectiveness after it is mixed Watch the water in the sump! This is where you will see the change in water level. Once you have established the “working water level” in the sump, mark it on the side of the sump box, with magic marker. This will give a quick visual reference as to the height of water that is normally in the system. As evaporation occurs, watch this mark. When the level goes down by 3 to 5 gallons, or gets close to the top of the outlet for the pump, you need to add make-up water. Mix the water no more than one day before you add it to the tank; it starts to lose effectiveness right after it has been mixed. It will have the highest concentration of available calcium just after the sediment settles out of the solution.

On a smaller tank (even a 55-gallon), 5 gallons of high-powered make-up water must be used with caution! Kalkwasser has an extremely high pH. Pay close attention to the drip/dosing flow of water, to be certain that it is administered very slowly. For a 55-gallon tank, you should take a 48-hour period to administer 5 gallons of make-up water. Make sure you test-run your drip method, to be sure that it introduces the desired amount of make-up water over the correct period of time. Adding Kalkwasser too fast will cause pH shock, which can be fatal or, at the least, unnecessarily stressful to the livestock. Take the recommended precautions and do not let this happen!

On larger tanks, 125 gallons and up, 5 gallons of make-up water will not have as much of an effect as it will in smaller tanks. For a 125-gallon tank, the Kalkwasser can be added at the rate of approximately 5 gallons in 8 to 12 hours. In a 200-gallon or larger tank, the 5 gallons can be added without any clamping system, allowing the airline tube to empty the 5-gallon bucket unrestricted. This will take less than 1 hour.

Time of day to add:

Another suggestion is to add the Kalkwasser mix when the tank lights go out, or (ideally) first thing in the morning. While the lights are off, the pH drops, reaching its lowest level the next day just before the lights come back on. If you add the Kalkwasser during this reef “night,” the effect of raising the pH will not be as significant as it would be during lighted hours.

There may be some questions and concerns about adding 5 gallons of Kalkwasser all at once. Yes, some critics may be correct that adding smaller amounts more frequently would be a less risky, less stressful, and more natural approach. However, I have used my method on tanks from 55 to 200 gallons, with no adverse effects, and I have not lost one creature due to pH shock. You do have to be careful on smaller tanks, but once you get familiar with this system, I’m sure you will find it to be very practical: (1) you will add make-up water less frequently, and (2) on larger tanks (125 gallons and up), you can add 5 gallons of make-up water at a time, which is a significant, convenient, easily measurable amount of water to add.

Do not mix with an airstone; this will add carbon dioxide and oxygen, which will reduce the effectiveness of the calcium hydroxide and defeat its purpose!

Benefits of adding Kalkwasser:

You may be interested in why it is so important to add Kalkwasser. Some of the benefits are:

• It adds calcium that is needed by most of the creatures in the reef.
• It encourages the growth of pink and purple coralline algae.
• It keeps the pH elevated. By adding Kalkwasser on a regular basis (make-up water) and doing water changes every 2 to 3 weeks, I have found my pH to be consistently between 8.2 and 8.4. Keeping the pH at this level makes it less likely that micro-algae will become a problem.
• The reef just seems to love Kalkwasser.
• There are many more scientific and chemical reactions that are beneficial. Take my word for it: adding Kalkwasser on a regular basis is one of the most beneficial procedures for maintaining a healthy reef and desirable water chemistry.

Simplified Reefkeeping

What is a protein Skimmer, and how does it work?

The heart of the modern reef external filter system is the protein skimmer. Make sure it is large enough to do the job. You cannot have too much skimming! Buy or make the largest one you can afford. Keep in mind: the larger your skimmer, the larger the skimmer pump will have to be. It should, however, be no larger than the main pump of the system.

I always cut the factory rating in half when planning for my skimmer. A protein skimmer is a clear plastic cylinder, usually 4-6” in diameter and 24-38” tall. Water is directed into the column by a water pump. Inside the column fine air bubbles are introduced and mixed with the water. This is usually done with wooden air blocks placed at the bottom inside the column, and fed with a strong air pump. This type of skimmer is called “counter-current” or “air-driven,” meaning that the water is pumped in at the top of the cylinder, and is directed downward at approximately a 45° angle. This makes the water swirl in the plastic column, while the fine air bubbles from the wooden air blocks rise to the top.

The bubbles drag water with them, rise to the top, and burst. Because there are dissolved proteins and wastes in the water, these too cling to the extremely small air bubbles, which rise and burst in the upper neck of the plastic column. A foam builds up in the upper neck of the plastic column, and overflows into a collection cup to be removed. This is also known as “foam fractioning,” and has been used in water treatment facilities. See Chapter 12 on the design of a protein skimmer.

A Venturi type of skimmer uses a Venturi air valve that is in line with the water being pumped into the skimmer. A Venturi eliminates the need for air pumps and blocks. It runs with a higher flow rate than counter-current systems, and therefore will need a stronger pump: one that is designed to operate under pressure, a “pressure pump.” This type of pump is designed to force water through the Venturi valve (see pump description). The Venturi is considered to be more efficient and overall less expensive to operate than air-driven counter-current skimmers.

The tower type:(Downdraft) There has been a revolutionary new design of skimmer on the market, which is neither Venturi nor counter-current. This new design is called E.T.S., for “Environmental Tower Scrubber.” Water is pumped through a tall, narrow “tower” (approximately 2” wide), filled with plastic media balls. The water is under considerable pressure, and it gets forced down the small neck through the plastic media, with air pulled in from the top of the skimmer creating fine air bubbles. Proteins and waste products cling to the fine air bubbles accumulating in a collection neck, rise, and overflow. This new dimension of skimming is extremely efficient and well worth considering, as the skimmer for your reef.

All skimmers operate on water being pumped in at the top and draining out by gravity at the bottom. The bottom of the skimmer should be above the top of the sump, thereby using gravity to full advantage. Most should have control valves in line before and after the skimmer to insure proper water control and fine tuning of the skimmer.

Also, you will hear talk of “efficient” skimming. This means that the skimmer is adjusted so that the accumulating foam has a relatively stiff consistency. If the bubbles are too close to the top of the neck, they will burst there (at the top), and you will not get the desired thick foam that accumulates until it reaches the top and overflows into the collection cup.

When the tank is first set up, a considerable amount of foam (waste) will be removed. Initially this is from die-off on the rock. The first couple of months are the most crucial from a monitoring standpoint. As time goes on and things balance out, the skimmer will be more predictable. This is good: when the skimmer is properly adjusted to produce a thick foam regularly, this indicates that the waste is being removed and the skimmer is operating correctly. The protein skimmer is the most important external filtering device of the enclosed reef, and will need sufficient monitoring for it to function properly, especially when it is first set up.

SKIMMER PUMPS

Here are some ideas on pumps.

1. Main pump, flow type:

You want to have a turnover of water at least six times the volume of the tank per hour with the main pump. For example, in a 55-gallon tank the turnover should be 55 x 6 = 330 GPH. This would require a main pump in the range of 330 GPH. Also, remember to take the vertical pumping action (head) into account when selecting the main pump. As a general rule, I would also add 20% to the figure as compensation for the head pressure. In this case, 20% of 330 = 66. Adding that to the original 330, we get 396, or about 400 GPH. By adding this 20%, I am assured of the pump’s capability. The main pump should be a flow pump, meaning it is designed to flow the water instead of having to force the water through something like a pressure pump. Also, I am not fond of submersible pumps, unless they are absolutely necessary in a particular situation. So, for a 55-gallon tank, we would use a 400 GPH main pump.

2. Skimmer pump:

For a Venturi skimmer, you will want a pressure pump. This is needed to force the water through the Venturi valve. For a counter-current skimmer, you will want a flow pump, because pressure is not necessary in this design. You will have to be very careful when selecting a pump for a factory-built skimmer. Closely follow the manufacturer’s recommendation of pump size! Skimmers are designed in such a way that the drain fitting is a certain size, and will only drain the water out so fast. I have found that valves are always needed on both sides of the skimmer. This gives you the advantage of being able to fine tune the skimmer, which is definitely necessary. If you make your own skimmer, the drain fitting can be larger than would be found on a factory-built skimmer. By having a large drain fitting controlled by a valve, you can increase the amount of water for the skimmer to process. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can have a small skimmer with a large drain hole and expect to remove waste properly. However, having a sizable drain fitting will give you more control over the rates of drainage and water flow.

Why does the water surface of a reef aquarium need to be skimmed?

In most older reef aquariums water was drawn out of the tank either from the bottom or from approximately halfway up the tank. All advanced reef keepers agree that this is incorrect. The fact is that nitrogen gas, along with other elements, rises to the surface of the water. This can be observed by the existence of a “scum line” at the water level of the tank. It is at this surface waterline that you must draw the water to feed the skimmer. This ensures proper gas exchange between oxygen from the atmosphere and the nutrient-rich water that rises to the surface.

This concept of surface skimming will employ either overflow pipes or a dam-type wall over which surface water flows out of the tank. For filling the tank by using the main pump, my personal preference is to have a spraybar at the bottom rear of the tank. I believe this results in a truer water flow and exchange throughout the tank.

In order to have a true modern reef tank, surface skimming of the water is essential; all water flow out of the tank must be from the surface. This water then enters the protein skimmer, where the bulk waste products get removed. Then the water passes through the prefilter.

Simplified Reefkeeping

What is the benefit of having a sump box for a reef tank?

A sump box is the best way I can:

• Supply the skimmers with a consistent volume of water,
• Incorporate a prefilter,
• Have a “working amount of water” (the amount it takes to “work” the tank, pumping water into the tank to a desired level, so that water will flow out, and
• Have the needed buffer, in case the electricity goes out and the tank drains down to the lowest point of the overflow(s).

DESIGN AND FUNCTION OF THE SUMP BOX

It is desirable to have two separate areas in the sump. They are separated with a piece of Plexiglas that is high enough to keep the water separated while the sump is in operation, but not totally separate, so the sump can fill up completely in case of a power outage. We will refer to one side as “dirty” (water from the tank), and the other as “clean” (water from the skimmer and the prefilter).

You need an area where the water can be controlled and directed.

 This is done with a sump box. One side is water coming from the tank, going to the skimmer. The other side is water coming from the skimmer through the prefilter, going to the main pump and back into the tank. Gravity drains water from the tank, into one side of the sump. The skimmer pump (on this “dirty” side) pumps this water into the skimmer. The water then drains by gravity into the prefilter (“clean”) side of the sump box, collects there, and gets pumped back into the tank by the main pump.

Simplified Reefkeeping