# sumper order.



## fubujubu (Jan 10, 2011)

*sump order.*

Just wondering if there a general order. Or what order seems to work best for the chambers in a sump. I.e skimmer before or after refugium and what not.
Looking to build one in a 20gallon for my first saltwater tank.


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## Omis (Dec 27, 2010)

Skimmer, Refugium, Return.


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

skimmer -> baffle up -> baffle down -> refugiurm -> baffle down -> baffle up - > baffle down -> return


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

You need all the baffles to act as a "bubble trap" to keep excess air bubbles from getting in the display tank.

You can put the pipe in from the DT overflow and the skimmer in the same compartment;

...and then have your fuge in the second;

...then your bubble trap baffles, and then your return pump.

Another option is to use 2 smaller tanks (or in my case 2 BIGGER tanks ) and have your intake and skimmer in compartment #1 and then the bubble trap, and then compartment #2 houses your return pump, as well as a return pump to another dedicated refugium tank, which in turn has an overflow that drains back into the skimmer compartment of the first sump tank. I prefer this as it keeps all the critters and worms and algae out of the pumps and heaters and skimmers and other mechanical stuff. 

Marc at melevsreef.com has a lot of good reads on sumps and DIY recommendations.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

drain/skimmer section drains into return compartment. Refugium fed separately from drain drains into return (skimmer -> retrun <- refugium)

Alternately, Skimmer -> refugium -> return


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## Naoko (Jan 22, 2011)

Check out Melvsreef, a lot of helpful advice there.

Personally mine is drain/skimmer>Fuge/DSB>Return. More volume the better, 20G is kind of small but better than nothing.
Here's a 90g for $100, provided you have some room.



fubujubu said:


> Just wondering if there a general order. Or what order seems to work best for the chambers in a sump. I.e skimmer before or after refugium and what not.
> Looking to build one in a 20gallon for my first saltwater tank.


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