Sump and Refugium designs for 400g+ Tanks

[ActiveAngel]

I’m in the initial planning stages for my next big build. It will be between 300-1,000g tank (likely somewhere around 500g), with a dedicated fish room. In addition to the sump, I also plan to have a large 2-part refugium.

I already have several awesome designs that I’ve drafted up. I will post a couple of my best ones later. However, I wanted to ask if anyone else either has a killer sump and refugium on a large tank yet, or even if you simply have some well-planned designs. I’d love to see photos or drawings.

My refugium will probably be built – in, but I’m also open to plumbed fuge ideas.

 

[hiimsean]

If you have some coin to blow, one word: Dreambox

 

[ActiveAngel]

If you have some coin to blow, one word: Dreambox

lol. I plan to make my own; which is why my design is so flexible.

 

[Adam]

When the 210 was up and running I converted a 120 into a sump. Total water volume with a 60 frag plumbed in was around 325 gallons.
I was initially going to make my 210 into the sump for my next system, 500ish gallons and use the 120 for the frag system. Now I'm buying Chucks MRC sump and may sell the 210. But still undecided. I might still use the 210 for the big system and the MRC for the frag system then sell the 120 sump. Either way it's nice to have options now.

I am going to have a dedicated fish/sump room too. We should get together and compare notes!
I'm working on the plans of the new tank now is going to be a 96x48x27 peninsula. Trying to get the flow handled and looking at a closed loop.

 

[ActiveAngel]

I am going to have a dedicated fish/sump room too. We should get together and compare notes!
.

You got it! We have similar interests and designs so far

 

[Adam]

You got it! We have similar interests and designs so far

What is your timeline looking like for the build?

I've got a lot of work ahead of me finishing the basement and hope to have the tank delivered in mid to late April. HVAC is going in now, literally right now. I'm also putting in a HRV for fresh air ventilation. Then it's on to the electrical work. After that it's the bathroom, drywall and flooring.

 

[ActiveAngel]

What is your timeline looking like for the build?

I've got a lot of work ahead of me finishing the basement and hope to have the tank delivered in mid to late April. HVAC is going in now, literally right now. I'm also putting in a HRV for fresh air ventilation. Then it's on to the electrical work. After that it's the bathroom, drywall and flooring.

My timeline is within the next 18 months. Lol. I’m really just starting.

 

[Adam]

My timeline is within the next 18 months. Lol. I’m really just starting.

Well, you're welcome to come by whenever you have time. I'd love to pick your brain some I don't think you can get to many viewpoints with this type stuff. There's usually something brought up you haven't thought of before.

I'd also like to see what you've already got going and what you're looking to do.

 

[kwl1763]

I had a 450G display for quite a while with a fish room behind about 10 years ago thatI had up for 5 years before I moved.

I used 2 100G rubbermaid troughs for sumps and I loved the setup. First was basically where refugium was (though I eventually had seahorses in there and it was awesome) and where I ran the skimmer from and had my media reactors, calcium reactor input/output, etc and second I used for topoff adding chemicals, water testing, etc etc.

When I wanted to do a water change I also had another 100G on a funiture dolly under a 50G rubbermade where I had RODI. I could turn a valve and drain ~75G from the tank (using the return pump) and then just pump that premixed 75G in the extra 100G bin into the sump never taking any water out of the display tank.

I had the first sump on a small platform about 6 inches above the second and just drilled 2 1.5inch bulkheads and had them drain in the second. Then put a bulkhead on the bottom of the second that fed the return pump.

Hope that makes sense. I'll try to find some pics but was a sweet setup I had about 10 years ago and if I was doing again I'd probably do the same way.

Here is the reefcenral link but of course all the pic links are broken since that server is long gone.

~450G Display (~1000G system) documentary starting - Reef Central Online Community

~450G Display (~1000G system) documentary starting Large Reef Tanks

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