Is this the right sump skimmer setup?

[ppatrick_reef]

Hello,

I just got a ASM G3 skimmer today. Still a little bit unsure about how to set it up in my 30 gal sump. I searched the web but couldn't find any diagrams (weird). The attachment is the picture that I drew (and thought it should be like that). Did I understand it right? Do I need to get a special hose to move water from the overflow to Sedar pump or any hose would do? Please advice.


Thanks,
Patrick

 

[Meloco14]

I don't use a sump so I'm not 100% sure on this, hopefully someone can confirm/deny my points, but I dont think you want a hose from your overflow to your skimmer pump. I would have your overflow hose just drain into the sump, and let the skimmer pump suck straight from the sump. I see potential problems coming from having your skimmer pump suck off of a hose from the overflow. The return side looks fine to me. Maybe I'm way off here though...

 

[Sponge_Bob]

I don't use a sump so I'm not 100% sure on this, hopefully someone can confirm/deny my points, but I dont think you want a hose from your overflow to your skimmer pump. I would have your overflow hose just drain into the sump, and let the skimmer pump suck straight from the sump. I see potential problems coming from having your skimmer pump suck off of a hose from the overflow. The return side looks fine to me. Maybe I'm way off here though...

I agree with your concerns and I too do not advise it. Try to set something like this :

More chances of success, less chances of a mess!

Good luck!

 

[Len]

The concept looks right, but have the overflow drain go into the sump and not the skimmer pump. It's not a bad idea to skim overflow water, but you don't want to restrict the overflow piping by plumbing it directly to the pump's intake.

 

[ppatrick_reef]

Try to set something like this :

More chances of success, less chances of a mess!

Good luck![/quote]

SpongeBob. I like your refugium idea. My main tank is 75 gal and the sump is 30 gal. I still have a 50 gal tank left. Just wonder can I use my 50 gal as a refugium and put some more fish in there, then pump the water back to the main 75 gal tank? Would that be a bad idea? :-/ My G3 skimmer can handle up to 150 gal tank.

Thanks everyone for your answers

 

[das75]

You don't put the overflow directly to skimmer pump. Overflow into sump and pump will just draw from skimmer compartment.

There is a recir mod where the overflow drains into the skimmer body (~200gpm for G3) check the asmskimmer.com site for description and instructions.

 

[pwj1286]

Score on the G3. You will love it.

ASM has so much to offer. I am thinking about switching frm Euro-Reef to ASM, if Euro-Reef doesn't get with it and get their heads in the skimming market.
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[ppatrick_reef]

Score on the G3. You will love it.

ASM has so much to offer. I am thinking about switching frm Euro-Reef to ASM, if Euro-Reef doesn't get with it and get their heads in the skimming market.

pwj, I thought ASM is the clone version over Euro-Reef. If you already the original one, why do you want to change to the clone? What do you think about having large refugium (50 gal)? Is it a bad idea?

PS. Pretty nice tank you have there. Lots of colorful corals and fish.

 

[Sponge_Bob]

SpongeBob. I like your refugium idea. My main tank is 75 gal and the sump is 30 gal. I still have a 50 gal tank left. Just wonder can I use my 50 gal as a refugium and put some more fish in there, then pump the water back to the main 75 gal tank? Would that be a bad idea? :-/ My G3 skimmer can handle up to 150 gal tank.

Thanks everyone for your answers

Like I siad in the "new to marine" section in a simnilar question, piping two tanks together to act in conjunction as a sump and a seperate refuge is kinda tricky. It depends on where your refuge would be in the first place. Would it be like another display tank i.e. at the same level as the main tank or set on the floor like a sump? Either setup has its problems and dangers of flooding.

I could go on and on with suggestions and "heads up" about this project but until you define exactly what you want to do, it's kind of hard to give you any advice whatsoever.

 

[Anonymous]

Another cool idea I learned recently, is to have your overflow go into an old bucket or something similar that will fit in your sump. Use a drill to drill about a gazillion holes about 1/3 down from the top. Have your overflow pipe go to the bottom of the bucket, and use this area as a phosguard/phosphate absorber mixing area. to prevent the little pellets from exiting the bucket, put polyester pillow packing guaze just below the holes. This works as a very easy to clean detritus trap as well. This will also help aleviate bubbles from entering a non-chambered sump, which leads to introducing air inrto the return pump suction, and a bubbly tank. Not to mention how all these little bubbles pop and splatter up onto the lighting.

 

[pwj1286]

ppatrick_reef

pwj, I thought ASM is the clone version over Euro-Reef. If you already the original one, why do you want to change to the clone? What do you think about having large refugium (50 gal)? Is it a bad idea?

It is a clone, but a clone with some advantages to the Euro-Reef. Cheaper, easier to clean, and some differnt things that I see that is important to a skimmer.

Refugiums are a debated issue (as most things are in this hobby), I like them for fish/coral systems.

I plan not to use one on my next tank. The next tank I planing, the method that I am going to use debates not to have one.

You should chose which method is right for you according to what you need based on what you keep, not what ever one else does.
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