Help for the sump

[UnderDaSea]

This is my first time using a sump and would like some feedback/ideas on the light and items I have inside. Its a 20gallon sump with 3 sections, the first section is from the tank and has live rock and some misc crushed coral portions in it and is roughly 3.4 gallons the next section is the main section roughly 9 gallons and has some refugium mud on the bottom and then some misc algae bough from Indooreef in there along with a heater and a prizim protien skimmer (I am only using this until i can get a pump for my 125 coralife skimmer) finally is the next section that has 2 6x6 pads side by side to hold off any stray parts of algae into the return. The light I have down here is just some misc 11watt compact twin bulb.

My main concern is the watt outage, is it enough to sustain the algae or should i up it to a certain wattage. Also the light is not directly over the algae do I need to move it directly over it to make it more efficent? THANKS FOR ANY ideas, hints, tips!!!

 

[danno14]

Greetings and welcome to RF!

Tip #1- the light you have will likely do ok, but you would do better with an inexpensive clamp-on light with a CF spotlight bulb from home depot. (cheap to operate and replace)

#2- now that you know of this forum, many here will give away stuff like algae if you ask nicely

Best of luck, and post picks of your tank soon.
D

 

[UnderDaSea]

Thanks Dan.... I would say by next week ill toss up some pics after i get the snails/hermits to eat misc algae in tank.