Approve my sump design!

[FiReBReTHa]

is this good?

from left to right.
Over - 10"
Over - 10"
Under - 10"
Over - 14"

1" inbetween baffles and a hair under 1.25 for the "Under" baffle.


This way if there is a power out or pump failure the sump will get all the excess into the refugium and not cause the skimmer to go crazy and overflow.

 

[Poseidon]

So is the order from left to right like this?

Return : Skimmer : Fuge, and in from tank.

What skimmer are you planning on using, it seems a lot of skimmers like to sit in 6-8" of water, so you can either build a platform for the skimmer to rest on, or lower those baffles a bit.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

So is the order from left to right like this?

Return : Skimmer : Fuge, and in from tank.

What skimmer are you planning on using, it seems a lot of skimmers like to sit in 6-8" of water, so you can either build a platform for the skimmer to rest on, or lower those baffles a bit.

Return - refugium - skimmer / overflow

ATB skimmer so I will be platforming so I can decrease it from a maximum of 7inch submersion.

 

[Poseidon]

As long as you have clearance for the skimmer, then I think it will work just fine. Just make sure to add 8 or 9" inches to the height of the skimmer, and measure the inside of your stand from top to bottom, if the skimmer still fits, you are in there like swimwear!

 

[Rouselb]

If water is moving left to right, then it seems to me that the water level will be 14" in the skimmer compartment. I would remove the second baffle, and shorten the forth to 10". You want the water to leave the skimmer and travel under the next baffle, trapping the upper skimmate water in the chamber until processed by the skimmer.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

so..... 1" from skimmer cup to ceiling is cutting it close?


.....dang....

 

[Poseidon]

I read it as water moving right to left Larry....

 

[Poseidon]

so..... 1" from skimmer cup to ceiling is cutting it close?


.....dang....

How much clearance do you need to remove the cup?

 

[FiReBReTHa]

How much clearance do you need to remove the cup?

dunno... gotta buy the skimmer

lol

 

[Rouselb]

That doesn't make sense to me. It should be water moving left to right. First compartment is the inlet from the display, maybe 6" wide to stop the bubbles and water movement, then skimmer in the next chamber, maybe 14-16", then return pump area, maybe 6-8". You dont really want the inlet area to be the same as the skimmer, this will hinder most skimmer efficiencies.

 

[Poseidon]

Then I would wait on the baffles. Are you going to start the tank without the skimmer?

 

[FiReBReTHa]

That doesn't make sense to me. It should be water moving left to right. First compartment is the inlet from the display, maybe 6" wide to stop the bubbles and water movement, then skimmer in the next chamber, maybe 14-16", then return pump area, maybe 6-8". You dont really want the inlet area to be the same as the skimmer, this will hinder most skimmer efficiencies.

I am actually living in australia right now so the water goes the other way here.


now looking at your layout, where does the refugium go?

 

[FiReBReTHa]

Then I would wait on the baffles. Are you going to start the tank without the skimmer?

I haz a ghetto skimmer running right now...

 

[Rouselb]

It doesn't matter what way the water flows through it. You just want the skimmer to be as efficient as possible. You can add another baffle if you need a fuge. The fuge would go after the skimmer compartment. Skimmers in general need the water to be as level as possible. They loose efficiency when the water level bounces around.

 

[mfinn]

That doesn't make sense to me. It should be water moving left to right. First compartment is the inlet from the display, maybe 6" wide to stop the bubbles and water movement, then skimmer in the next chamber, maybe 14-16", then return pump area, maybe 6-8". You dont really want the inlet area to be the same as the skimmer, this will hinder most skimmer efficiencies.

That's where my skimmer is and it works fine.

 

[Rouselb]

Thats great that it works for you. If you want a skimmer to be as efficient as possible, then you need to keep the water level as constant as possible. Lots of thing affect skimmers, like the amount of flow through the sump, the water action, food in the column. Like I said, most skimmer efficiencies are hindered when the inlet and skimmer are in the same chamber without anything to breakup the velocity of the in coming water.

 

[mfinn]

The first baffle in my sump is the highest and does maintain a constant water level.
I do have a small corner box ( where the water goes into first) that acts as a one walled bubble trap.

 

[eggie]

I made almost the same sump with the same tank here is pic of mine

 

[Azurel]

If there is a power failure how much water will dump into the sump? I have to build a new one because I upgraded my skimmer and the new skimmer holds 3x more water then the old one. I cut power and water from the tank draining back into sump, plus skimmer over flowed my sump. I have 3 1/2 gallons or so of play room and it is not enough with the new skimmer. I would wait for the new sump until you get the skimmer in hand to see how much water you will need to hold incase of a power failure. Other wise you my be doing this all over again.....You also want the skimmer as close to the inlet as possible so it is skimming the dirtiest water possiable. The farther away from the inlet the less effective the skimmer with be if the skimmer comes after any type of filter or refugium.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

If there is a power failure how much water will dump into the sump? I have to build a new one because I upgraded my skimmer and the new skimmer holds 3x more water then the old one. I cut power and water from the tank draining back into sump, plus skimmer over flowed my sump. I have 3 1/2 gallons or so of play room and it is not enough with the new skimmer. I would wait for the new sump until you get the skimmer in hand to see how much water you will need to hold incase of a power failure. Other wise you my be doing this all over again.....You also want the skimmer as close to the inlet as possible so it is skimming the dirtiest water possiable. The farther away from the inlet the less effective the skimmer with be if the skimmer comes after any type of filter or refugium.

good to know.

well one stinker that I was wrong for is that I made the pane to the right 14" which meant raisig up the skimmer 7inchs when I only can raise the skimmer 2" to maintain clearance in stand.
meaning I need another 10" baffle so they are all the same height and if there is a tank shutdown if skimmer doesnt shut downitwill overflow