Assembling a Sump

[rja]

Hey all,
First time owning a reef with a sump. The seller of the tank used this odd sized tank in the bottom as an “open sump”. It’s 35Lx12Wx17H tank but has the same width as a 20 Long. I figured I can just use an ebay 20L baffle kit. I would just have a couple inches of space over where the kit usually meets the rim of the tank. I would just run the water height the same as a normal 20L but have some extra space for if the pump fails or something.

Anyway, everything about the kit is self explanatory to me aside from one part:

should PVC just go through this hole from the overflow? how deep in the tank should i put it?

 

[snorklr]

no clue...my fiji cube 20 kit didn't come with anything like that ...I made a piece of pvc board to cover that area from side to side...drilled a hole centered between the socks ,put a T and 2 elbows under it to split the overflow and dump into the centers of the 2 socks...dont think what they gave you would be stable enough to do that to (my overflow is old style ribbed flex hose from my original wet dry)

 

[19Mateo83]

I just bought one from this seller and he will custom build it for your tank dimensions. He adjusted the kit to fit the dimensions of my Seapora 20L

 

[Tcook]

What size tank is this for? Make sure your over-and-under weirs use the full 12”. Otherwise water speed may be too much to remove the micro bubbles. If this is for a small tank with low volume turnover then maybe you are ok.

 

[rja]

What size tank is this for? Make sure your over-and-under weirs use the full 12”. Otherwise water speed may be too much to remove the micro bubbles. If this is for a small tank with low volume turnover then maybe you are ok.

its a 75 standard. the sump has the same layout as the sump these baffles were made for. just an extra 6” in length and a couple inches taller.

 

[rja]

I just bought one from this seller and he will custom build it for your tank dimensions. He adjusted the kit to fit the dimensions of my Seapora 20L

Unfortunately Jax already shipped it within the day (which is fricken sweet) but if it doesn’t fit ill just get a Petco 20L for $25

 

[argiBK]

should PVC just go through this hole from the overflow? how deep in the tank should i put it?

Yes. Water from the overflow is delivered to the first chamber and then rises and flows through the two filter socks.

I wouldn’t ”thread” a continuous pipe through the hole. You’re going to need options should you ever need to dismantle your plumbing and work on the sump. Install a bulkhead in that hole and give yourself more flexibility for how you plumb to the sump from the overflow — you can hard plumb a PVC from the bulkhead into the first chamber (the pipe exit needs to be below the water line feeding into the filter socks if you want to silence the water flow).

Edit: Also, NEVER run the water in the sump to the full height of the sump. If you should ever turn off the return pump, the pump fail, or lose power, water from the display tank will continue to drain to the sump and you’ll flood your floor. Make sure that the amount of water that drains from the display tank when the pump is not running can be contained by the sump.

 

[19Mateo83]

This is very important!

Also, NEVER run the water in the sump to the full height of the sump. If you should ever turn off the return pump, the pump fail, or lose power, water from the display tank will continue to drain to the sump and you’ll flood your floor. Make sure that the amount of water that drains from the display tank when the pump is not running can be contained by the sump.

 

[rja]

Yes. Water from the overflow is delivered to the first chamber and then rises and flows through the two filter socks.

I wouldn’t ”thread” a continuous pipe through the hole. You’re going to need options should you ever need to dismantle your plumbing and work on the sump. Install a bulkhead in that hole and give yourself more flexibility for how you plumb to the sump from the overflow — you can hard plumb a PVC from the bulkhead into the first chamber (the pipe exit needs to be below the water line feeding into the filter socks if you want to silence the water flow).

Edit: Also, NEVER run the water in the sump to the full height of the sump. If you should ever turn off the return pump, the pump fail, or lose power, water from the display tank will continue to drain to the sump and you’ll flood your floor. Make sure that the amount of water that drains from the display tank when the pump is not running can be contained by the sump.

That’s the intent with the higher tank. The “sump” will only operate as if it’s a normal 12” high 20L. But there will be an extra few inches of tank above that. Hard to explain but essentially will be a normal 20L sump but with way more room above it for any pump failure. Even though my tank’s overflow line isn’t too low.

 

[snackpack]

I just ordered a custom kit from Jax Racks. Great guy to work with. I confirmed my dimensions with him late Thursday night, and he says it'll ship on Monday. I'm hoping to have it here mid-late week and get it siliconed in next weekend so I can finish my 120g build.

 

[rja]

I just ordered a custom kit from Jax Racks. Great guy to work with. I confirmed my dimensions with him late Thursday night, and he says it'll ship on Monday. I'm hoping to have it here mid-late week and get it siliconed in next weekend so I can finish my 120g build.

Yes he replied to me almost instantly about my issue and shipped on a Saturday! I’m getting antsy. Half the fun of owning a tank is setting it up. But I know I have to take my time lol

 

[PotatoPig]

Edit: Also, NEVER run the water in the sump to the full height of the sump. If you should ever turn off the return pump, the pump fail, or lose power, water from the display tank will continue to drain to the sump and you’ll flood your floor. Make sure that the amount of water that drains from the display tank when the pump is not running can be contained by the sump.

To underscore this to OP:

With a 75/20L setup every inch your return is below the water will add 2 1/2” of water to your sump when the siphon kicks in whenever the pump is off/paused.

If the return line outlet is 2” below the waterline and you have less than 5” spare in the sump you’re gonna have a flood.

You can drill small holes in the return to help with this, but they result in water jets when the pump is on, and often won’t immediately break the siphon when the pump is off.

Test run your setup while watching and ready to turn the pump back on to see how much drains into the sump.

 

[rja]

To underscore this to OP:

With a 75/20L setup every inch your return is below the water will add 2 1/2” of water to your sump when the siphon kicks in whenever the pump is off/paused.

If the return line outlet is 2” below the waterline and you have less than 5” spare in the sump you’re gonna have a flood.

You can drill small holes in the return to help with this, but they result in water jets when the pump is on, and often won’t immediately break the siphon when the pump is off.

Test run your setup while watching and ready to turn the pump back on to see how much drains into the sump.

Thank you for clearing it up. My sump water level will be 10”, my overflow is 1” under the water line, and my sump is 17” high.

Edit: sump is 17” high

 

[snorklr]

my water level is about 2'' lower than the top of the socks...when the level rises in that little side compartment i know the socks are clogged and are being bypassed