DIY Sump Design - is this valid?

[Eel Steve]

I have a 30 gallon tall tank I'm using as a sump filter for a 72 gallon bowfront. Here is a little design I sketched up from lookjing at 90,000 different designs, not understanding any of it, and praying this is valid, basically.

If I understood anything correctly, the triple baffle on the first chamber where I have the skimmer is important, because it will keep the water level static, which the skimmer needs to stay at the right bubble level....

Please give me extensive notes and critiques. Please note I suck at artsy ****, so this is not supposed to be to scale, or like, good looking. I'm just wondering if my proof of concept is okay.

 

[steve&mari]

The 3 baffles is a bubble trap to keep any micro bubbles from getting to display. I don't think where it's placed matters I put ours after fuge before return chamber. Everything works just fine. I'd add another baffle before return. Normally it's 3 for bubble trap then 2 on the other. But chamber setup is fine it'll work great.

 

[Eel Steve]

The 3 baffles is a bubble trap to keep any micro bubbles from getting to display. I don't think where it's placed matters I put ours after fuge before return chamber. Everything works just fine. I'd add another baffle before return. Normally it's 3 for bubble trap then 2 on the other. But chamber setup is fine it'll work great v

Is there anything I can do to ensure the first chamber stays at the same level? I can't afford an auto-top off so I'm doing this all on the cheap.

 

[Eel Steve]

Actually I guess I want to reverse it like yours, that keeps the first chamber at a constant level it seems

 

[ebushrow]

My only suggestion to your design is to move the heater to the first or second chamber....that way if the water level drops too low you wont have an exploded heater and a huge mess to deal with in the tank. Design looks good though ....just like mine

 

[Amoo]

You're pretty much on the right track now, here the design I made before I built my sump. Been running over a year and nothing I would change honestly. Note how the water gradually gets lower from right to left, 14" in the inlet section, 13 in the skimmer and fuge section, 12 in the variable height return section. As long as you step down, however you lay things out will work solid for you. FWIW this is a standard 75G I turned into a sump.

 

[Eel Steve]

You're pretty much on the right track now, here the design I made before I built my sump. Been running over a year and nothing I would change honestly. Note how the water gradually gets lower from right to left, 14" in the inlet section, 13 in the skimmer and fuge section, 12 in the variable height return section. As long as you step down, however you lay things out will work solid for you. FWIW this is a standard 75G I turned into a sump.

Mechanically / water gravity travel whatever technical term viscocity wise (lol)

What does a separate mini chamber for Inlets, and stepping down with that, do for me? I was just gonna have inlet into a socket inthe same chamber as the skimmer

 

[Amoo]

Nothing honestly, it just allowed me a place to put some socks without worry about them being sucked into parts of the skimmer inlet or reactor pump because of tight quarters. Either way is fine honestly. I personally felt that extra inch made it a little easier to get to the socks to get them on and off, but that is probably just me justifying it to myself

 

[beaslbob]

Looks like it would work.

I would go for a higher water level before the sump so you can have more macro algae/live rock in the refugium. (Which means high level in the skimmer area also.)

But what you have should work ok.

my .02

 

[TCFletch]

What's the purpose of the egg crates and sock??