DIY Sump

[lemonpeel]

I have been playing with Adobe Illustrator planning out the sump for my dream tank that I plan on building in a year or so. The display tank will be 225 gallons at 72X27X27. The stand that I will build to put this in will be 74X28X36 so everything fits and I'll be able to work in it. This sump will be 48X20X18. I have measured out where I need my baffles. starting from left to right, the drain baffle is 2.5" in and 14" tall, the filter sock plate is 5" as it will hold 4-4" filter socks. The next baffle, between the filter socks and skimmer section is 7.5" from the left, 13.5" tall and 2.5" from the bottom so it doesn't cut flow through the sump. The baffle between my skimmer and frag section is 9" tall and 20.5" from the left side. The bubble trap that is in the frag section is 13.5" tall and 2.5" from the bottom at 27.5" from the left. The baffle in the frag to return section is 9" tall at 28" from the left. Will .5" be enough space for a bubble trap to not impede flow too much? Should I expand it out to 1"? The last section is for the refugium. That baffle is 16.5" tall and 36" from the left. If needed, I can take a bit from this section as it is a 12"X20" section and I can make the bubble trap larger.

What do you guys think?

 

[heathd.hd]

Nice! Might think about ato area or section with dosing containers.

 

[lemonpeel]

I'm going to put a separate bucket or tank under for an ato reservoir. That way, I can remove it for cleaning every so often.

 

[heathd.hd]

Cool. Here's mine it's similar. Goes fuge return skimmer/sock ato. It's 4' by 15 x 15 two pieces so it goes in the doors on stand.

 

[lemonpeel]

That's an awesome idea to make it into 2 pieces. With my luck, the holes for the bulkheads wouldn't line up and it would be askew.

 

[heathd.hd]

Ha. I clamped them together and drilled a pilot hole first. My first tank i had a 3 piece cause I only had 1 door!

 

[lemonpeel]

I may need to nab that idea from you if that's alright. I like that it can be taken apart and be more modular if needed.

 

[heathd.hd]

Go ahead! I really like it that way.

 

[heathd.hd]

The other plus I had was you can adjust the water levels in the fuge and skimmer by just adding some pvc to the bulkheads.

 

[lemonpeel]

What do you do to help stop detritus from building up?

 

[heathd.hd]

In the sump? Or in the bulkheads / pvc fittings? My fuge has a wp 10 tumbling the cheato. I shop vacuum the sump once in a while for wc. And I bottle brush the bulkheads a bit when they look gross.

 

[lemonpeel]

Ok. That's what I was wondering.

 

[heathd.hd]

1 1/2" bulkheads there's plenty of area for flow there.

 

[lemonpeel]

I was wondering if I'd need 2 inch where it's going to be for a 225 gallon.

 

[heathd.hd]

Wouldn't be bad. On the skimmer side 4 sure. The fuge isn't going to get as much water drain. Well mine is way lower anyways.

 

[heathd.hd]

I'm running a 1000gph return pump @ a bit over 4' of head pressure and it just rolls through my sump awesome. Even without a bubble trap in there.

 

[lemonpeel]

That's awesome. Might cut down on glass or acrylic. Not sure what I'm gonna build it out of yet.

 

[heathd.hd]

I only run a sock on the weekends so during the week I do notice a few bubbles I'm going to add a trap at some point. Just have been lazy. Here's the other one I built. Smaller. 3 sections.

 

[lemonpeel]

I drew up a top view of what I'm calling version 1.0. Here is the top view for it.

 

[lemonpeel]

Here is what is called version 1.1.