First Ever Sump Build

Placentasaur · Dec 3, 2017

Hey there! My name is Cody and I have started a few freshwater tanks in the recent years including a 55 Gallon cichlid tank, a 55 Gallon Ranchu tank, a 29 Gallon female betta sorority and several 2.5-5 gallon tanks containing male bettas. Now the hobby has gotten to be ever more fun and evolving for me as my first fish that started all of these much larger fish tanks that I own was a single betta in a 10 gallon planted tank that I later added neon tetras and some rasbora.
All that being said, I have been buying everything I need to start my first saltwater tank piece by piece. I purchased a 75 gallon tank and really want to make my own sump out of a 40 gallon breeder. I will be doing as much as I can DIY to save on cost as well as.. well it makes me feel good to create nice things lol. Below is a link to see my very crude and not quite to scale picture I drew on Microsoft Paint to plan out most of what I would like my 40 Gallon sump to look like and contain. Please take a look at what I've sketched up and give me any comments or concerns to my mock up.
So far I have bought: 75 Gallon Petco Tank. 40 Gallon Petco Tank. Reef Octopus Classic 150INT. 16" Shadow Overflow - Synergy Reef Systems, BRS Deluxe Reactor.

https://bobsaggit.smugmug.com/40-Gallon-Breeder-Sump/i-Mq7MLmT/A

jsker · Dec 3, 2017

Very nicely laid out

don_chuwish · Dec 3, 2017

Similar to what I wanted to do but I ended up scrapping the refugium chamber. Made more room for skimmer and a larger volume in the return chamber. I was surprised how little space the 40B actually had to offer once I started putting stuff in it.

Placentasaur · Dec 3, 2017

Thanks Jsker!

@don_chuwish How big was your skimmer man? Anywhere close to the Reef Octopus 150 footprint at 12.4/8.7? I was thinking I could get the sump in there while not crowding it too close to baffles if I kept the water level slightly higher in that chamber while keeping the skimmer on a stand. I'm hoping I can work well with the 40G breeder taking advantage of it's dimensions, particularly it's length and width as opposed to a 20L or a 29G. But I havn't actually gotten around to measuring my baffles yet. Several of my items haven't arrived yet as I just ordered them on black friday haha.

don_chuwish · Dec 3, 2017

Vertex Omega 150, footprint: 9" x 12".

Placentasaur · Dec 3, 2017

That is gorgeous man! May I ask how you rigged your drain to go straight into your filter socks? Is there just a shallow horizontal baffle there with holes cut in it and the drain is off center of them?

don_chuwish · Dec 3, 2017

They don't go straight into the socks, I hated that idea. Mine works just like your diagram. Much easier to get socks in and out. The kit came from @TaylorPilot - great stuff.

Better picture:

Placentasaur · Dec 3, 2017

Wow man, like I said that is just beautiful. Really good job on that. I too really like the drain down chamber to lead to that first filter sock section. People are saying that first chamber will be hard to clean and a detritus dump though. With my research though.. I feel like a refugium is vital for some reason to keeping everything in the DT healthy and nutrient free. Especially because I want a super healthy population of copepods. Am I wrong?

don_chuwish · Dec 3, 2017

Having a refugium would be great - I tried making a little chamber by cutting the return section in half but the chaeto didn't thrive - water not dirty enough! You can do it in the 40B, I just find it makes things cramped.