First Sump DIY - 75g Questions

[Chris Wells]

Hello All,
Any Sump DIYers out there to give me any advice. Attached is my sump design based on a lot of internet reading. I would like to make the refugium wider, but having no sump experience, not sure I can shrink the return anymore. Any other observations would be greatly appreciated even if "leave it alone".
Cooking rock now and thinking about cutting baffles and sock holders next.
I used the 75g because I had it and have a utility room behind the DT for space.

Planning on using:
Reef Octopus 150INT varios skimmer
Reef Octopus Various-6 Return Pump
Rain2 Algae Scrubber
Apex Neptune and ATO
Lighting - LEDs, looking at 2-hydra 26 or R420R
Return will have a manifold with 4 or 5 valves
Teeing off Drain to Refugium , Can do with return manifold. There seems to be divided opinions on this one. I am leaning toward feeding the pods with drain.

Thanks
C

 

[miPapareef]

I think you are actually better off shrinking the return section. First, you'll want to make sure all the water volume in the return section can fit in the DT if your overflow was to plug. Second, a smaller return section gives more resolution to your ATO sensor and will keep the salinity more stable.

That Varios-6 is only 4" wide, you would be good with a 6" width. I didn't see your heater listed anywhere, but make sure you have room for it.

Also as you build the bubble trap between skimmer and return, I would make the center barrier touch the bottom and the two outside barriers with a gap to the bottom. Same bubble trap function, but easier to clean, and drain. If you make the 2 outside barriers go to the bottom then you have a little sump section that is very hard to get down into.

 

[jsker]

+1 above
I also have a trap for my return line that flows over the filter socks, a media tray comes in handy

 

[CastAway]

My experience is that the more narrow the baffles, the harder to clean. You might consider enough room to get your hand in between.

Excellent planning. My own sump is very similar.

 

[cracker]

Hello Chris, I have a 75 tank for a sump . Mine is pretty simple .Skimmer section is 16 inches,I have a reef octopus 110 & 3 big drains off a synergy overflow. The return(middle) is 14" I use a reef octopus water blaster in the return . I could have made it smaller.then 3rd the refugium. I didn't use baffles, just walls to save room. So far it's fine with no micro bubbles. i can turn these wall into baffles with a little work. No sock holder,just a big sock under the drains. Very simple design. Seems to be working just fine.

 

[Chris Wells]

Awesome advice from all. Thank You!
New design incoming.

 

[Chris Wells]

Version 5 : I also attached 3D pdf so you can move around.
Revisions per advice.
- Reduced return area to 6" to accommodate varios - 6, increasing ATO resolution, and minimizing amount pumped into DT from clogged overflow.
- Changed Raised Gap to the outer baffles to allow better access and draining.
- Increased all Baffle spacing to 2.5" to allow my hands to fit.
- Reduced sized of media baffle for better hand access to mess with egg crate, DIY baskets, etc.
- I will plumb my return manifold to allow recirculate some return water to filter socks. (If that is what you meant about trap...I like the idea of doing something with extra pump capacity. ie. filter socks , reactors, UV, etc.)
- Added overflow / mixed refill hole for bulkhead in return section

I am looking at heaters and dimensions now. I want to use 2 - 200W Jager (15.7") for redundancy controlled by apex. One in drain and one in refugium. I will probably buy 3 and have a spare.

Thanks Again for any advice.

 

[Chris Wells]

Finished Sump today.

I actually went to 3" spacing on baffles to get my hands in. First timer mistakes were made, lol, got thru it tho.
Thanks again for the input.

 

[CastAway]

Nice!

 

[Chris Wells]

Ready for Leak Test! Tomorrow, too late. Speak now if I screwed up... I still have some plexi-glass work with emergency drain and refugium cover etc.

 

[William Norman]

@Chris Wells - How is working ? I just picked up my 75g at the Petco sale and about to start 'gluing'. I have been going back and forth on putting the ATO Reservoir in the sump tank or using a separate 10g to sit in front of the return section.. Decisions, decisions.......

 

[foxt]

Nice and neat, great work!

 

[Chris Wells]

@Chris Wells - How is working ? I just picked up my 75g at the Petco sale and about to start 'gluing'. I have been going back and forth on putting the ATO Reservoir in the sump tank or using a separate 10g to sit in front of the return section.. Decisions, decisions.......

So far so good. I am cycling on day13.

If I were to do it over again and use Lowe's .220 acrylic, I would design and build baffles differently. This wouldn't be a problem in a smaller sump with shorter baffles.
If you can see, I added 1/2" square rods horizontally to pin in all of the baffles for structural integrity. When I did the leak test, I notices them flexing, which could only be bad in the long run. I think I would buy the same 1/2" square rod and glue them vertically and horizontally, leaving slots for the baffles to be slid in and glued after the structure was already there. That way you could put the tank on it's side and use gravity to your advantage for installing 1/2" structure.
Oh, E6000 rocks over silicone only for attaching acrylic to glass. I would use it for the structure and then silicone for the baffles in the structure. Use weld-on #4 and #16 for acrylic to acrylic.

I would also change siphon drain T to refugium to be after the Gate valve ( I still might do this) . It seems to mess with the siphon and back pressure when recovering from power-off. I am also going to have to be creative getting a refugium light mounted because of this.

With this large of sump, I didn't use check valves. Be aware of where your returns break siphon on power-off, I have mine set with Loc-lines to break right at the bottom of my sump drain in the front. I almost created a flood on my first leak test...

I think these would give more flexibility with socks than my home-made sock holders too.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/octo-strong-sock-holder™.329902/#post-4099187

I wouldn't put the ATO resevoir in the sump, what you see below doesn't last a week without filling. I was thinking about doubling this in size and then ordering Rural King containers this week and making a mixing station and figuring out a way to keep ATO filled automatically. I am amazed at how fast evaporation happens. I am really really happy I bought an Apex and the ATK.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Chris Wells]

Nice and neat, great work!

Thanks, I still need to clean up wiring and ATO and eventually fit UV, ATS, and reactor....I have a feeling it will be never-ending.

 

[LbulletM]

I'll probably be stealing most of this design, haha

 

[Chris Wells]

No worries, if you have inventor, I will send you the file and be glad to give input on what could be better....the first being, organize drains to allow better light for refugium, and flip a couple of the ball valves pointing up for flexibility for UV, reactors, etc.

Thx!

 

[MaddyP]

Great looking sump!!

 

[Chris Wells]

Great looking sump!!

Thx!

 

[LbulletM]

No worries, if you have inventor, I will send you the file and be glad to give input on what could be better....the first being, organize drains to allow better light for refugium, and flip a couple of the ball valves pointing up for flexibility for UV, reactors, etc.

Thx!

No Inventor, unfortunately. 3D CAD has been on my list, but just can't find the time. Did a decent bit of Cinema 4D and Pro D in high school (circa '08), but that knowledge has long since left my noggin.

I'm all ears for potential improvements/changes though!