New Sump Build suggestions

[Steve*O]

This is my first build.

Ordered a 75 gal Reef Ready tank this is going to be my sump. Built a stand that will fit this tank for the sump. Inside dimensions are 47” Long 18” Tall and 12” Deep. I’ve watched hundreds of you tube vids and can’t decide what or how big to make each section. I know I will need a skimmer section, Fuge, and return. Suggestions what would some of you experienced folks do?

 

[sbash]

Inside dimensions are 47” Long 18” Tall and 12” Deep.

Maybe I'm missing something, but that's not 75 gallons...

But, that is neither here nor there... I like three chamber sumps, with bubble traps if you want. The first chamber, I would measure to fit the skimmer and any other submersible filtration, as well as the intake piping and whatever else you may want there (like socks or dosing tubes, for example). The last chamber, would be measured to fit the return pump(s) and the middle chamber would be for the refugium. Any bubble traps would take space away from the fuge, but some people like them.

If you can, build it out of cardboard to get a feel for how things are going to fit...

 

[Steve*O]

Ya that’s the sump dimensions not the DT. That’s what I was thinking but can you make the Fuge “too big”? How tall would you make the baffles?

 

[George Lopez]

I personally am going to go with a triton hybrid and put my fuge first then skimmer then return, this also gives more depth for the fuge since the skimmer froth will limit your fuge depth in the other way. I plan a two peace bubble trap before the return and that's about it. Socks are at your descression its kind of you either love them or hate them item, but everyone can agree to leaving space in your skimmer compartment for future growth, whether that be reactors, larger skimmer or whatever else comes down the line. Also if your fling to run a heater like 99% do make site you have space for it with your skimmer if you have a short heater standing up is fine if it's long them laying down but always submersed and at a stable water depth.

And no you can't really go too big with a fuge just remember to account for everything else you want in the sump

 

[sbash]

Ya that’s the sump dimensions not the DT. That’s what I was thinking but can you make the Fuge “too big”? How tall would you make the baffles?

As tall as possible so you get as much water in it as possible. First you need to figure out how much water will flow back into the sump when you shut the pump off. This includes the water in the pipes as well as the water that will siphon from the DT. Then you know how much space above the baffles you will need and you will then be able to choose a baffle height, I would start with a 12" baffle and tweak the design from there.

I'm not sure what @George Lopez means with the skimmer limiting the water depth. That seems like a giant limitation, most of us just put the skimmer on a platform (either 3d printed or hand made out of egg crate).

My personal sump philosophy is to have the flow going through the fuge to the return pump, not passively on the side. I have two main reasons for this, first is pod collection, having the flow going through the fuge (well, over top, by through I mean the flow direction, not literally through the fuge); any free floating pods will get caught up and end up in the DT. The second is to catch air bubbles. Chaeto and macros makes an excellent bubble and debris trap which gets cleaned out when I cull the macros. There are other philosophies on this, do some reading and choose the placement best for you.

There will be a lot of gunk, bubbles, detritus and such pulled down from your overflow pipes, you either need to clean that chamber, have a filter on it, or deal with it being pushed back up into your DT.

And no, I don't believe it is possible to have too large of a refugium.