Sediment/Debris trap

biecacka · Jul 18, 2017

Hello everyone!!

I have a question for the forum, I am following a few threads about filter socks (which I use) and the constant debate is wroth the hassle or not?! Well this is NOT that thread.

I am interested in anyone using a sediment/debris trap in their sump, what is your set up and pros/cons. Here is what I think of when I say sediment/debris trap. There is a guy local to me who has a 300 gallon tank, it flows into his basement into a 40 gallon breeder. He originally took the breeder apart and drilled in, then put it back together with the BOTTOM pane having one 2in hole with a bulkhead installed. Then one of the side panes has 2 additional bulkheads installed with drain lines in them. They drain to his 150 gallon stock tank which houses skimmer etc. No socks anywhere. So water enters one side of the 40 gallon and exits the other. So when he does water changes what he does is reroute his drains from the 40 gallon to the 150 gallon sump via valves. Then he stirs up all the water in the 40 gallon and opens the bulkhead on the bottom of the drain and it drains into a floor drain. The reason for stirring it up is the 40 gallon is used to collect debris as a settlement zone. Then he closes the valve on the bottom bulkhead, opens the valves on the drain lines to run them back into the 40 gallon debris trap and he then adds 40 gallons of new saltwater via his water change tub.
Never has to stop any pumps or anything. Using the 40 gallon to collect the debris eliminates the need for socks or filter pads. Now I know, sure some debris escapes this method, but it escapes all methods!
Any one else do anything similar to this? I think it is a brilliant idea and if I didn't live in a 1 level apartment and space I would do something just like it.

I have read on here somewhere, I think a guy does something very similar with a 5 gallon bucket setting in his sump. It is drilled with a few holes to let the water escape. I seem to recall him using filter pads too, probably due to the small size of the bucket in comparison to the turbulent zone inside the bucket. The pads probably help keep some of the debris in the bucket.

Anyone do anything similar to this and how do you like it? Pictures?

Thank you

corey

Cory · Jul 18, 2017

biecacka said:
Hello everyone!!

I have a question for the forum, I am following a few threads about filter socks (which I use) and the constant debate is wroth the hassle or not?! Well this is NOT that thread.

I am interested in anyone using a sediment/debris trap in their sump, what is your set up and pros/cons. Here is what I think of when I say sediment/debris trap. There is a guy local to me who has a 300 gallon tank, it flows into his basement into a 40 gallon breeder. He originally took the breeder apart and drilled in, then put it back together with the BOTTOM pane having one 2in hole with a bulkhead installed. Then one of the side panes has 2 additional bulkheads installed with drain lines in them. They drain to his 150 gallon stock tank which houses skimmer etc. No socks anywhere. So water enters one side of the 40 gallon and exits the other. So when he does water changes what he does is reroute his drains from the 40 gallon to the 150 gallon sump via valves. Then he stirs up all the water in the 40 gallon and opens the bulkhead on the bottom of the drain and it drains into a floor drain. The reason for stirring it up is the 40 gallon is used to collect debris as a settlement zone. Then he closes the valve on the bottom bulkhead, opens the valves on the drain lines to run them back into the 40 gallon debris trap and he then adds 40 gallons of new saltwater via his water change tub.
Never has to stop any pumps or anything. Using the 40 gallon to collect the debris eliminates the need for socks or filter pads. Now I know, sure some debris escapes this method, but it escapes all methods!
Any one else do anything similar to this? I think it is a brilliant idea and if I didn't live in a 1 level apartment and space I would do something just like it.

I have read on here somewhere, I think a guy does something very similar with a 5 gallon bucket setting in his sump. It is drilled with a few holes to let the water escape. I seem to recall him using filter pads too, probably due to the small size of the bucket in comparison to the turbulent zone inside the bucket. The pads probably help keep some of the debris in the bucket.

Anyone do anything similar to this and how do you like it? Pictures?

Thank you

corey

Yep while they are great and convient to have they work great and pull out a lot, they can be hard to build. That said ive used one, it was a diy 5 gallon water dispenser. Id like to buy a big one eventually.

biecacka · Jul 19, 2017

Do you have any pictures or links to an old thread with it?

corey

BCSreef · Jul 19, 2017

I am doing that with a 55 gal. Rubbermaid garbage can. I'll draw up a diagram when I get a break.

Bob

biecacka · Jul 19, 2017

cool!

thanks Bob

corey

BCSreef · Jul 19, 2017

The big rectangle is the Brute. The blue shapes are 2" PVC. Red line is water level.

One problem with basement sumps is you get a lot of bubbles from the 15 foot fall.

Water flow in from the top from DT and skimmer. Water is drawn by the down tube 4-5" off the bottom. Bubbles go up, debris down and clear water with live pods and Mysids flow through. I siphon out the debris every few months.

Hope that helps, Bob

biecacka · Jul 19, 2017

cool that is a good set up. whenever i get a basement sump, I want to set something up like this as well.

corey

BCSreef · Jul 19, 2017

You could get the same effect with an under-tank sump. Just need a "dead" area with little flow where particulates can settle such as "down river" of a baffle or other obstacle. Alternatively a 5 gallon bucket or 10 gallon Rubbermaid garbage can would work. Depends on how much space you have.