Sump build help

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

I'm thinking about using a 20g long to make a sump for my 75g system. I'll attatch a drawing of what I had in mind and If anyone has feedback I would appreciate it. I don't really think a bubble trap is necessary but it may be. Should I switch the fuge and skimmer sections? My thought was If the fuge got the water first it would have more time to process it before the skimmer got to it. I don't know... this is my first sump build so any help would be great!

Joey waid · Sep 27, 2016

Drawing looks good. There are lots of how tos on YouTube too.

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

The fuge will only have rocks and macros. No sand so the overflow pumping into it won't be a problem.

Joey waid · Sep 27, 2016

Mandrew said:
The fuge will only have rocks and macros. No sand so the overflow pumping into it won't be a problem.

Looks good, but most have bubble traps. You have room for one.

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

I don't know exactly how the best way to do one is.

Joey waid · Sep 27, 2016

Mandrew said:
I don't know exactly how the best way to do one is.

YouTube is really the way to go. There are sump build all over it.

jsker · Sep 27, 2016

You might think about adding a baffle and inside the baffle have a media tray

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

I was going to build one custom to fit under my stand and it would have given me another 2 inches taller and 6 inches longer but I decided I'd buy a 20 long for $30 instead of $100 worth of glass. But... still undecided

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

jsker said:
You might think about adding a baffle and inside the baffle have a media tray

Where at?

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

jsker said:
You might think about adding a baffle and inside the baffle have a media tray

And how? Add a baffle and some egg crate or something?

jsker · Sep 27, 2016

Mandrew said:
And how? Add a baffle and some egg crate or something?

Exactly

egg creat works perfect and myself I would have the baffle before the return. That is were I put mine.

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

That was my first thought honestly that way the fuge and the skimmer hit it before the media, but at the same time the return section is already going to be pretty small so it might be a tight fit.

Mandrew · Sep 27, 2016

It could also work as a bubble trap

Abusfullofnuns · Sep 28, 2016

Go as big as you can with the return section. The bigger the return, the more leeway on top offs.

Mandrew · Sep 28, 2016

I wondered about that... but I was trying for the largest fuge as well.

bampi · Sep 28, 2016

You could always swap the fuge to the other side of the return, split your drain into a controllable off shoot so you can control flow through the fuge, make that taller and put return in the center.

I'm in the process of building a sump for a similar sized display. Currently I have a 55 laying around. So far it's an awful size to work with. Wish it was a little more shallow and a little more wide.

Watching to see how you build yours

Macdaddynick1 · Sep 28, 2016

For what it's worth this is my personal design, water comes in in the middle, falls over a baffle onto the filter sock, from there it goes under another baffle into the skimmer section , from the skimmer it goes over into the refugium, and back into the return section.

madweazl · Sep 28, 2016

Moving the skimmer compartment left and the refugium center would provide some more area for micro bubbles to escape the system as well.

SDdiver · Sep 28, 2016

Your right- don't need a bubble trap if your skimmer is well placed (1st chamber) and your baffle heights stay at 1-2 inch in height difference from eachother. I suggest switching the skimmer compartment to be the first. From my experience in building sumps there are a few key things to understand. Most important- water capacity. If your power goes out your sump must be able to hold the extra water that is drained from the overflow box, the main display water volume that is siphoned back through the return pump plumbing and ideally, the RO water in your auto top off jug so if the pump decided to short itself and dump all its water into your tank, the sump should also hold it.

Check out GMACreef.com, to understand sump and plumbing better. Consider using an online water volume calculator (http://www.firsttankguide.net/calculator.php) and have confidence knowing what your sump design can handle emergencies. Also, a felt filter sock really helps keep the sump and water free of fine debris build up- mechanical filteration. If not, your macro algae will look dusty; it's meant to filter nutrients not debris. Also, using black/ dark baffles if you can to block out fuge lighting so your equipment and other chambers don't grow algae. Your return pump section using a small but powerful and quiet DC pump will have plenty of room with a 6-8 inch chamber, I use an ATO micro top off (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/smart-ato-micro-automatic-top-off-system-autoaqua.html) it's super small, and very accurate with alarms, using a 5 gallon jug as the reservoir- lasts a week-2 weeks depending if it's winter or summer. Good luck

Mandrew · Sep 28, 2016

bampi said:
You could always swap the fuge to the other side of the return, split your drain into a controllable off shoot so you can control flow through the fuge, make that taller and put return in the center.

I'm in the process of building a sump for a similar sized display. Currently I have a 55 laying around. So far it's an awful size to work with. Wish it was a little more shallow and a little more wide.

Watching to see how you build yours

I've thought about that as well. My main problem is room under my stand to get the collection cup out that's why I centered the skimmer in the sump lol