Sump design ideas

[Oshanickreef]

Hello fellow reefers,

I am setting up a planet aquariums 241 gallon display with a 60 gallon frag a 10 gallon frag and a 60 gallon water change tank. Thinking 50-100 gallon sump. Which would make the total system volume 421 or 471. I’m trying to design the sump now. I know I want a fairly large skimmer section that can also be where the drains are. I would love a large live rock section and then a return pump section. My question is are there any new things to add to the sump? I have been in the hobby 20 years and I feel like my style is kind of old school. Is there any new tech for sumps that you guys and gals have that you cannot live without? I’m trying to design this to be as easy to deal with as possible. My current sump has a filter sock section but I haven’t used it in like 4 years. Are filter socks worth it?

any advice or things you have in your systems that you can’t live without im all ears!!

thanks,

nick

 

[KrisReef]

Well reading your text I am thinking that you can estimate the space you need for water storage if the power goes out and the footprint of your sump will tell you how many inches of empty storage you will need to hold that water.
If you are going to have a submersible skimmer you can figure out the optimal depth for your skimmer and building a weir section to hold the skimmer that provides that depth and overflows to the next compartment.
A place for live rock, with or without light providing a cryptic zone and refugium options, and space for reactors(calcium, UV, carbon. GFO) probes and a return pump or two are what you might want to provide for?