Sump help needed

[jsweir]

Bought a 125 megaflow and it came with a simplistic sump. Trying to figure out if it is worth adding another chamber for the skimmer, thus creating a cheato refugium area before the return. Bought some acrylic to rtv in, but unsure of the following:
1) Not sure what height for the skimmer area - cut it at 8" and have two 4" pieces to adjust up if needed
2) Converting the overflows to herbie style so I need to change the pipe chamber to two 1" and two 3/4" bulkheads. Cut some acrylic to lay on top of the existing holes, but not sure if it will hold up to drilling 4 unless I put another piece under the existing works.
3) Will this design even work well - never tried the refugium chamber before.
4) Guess I also need to see if the two vectra s1 return pumps will even fit in the return chamber...

Pics are of the sump as is with the Octopus 200 INT for size. Then I put in the new acrylic walls to show my thoughts. Not sure if it would just be easier to scrap this one and lay down some $$ for a new one that fits what I need.

Appreciate any feedback.

 

[jsweir]

pretty tight fit with 2 return pumps also. Not looking good

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening again,

A few thoughts on this. The skimmer chamber height is usually good at the 8 inches. If you are able to make it adjustable that would be best. I was not really following the 4” thing you mentioned. If not able to make adjustable I may suggest making it 10”. This way if 8” ends up being to low you have room.

Is there a reason for 2 pumps. The S1 should give 700-800 gph at 6‘ , unless you need more. And the pipe chambers are 2 -3/4 and 2 inch. Are the 1 inch for the drains and the 3/4 for the return?

It looks like the sump should work

 

[jsweir]

The 4" pieces were to adjust the height of the baffles if I put them at the top of the fixed ones. The two 3/4" overflows will be for the siphon drains and the two 1" will be for emergency drains (herbie). I think it may make more sense to flip the sump so the overflows come in on the right and the return will be on the left. The two pumps were to be redundant, but if it's too much flow I can just keep one as a backup. That would help on that chamber since I could make it narrower.

 

[jsweir]

also considering the fiji cube 36 - just making sure there is enough room for the skimmer. I would have to build an adapter for the 1 1/2" bulkheads, but for the most part it seems to have everything.

 

[K7BMG]

I would go DIY and external of under the tank if possible.