Sump help

[kkgaskin90]

Any ideas to help make this less of a pain? Filter socks in first chamber, chaeto/caulerpa in second, and skimmer/return in third. Problem is if my water level is not at a VERY specific place (see the line? Lol) my skimmer bubbles end up in the return. Any higher and if power shuts off it will overflow. There's zero wiggle room in that far left chamber. I have some clear plastic tubing extending from the pump down as far in to the chamber as possible. I'm having to top off every day to keep it happy.
Keep in mind I'm the least handy person on the planet...

 

[Fin]

Auto top off system

 

[Helenareefer]

Is there any way for you to pipe the skimmer intake and return from the main overflow section?

 

[blufin]

Auto top off system

+1. Level will stay constant 24/7. Best thing I ever did for my tank. I evaporate 1.5 gallons per day.

 

[kkgaskin90]

Is there any way for you to pipe the skimmer intake and return from the main overflow section?

I'm not sure how I would do that... You mean from the middle of the sump or from the overflow box? Either way... I wouldn't know how!

Auto top off system

As far as ATO, I've heard good things about JBJ, but I'm super worried about equipment failures resulting in flooding... I've been looking in to a strictly gravity fed DIY, but once again I worry about things going wrong. Any suggestions? Where can you even put your top off water? I seem to have very little room under my stand, and the ATO I go with will probably have a big influence on what needs to go down there.

+1. Level will stay constant 24/7. Best thing I ever did for my tank. I evaporate 1.5 gallons per day.

What size tank? I generally use about 1/2 gallon per day with a 75g DT and (I think) 30g sump.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Generally speaking, if you look at the baffels, your system will not equal out, there will be a differnce in the levels just based on where they were put. Looks good to me. you just don't want it to overflow when the power goes out, if its doesn't, your all set. But the bubbles are a different item. Skimmer should be in the 1st or 2nd chamber, unless your return pipe goes from the 3rd chamber to the 1st.
What size is your overflow?
What size if your return?
You can get a bit more water in the sump, by adding a T and a ball valve from the return back to the sump, and slwoly adjusting that so the water level is higher for ya.

 

[kkgaskin90]

Generally speaking, if you look at the baffels, your system will not equal out, there will be a differnce in the levels just based on where they were put. Looks good to me. you just don't want it to overflow when the power goes out, if its doesn't, your all set. But the bubbles are a different item. Skimmer should be in the 1st or 2nd chamber, unless your return pipe goes from the 3rd chamber to the 1st.
What size is your overflow?
What size if your return?
You can get a bit more water in the sump, by adding a T and a ball valve from the return back to the sump, and slwoly adjusting that so the water level is higher for ya.

I have a very small window in water level where it won't overflow but won't throw bubbles into the DT... Like 1/4 gallon. When pumps are shut down, the water level all becomes the same. There's an adjustable partition between chambers 1&2 that falls without constant water pressure and allows the whole sump to level off.

Skimmer won't fit in the first chamber. It's footprint is bigger than the chamber. If I put it in the second, would I have to get rid of macro algae? Where could I put that?

My overflow box is a corner overflow in a 75g. I'm not sure on the capacity.
My return...pump? Is 900 gph

 

[blufin]

"What size tank? I generally use about 1/2 gallon per day with a 75g DT and (I think) 30g sump."

Mine is 90g and a 30g sump

 

[kkgaskin90]

I'm so frustrated with it. Getting an ATO but I feel like there's still something I'm doing wrong. Should the skimmer be raised? How do I run the return from the third chamber to the first?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Something here isn't kosher. You really should not have your skimmer in the return section of the sump....for two reasons....the level doesn't remain constant and the skimmer is the reason for bulb traps. You need to find another section for the skimmer that has a constant water level and a bubble trap before going into the return section.

 

[kkgaskin90]

It needs to be in the second chamber, which is my fuge right now. I've temporarily run my skimmer exhaust to the second chamber so I have more wiggle room on the water level and no bubbles in the tank until I can figure out how to go about this.
I'm needing to add an ATO reservoir (which potentially can be plumbed through the wall) and a small fuge, but have no clue how to plumb a fuge separate from the sump. Space under my stand is at a premium and I like a clean, put away look.