Will this sump design work?

[MoshJosh]

Here is the design I made for a 10 gallon sump. . . . Will this work? Are there any flaws, or design choices you would change???

 

[KilianSP]

It should/going to work

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Not that this won't work. I used more baffles and not a side by side in the front compartment.
On my 10g. I did intake and skimmer. Fuge. And return.
10g sumps work for hiding stuff. Collecting detritus. And such but really lack any room or space. If it's possible I suggest upping the size for volume and ease. Mine was a 20L display with hydro slim skim.
D

 

[BitReef]

I made a very similar 10g sump. I didn’t put the bubble trap in mine and I’m glad I left it out. It would have been difficult to build and clean. Otherwise I think it looks good. Are you going to have a skimmer in there, or a refugium?

 

[BitReef]

One other thing, the smaller your return chamber, the more often your ato will run.

 

[MoshJosh]

I already build the stand and bought the tank. . . so kinda stuck on the 10 gallon so size. That said, the narrowness does pose problems. I decided the first chamber to force water up through media (bio) that way the middle can be all fuge and heater.

 

[BitReef]

Make sure your heater will fit in there. My heater runs about 75% length of my 10g sump.

I ended up making the refugium section and return pump chamber a single chamber. That way my heater fits. This also keeps my ato from running very often and leaves plenty of room for overflow when the return pump is off.

 

[BitReef]

Here’s my sump. Like I said, very similar to your plan. It has worked really well for me.

Thread 'DIY 10 Gallon Sump'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-10-gallon-sump.737670/

 

[MoshJosh]

Here’s my sump. Like I said, very similar to your plan. It has worked really well for me.

Thread 'DIY 10 Gallon Sump'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-10-gallon-sump.737670/

Really like how you included a baffle but it had a cut out for the heater! Maybe that’s what I’ll do! Because I think you’re right, I think my heater will be too long

 

[MoshJosh]

Or does anyone have recommendations for a short heater 100-150 watt?

 

[BitReef]

The only thing I would really like to change about mine is that the filter pads I use are in the back corner and they are kind of a pain to change. I wish it was in the front.

Also, I don’t actually use the refugium any more. I had chaeto in there for a while, but it eventually died. I’m able to keep my nutrients under control by running my nano skimmer 6 hours a day. I don’t have any nuisance algae in my display. I wish I could grow chaeto to help raise my ph, but at this point it’s not worth the effort.

 

[MoshJosh]

The only thing I would really like to change about mine is that the filter pads I use are in the back corner and they are kind of a pain to change. I wish it was in the front.

Also, I don’t actually use the refugium any more. I had chaeto in there for a while, but it eventually died. I’m able to keep my nutrients under control by running my nano skimmer 6 hours a day. I don’t have any nuisance algae in my display. I wish I could grow chaeto to help raise my ph, but at this point it’s not worth the effort.

I do plan on using it mostly as a refugium, right now I’m growing chaeto, Pom Pom, shaving brush, and calurpa, some will go in the display though.

my issue is making a baffle with a pass-through/holes. I don’t know if the glass shop would be able to cut slits in the baffle like you see in acrylic. That said my local store sells tank dividers, I could probably just cut a hole for a heater in one of those and it would work to keep the algae out of the pump.

Also, I am hoping that because I’m using a sock it won’t matter that it’s in the back corner, should still be easy to remove and clean. . . Hopefully.

and thanks again for showing your sump, it looks really nice!!!

 

[KilianSP]

The only thing I would really like to change about mine is that the filter pads I use are in the back corner and they are kind of a pain to change. I wish it was in the front.

Also, I don’t actually use the refugium any more. I had chaeto in there for a while, but it eventually died. I’m able to keep my nutrients under control by running my nano skimmer 6 hours a day. I don’t have any nuisance algae in my display. I wish I could grow chaeto to help raise my ph, but at this point it’s not worth the effort.

Cheato needs alot of iron and other micro nutritions, when the light setting were good, then are the nutritions the reson

 

[MoshJosh]

After some thought, I’ve changed up to the design. This way I can accommodate the heater I want, and I’ll have some modularity. That said I also realized I need mushmore room for the filter sock holder than I thought. I picked this tank divider up from my local store, they make them themselves. Should work, and I guess I could silicon to N if I want, but I like the option of being able to take it out:

also, I think I’ll reverse the baffles before the pump. It seems like this is the more popular style, and it’s the way the eshopps ones are set up.

 

[MoshJosh]

Since I no longer need any fancy cuts made I decided to go ultra budget and but 8”X10” panels of glass from Home Depot to make my baffles. Unfortunately the inner dimensions of the tank aren’t exactly 10 inches wide. . . So to avoid cutting glass (which I am terrible at, and no longer have the supplies) I just made the baffles slightly angled. Baffles are pretty thin, website said the were 1/8” but package says 2/32”. . . But hopefully with water on both sides it won’t matter.

 

[MoshJosh]

And now, back to the original design. I found a filter sock holder that will fit in the first design pretty well. I will be flipping the baffle right before the return pump. First chamber will be 8 inches of water, fall 1 inch, middle chamber will be 7 inches of water, and then the last chamber. All baffles will be a maximum of 10 inches tall, so if any chamber overflows it still won’t overflow the tank. Hopefully getting a glass cut next week

Oh and also, heaters pretty much gonna have to be diagonal on the floor of the middle chamber. Not ideal, but I think I’m willing to make the sacrifice