Sump build help.

[Adam]

I'm building a sump this week and want to run my plan you guys. I've got a 90 gallon tank that I want to pit 4 chambers it. The 1st is where the overflows will drain then the skimmer, fuge and return pump. I did a rough draft in Excel.

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The hight of the baffles will likely be lower based on how high I can get the skimmer in there. I'd like to know if the skimmer chamber is long enough for a future upgrade.

How does this design look?

 

[1mbrews8]

what is the front to back width of sump? 18"?

should be good for most skimmers up to say a SRO5000int. That'll fit, but maybe only 1/2 or so leeway.

plenty of room for a fuge or dsb

90g is a good size sump! :O)

Good luck!

 

[Adam]

Yes, it's 48x24x18. Cool, that size skimmer should be the most I'd need for the amount of water I'll have. Thanks!

 

[axio]

Yeah a 20"x18" skimmer chamber should be plenty for all but the largest of skimmers. You could probably even cut it down to 18" and give more space to the refugium, but either way it will be plenty of room for ya imo.

Make sure that 5" is going to be enough for socks holders / socks if you plan on using them. Should be just fine if you going a bit more old school with sponges.

 

[1mbrews8]

aXio;1084902 wrote: Yeah a 20"x18" skimmer chamber should be plenty for all but the largest of skimmers. You could probably even cut it down to 18" and give more space to the refugium, but either way it will be plenty of room for ya imo.

Make sure that 5" is going to be enough for socks holders / socks if you plan on using them. Should be just fine if you going a bit more old school with sponges.

That's the fuge (20" part).. Skimmer section is the 12" to the left of fuge. Still prob big enough for 90% of folks lol

 

[axio]

1mbrews8;1084907 wrote: That's the fuge (20" part).. Skimmer section is the 12" to the left of fuge. Still prob big enough for 90% of folks lol

Whoops you are right. Sorry read the post wrong. I thought 20" was bit much for the skimmer chamber... but some people are getting crazy with these massive skimmer now-a-days so you never know =) Yes 12" is still more then enough for most of the options. Plus these new "curved" skimmers everyone is trying to develop right now take up even less space then some of the cone skimmers.

 

[Adam]

No problem Jakub. I've been known to make a few mistakes myself... Made one today as a matter of fact. It's hell getting old.

Good to know I'm on the right track. I don't know if I'm going to use socks or not but I wanted to leave room if I decide to in the future. I may add a 1/2" to those 1st two chambers just to be sure there's enough room to move things around.

Thanks guys.

 

[j_b_]

Just to show you another idea...my sump is 36"L x 18"D and I wanted to take advantage of the 18" depth. As you look at the picture, the bottom right is where the primary and secondary overflows spill, and directly in front of that is where the skimmer sits (RO NW110). The next two chambers to the left hold the Chaeto (bottom of the picture), and live rock (top of the picture). The emergency overflow is situated to spill into the Chaeto area (Bean Animal overflow). The water spills from the skimmer chamber into both areas, but also spills from the primary/secondary overflow area into where the Chaeto is, giving that area a bit more flow to help tumble the Chaeto better. Both of those spill into the large return pump (DC6000) area, which is also where my 2LF reactor is, and I could probably put two more 2LF reactors in there if I wanted/needed to. I wanted to isolate the Chaeto, because in my previous setup, I had just the one refugium area that had live rock and Chaeto, and never really got the Chaeto to tumble properly, and the rock in there would become covered with it.

Hopefully all that makes sense...clear as mud; right?

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Here's a pic of it in place...

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[jrhunter0000]

J.B.;1084970 wrote: Just to show you another idea...my sump is 36"L x 18"D and I wanted to take advantage of the 18" depth. As you look at the picture, the bottom right is where the primary and secondary overflows spill, and directly in front of that is where the skimmer sits (RO NW110). The next two chambers to the left hold the Chaeto (bottom of the picture), and live rock (top of the picture). The emergency overflow is situated to spill into the Chaeto area (Bean Animal overflow). The water spills from the skimmer chamber into both areas, but also spills from the primary/secondary overflow area into where the Chaeto is, giving that area a bit more flow to help tumble the Chaeto better. Both of those spill into the large return pump (DC6000) area, which is also where my 2LF reactor is, and I could probably put two more 2LF reactors in there if I wanted/needed to. I wanted to isolate the Chaeto, because in my previous setup, I had just the one refugium area that had live rock and Chaeto, and never really got the Chaeto to tumble properly, and the rock in there would become covered with it.

Hopefully all that makes sense...clear as mud; right?

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Here's a pic of it in place...

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Well done.

 

[Adam]

That is a nice looking setup JB. I'm trying to manage my space and get a good plan for maintenance. I think the 90 gallon could be just too short. I may be putting it up for sale or get real creative with my overflow plumbing.

My problem is as my tank is going in-wall those pipes need to come across the working side of the sump which will block access to the skimmer. I have a C2C overflow bean style out the back and the three 1-1/2" pipes run down the middle of the 72" tank. I could also shift the sump to the center of the stand. Centering the sump will require more bends for the return plumbing.

 

[Adam]

One second thought centering the sump creates more problems with access. I think running the drain lines down at a 45 shortly after they come out of the overflow box across the back tank might be the best bet.

 

[bcavalli]

Looks good. Another option is to drain into left and right sides and return in the middle. Then you can control your flow through your fuge. I have my new sump sectioned off that way.

 

[Adam]

Thanks for the thought Brett. I've toyed with running the return in the middle but doing a bean animal drain means 90-95% of the flow is going to be coming down one pipe and splitting off it is not good.

I really don't think I'm going to run socks. They really sound like pita to deal with. I do plan on putting in a ATS and there will be a fuge. If I'm not going to use socks should I just remove that divider and move the skimmer over to the left?

Here's what I've come up with keeping the 1st divider.

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And the this is removing it.

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I'm leaning towards removing it and having a bigger fuge.

 

[picoreefguy]

ive run sumps with and without socks and things get messy if you're not running socks. not just with nutrients but also with detritus that dosent break down. socks can be a pain but i think its worth running them. and if you keep enough extras on hand you can just do one big cleaning once a month or so and just swap them out every 3-4 days. with my new setup i got 4 sets of 3 socks so that once 3 sets are dirty i can put in the fourth and bleach the other 3 sets. if you do go that route just make sure you have a bucket with a lid to keep the smell contained in between cleanings.

 

[Adam]

How do you clean them? We have a front loading washing machine. There is no way the wife will let me put them in there! I also don't have room to put in an El Cheapo machine.

 

[picoreefguy]

you just dump them into a bucket with bleach and water, let them soak overnight, stir and then rinse them in clean water. let em dry and they're good to go.

a cap full of bleach per gallon of water does the trick for me.

 

[Adam]

I don't know the proper way to mount them in the sump. I will have two 1-1/2" pipe run into that 1st section. I plan on having 1000-1600gph of flow running through the sump, 90-95% of which will be running through one pipe.

I would think that would mean a 7" sock under that line but I'm tight for space and the fuge would get cut down to 16" or less. I really want to order the glass for the weirs but I don't know what to get yet...

 

[picoreefguy]

you could do like i did with my sump here.

 

[picoreefguy]

they also make filter sock holders that hang on the side of the tank and you put your drain pipe directly into the sock but like you said with one sock getting most of the flow that wouldnt be as efficient.

 

[Adam]

It's a glass tank. Do you think I can get by with acrylic for the baffles? I've seen it go both ways.