Reef Builders - The Source for Reef Keeping Information

I have an all glass 125 gal (72L x 18Wx 24H) I am planning to use for my sump. I would like to get start securing the various baffles and compartments this weekend.

What is the most common sump infrastructure arrangement these days? Or, are there multiple acceptable methods? I have read a lot over the past 6 months and I am left actually more uncertain. One simple example, I have seen designs with the skimmer placed before (upstream) the refugium as well as after (down stream).

Thanks - I need a change of pace from the stand.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

I'll tell you what I am doing. I have been happy with it for the last few years.
The sump has:
Section 1 for the skimmer
under/over baffle
Section 2 for floats, probes, heaters and filter housings (like the GFO reactors)
Over baffle
Section 3 bulkhead for external return pump, fuge dumps into this section and i have a redundant heater in here.

My tank line drops into section 1 with about 20% going into a tee to feed the fuge directly. That washes the fuge into the return #3 without going to the skimmer.

Next time I would drop the fuge into section #2. if you push the flow from the fuge above 20% you can carry bubbles into the return pump.

Also all the baffles are low enough to allow the sump to flood and bypass the baffles without overflowing. I see a good number of set ups that to carry over one or two of the baffles you have to overflow the sump.

Hi Rob - thank you for your description of your sump as well as what you might do differently.

Can I ask you to post or end me a pic of your sump. I am more of a visual learner and I would like to emulate your design.

Thanks Again

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

Thoughts, comments, adjustments, advice, etc? idea:

I am open to any/all constructive criticism. I wish to build this sump this weekend so FIRE away.

Attached Images

Sump Design.JPG (56.8 KB, 30 views)

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

I would make a few changes.
1. First baffle by carbon/filter has to be lower. If the filter clogs it will rise and overflow the sides. Keep it an inch below the edge to allow it to bypass before flooding
2. Baffles after the fuge are set in the wrong sequence. They will force the water over the fuge and you will not get any flow through mid and lower levels. Reverse the sequence so you come into the fuge at the top and leave at the bottom, mid-bottom or the reverse (in at bottom and out at top). This is very important if you are going to use something like chaetomorpha that needs turbulent flow.
3.Very limited baffle on the skimmer at all. I can almost guarantee you will end up having to put foam in the baffle to stop the bubbles. Again I don't see a reason to have the baffle go to the top. Stop it at least an inch down for safety.

My .02 here is to move the skimmer to the center, and the fuge to the other side. I would rather remove as much as I can before having the fuge harvest the organics. Why not use the skimmer to it's max then clean up with the fuge. You also eliminate the chance the skimmer will catch or kill all the pods from the fuge before they hit the tank, and my #1 reason, the water in that last chamber as drawn will go up and down wildly based on adjustment and feed pauses. The skimmer will overflow every time the power cycles, due to the wild changes in water level from normal run level to start up level. Where the normal level in the forward compartments will be steady at a higher level.

Final thought, if your going to use the return pump for water changes also you want to move the heater to the fuge area so it does not ever see a dry compartment. (you cannot believe how much smoke a 700w titanium heater on dry acrylic can make in just a min. Or how hard it is to get that smell out of the drapes when you fire a bucket of tank water on the glowing heater)

This is exactly why I posted my schematic. Catch my mistakes. Skimmer position relative to baffles was somthing I had neglected to consider. Thanks

More importantly, thanks for helping me stave off a sump overflow in the basement flood I would have to try hide from the rest of my family.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

OK, MY FINAL THOUGHT, I do not use bag filters, but if your making it from scratch I might put a bracket in the drain area so I could use one in a pinch. I don't like them for all the time, but if you have a sandstorm, or a calcium snowstorm, or any of a dozen other things I can't imagine a disposable filter might be the ticket. Just something to ponder.

Or, as has happened to me in the past, drop a can of flake food into the tank.

Great idea! I'll have to make sure I place the correct type of bracket to secure a filter bag. Do you know if there is a universal bracket?

P.S. I'll be following-up with another question absed on your earlier response tomorrow. i need to ponder your points for a bit and my fatherly duties are calling tonight.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

Based on the feed back I received I have made changes to my design.

Any final thoughts?

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Attached Images

Sump Design - 2.1.JPG (59.4 KB, 21 views)

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

I think you will be happy with that process flow.

What were your ideas for holding the carbon in place? I have been playing with the idea of using pool filter baskets in mine for some time, but the last time I checked it was out of season and the guy local to me had his summer stuff in a storage bin.

After some additional changes, I think I am ready to go to production.

Attached Images

Sump Design - 2.2.JPG (58.2 KB, 19 views)

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

I purchased a plastic shelf drawer system (2 levels) at walmart. I am going to drill a couple hundred tiny holes in each draw bottom to allow water flow, while holding the solids (carbon, floss). We'll see how it works and I'll be sure to let you know.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

like this

No - like this but only three draws, one of which I have already removed. I also did not attach the wheels.

Attached Images

Media container.jpg (6.6 KB, 0 views)

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

Think about this: What if you drill a series of 1/2 or 3/4 holes in the bottom of the drawer. Then lay or glue down needlepoint mat over the holes. Needlepoint mats are nice plastic and you can get them at wal mart. I use them as snail traps, and think they would work here also

Phew - I was worried where you were going wioth your needlepoint reference.

I like the idea of larger drill holes and then a layer of this screen. Will increase likely hood of hoels becoming clogged. However, I don't think i will affix the screen to the tray. If I make it the right size I should not need to attach it becuase the media (carbon) will be weighing it down anyway. This will also allow me to change/replace the screen as needed. Thanks for another good idea.

Where else do you place your snail trap(s), any/all intakes, e.g. for the closed loop?

P.S. I moved the heater back to the return compartment. I am not overly worried about running the heater without water present. I have always made a habit of killing all power (Breaker) to my entire system when performing water changes and other large maintenance tasks.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

I use them in the wier, over the pump intakes and in the fuge to keep the chaeto out of the return line.

I use my return pump to push the sump water down the drain for a water change. That has allowed me to forget the heaters a few times.

Believe it or not, I'll be using an old fashion bulb siphon on a 1/2" hose to drain water and and a small pump to transfer water from RO/DI barrel back into sump. On the night before my scheduled water change, hopefully I'll remember to place a spare heater in the H2O holding barrel to bring it right up to tank temp.

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.

Hi All - with the spring and summer seasons my project slowed to an almost hault. However, this past week ahs been like Christmas in July. I should be ready to stock by labor day weekend.

I ordered all the final equipment I need (sump pump [blueline 55HD], closed loop pump [sequence dart], oceans motions 4-way and 4 revolutions, skimmer [bernuda aquatis] with a supreme mag 9 ) to completely plumb the system and plan to do as much of the work as possible this weekend.

I also need to complete the sump project ASAP. However, I have a question reagrding my sump design. I am looking for clarification on what I have seen people design and refer to as a bubble added to their sump. Other than the obvious, what is the benefit of this addition, where should I position such a structure, and is there really a need given my baffle system?

Thanks a Bunch

P.S. here is a refresher pic of my final sump design for your review and critique

Attached Images

Sump Design - 2.21.JPG (21.5 KB, 2 views)

__________________
Keith
What you believe is real, is real.