Will this sump work?

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May 19, 2013, 05:36:02 PM

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[kevin]

Hi all, will this work? I am about to break out the silicone and seal it up.

[bt]

Yes, it will work.
Personally, I prefer Skimmer -> Return -> Fuge, but plenty of people go Skimmer -> Fuge -> Return and have success with it.

[ihavecrabs]

Well these are my thoughts.  Overall looks prety good.  I do have 3 concerns.  

1. Have you thought of making the return pump area larger.  If it's a small area you will have to replenish the water often. That will be the first area to drain and the concern will be a burnt out pump if you don't pay attention to the water level.  

2. Is the second bubble trap next to the return pump necessary?  It will take up valuable real estate that could be used for the return pump area.  

3.  The housing that contains you live rock, filter media, and sock.  Maybe I'm showing my inexperience, but what is this?  Is it another tank?  So my concern, is the housing going to be as high as the sump tank?  If not, would it not overflow?

[ihavecrabs]

Now that i take a second look.  Have you thought about drilling through the back of the main tank instead of the bottom.  Much more advantageous to go through the back in my opinion. 

[bt]

Based on another thread, the tank is already drilled.

[kevin]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I appreciate it. The first ''tank'' is a plastic prefabricated unit. It is lower than the 30 gallon aquarium, never thought of the overflow possibility. Only one buble trap needed? Great, I will re design and increase my pump chamber and fuge.

Thanks again for the feedback, i've been studying this stuff for a week and it is starting to make sense.

[kevin]

I've tweaked the design, made the ''first tank more rsize realistic''. As always opinions and guidance are appreciated.

Kevin

[kevin]

I've also included a picture of the plastic pre fab unit.

[ihavecrabs]

Hopefully others will also make suggests, and notify me if i am giving incorrect information.  I would assume the water would overflow the first tank if it is lower than the second.  So, in my opinion i would make the lowest part of first tank at least an inch higher than the highest baffle in the second tank.  But i could be missing something obvious.  lol.  Also, for the piping going into the first tank, make sure it ends in the water and doesn't end above.  If it ends above the water, you will hear splashing.  

[bt]

No, seems right to me.  Seems like it would overflow if it's not elevated.

[kevin]

So I found out what the plastic thing is. It's a prefabricated sump. Marineland Tide Pool 2. They work with a bio wheel and insterts for carbon, sponge or whatever else. It has been modified, attaching it the way pretty much like my Awsome artwork paint diagram lol. I am ditching the bio wheel, thus throwing in live rock. The skimmed specs state that the water is no higher that 25cm, so, my first bafle at the bubble trap is 25cm. The tide pool is 40cm, with valves to control the flow I should be able to control my water levels to ensure against flooding, right? I want to get this up and running and take my time building a 55 gallon sump all in one style. Perhaps incorperating a chamber to isolate bullied fish or for aclamatization sp? Of new tank inhabitants. Again I appreciate the feedback guys.

[redbelly]

IMO do it right and do it once.
If you want to take your time and build a 55g all in one awsome sump then take your time and build it properly now.

Its much more expensive to do things twice. It may take a bit longer to get the tank up and running, but it will be much less hastle to have it done right the first time.

[kevin]

I agree, but when I say over time i'm talking a year or so. I will learn alot from this experience and will do it 10 times better next time around. My baffles are siliconed and it's a messy job, but will work. When I do up a 55 Gallon it will be perfect

[Hookup]

whats in the first part of the sump?  The media stuff?   

I have a multi-tank sump (4 actually)  The first tank is where I have filter socks and get all the big-particulate out of my system..  and i have my reactors in that section as well.  The 2nd is the fuge, the 3rd and 4th are live rock.

[kevin]

It's a prefab Marineland Tide Pool 2 sump; modified to flow to a 40 gallon aquarium. I'm going to fill it with live rock, and some other media. I'm using it to increase water volume and there is already holes drilled. I'm saving up for reef lighting as the Halide balast that came with it exploded and took our a plug and dimmer switch in my dinning room. So, with such high voltage I will live without the shimmer effect. Not sure if I will bother putting a fuge in, may just fill it with live rock also. From what I've been reading and talking face to face with a real pro today the nitrate killing effects are subtle and tons of live rock will be much more effective. I also need to upgrade to an Octopuss skimmer, so when the time comes I will ditch that plastic sump, pick up a 50 gallon and use that space for a real good skimmer.

[BOnaqua]

Here's mine two cents:

That output of the skimmer...turn it the other way. Let it exit in the same area where the skimmer is.

Flow over the baffle between the fuge and return is going to create some bubbles.
Those bubbles are going to be pumped up to your main tank. You dont want that.
So I would put baffles there.

[ramblnpony]

I'm just in the process of setting my tank up but a friend who has had a SW tank for years suggested I have the flow enter the fuge from the bottom and exit it from the top so the water does not just roll across the top of it. I plan on putting rock rubble to break up the flow where it enters the fuge...

[kevin]

Well, I scrapped the entire setup for the sump. I cracked my drilled 40 Gallon tank. I am ditching that pre fab unit and picked up two 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers and attached them together, the challenge now is installing baffles. I am going to fill everything with live rock and some carbon and some other filtration media (not sure yet what I will use) again, guidance is always appreciated.

[BOnaqua]

There's no way in the world to install baffles in a rubbermaid.
As soon as you put water in, the rubbermaid is going to expand and out go your baffles.
You need solid walls and very small gap between the baffle and sumps wall. Biggere the gap, more silicone, therefore, more streching of silicone. Silicone can take only som much shear pressure.

[JetJumper]

Silicone doesn't bond to plastic either.. so it won't hold much at all