AIO sump design Help.

[Jim8o]

Hi,

I currently have a 600x400x400mm tank. I want to turn it into an AIO and was wondering on best sump designs.

I’m thinking 5 chambers. Two at 100mm each size and a 200mm chamber in the middle for return chamber.

How should I have the baffles?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

So an overflow on each size?

I did three chambers on mine where the inlet/overflow baffle was at the top with about 1.5" gap to the bottom and the second flush with the bottom and about 2.5" from the top.

 

[Jim8o]

Yeah, was thinking something like this.. sorry for the crude drawing... not to scale.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Looks good! Just some experience/errors that I had that caused me hangups.

Make sure the return baffle is shorter than the first
Do not try and bandsaw cut acrylic
If you have a rimmed tank, keep in mind clearances.
Design your overflow comb using an online calculator

 

[Jim8o]

Looks good! Just some experience/errors that I had that caused me hangups.

Make sure the return baffle is shorter than the first
Do not try and bandsaw cut acrylic
If you have a rimmed tank, keep in mind clearances.
Design your overflow comb using an online calculator

Thanks for the advise.

By return baffle you mean the second and third.. looking from left to right? I was thinking of having a skimmer in the second chamber. How will I maintain water height? Maybe an extra baffle?

I have a rimless tank. Do you have a link to a calculator I can use?

Thanks again.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Rectangular Contracted Weir Calculator

This is what I used but you may have to do some searching. In general you can do a simple estimation like "I will have 8 slots that are x wide and y long" to simplify.


As far as the constant height you may need additional opinions on that... Mine stays constant but it is likely that I have some leaks in my foam wall that contribute.

 

[Jim8o]

Maybe something like this???

 

[Jim8o]

Rectangular Contracted Weir Calculator

This is what I used but you may have to do some searching. In general you can do a simple estimation like "I will have 8 slots that are x wide and y long" to simplify.


As far as the constant height you may need additional opinions on that... Mine stays constant but it is likely that I have some leaks in my foam wall that contribute.

Thank you very much for your help so far.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

My knowledge of baffle designs has been extinguished! #1 worries me about how high each would need to be. #2 looks much more sound but you lose the ability to have two overflow combs.

Sorry I couldn't be more help!

 

[Jim8o]

I’m struggling with this weir calculation.. how do I know what size I need?

I have a IM mightyJet 326gph. It is DC so controllable.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I aimed for about 1/2-3/4 of the way up the weir and I think I assumed around 2 cm height. Thinking about the fish or invert you have you can make an estimate and say I want 15 slots about 8 mm wide with a 10 mm gap between slots. Length would be about 8*15 or 120 mm wide by 20 mm high. You can plug those in an estimate. Use established numbers from similar tanks can help too.

 

[Jim8o]

How does this dodgy drawing and calculation look?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Might have lost you in the calculations. Using the calculator line from above here is what I was seeing.

So using the link and your drawing I am seeing a length of 4.5 cm and a height of 2 cm (because we are assuming it is half full due to water level) which using the calculator is 4 gpm or roughly 240 gph. So at this water level you might starve your pump out.

If you raise your liquid level (or lower your comb) by about .5 cm you will be on target at 5 gpm. Keep in mind I am no expert in this but these estimations worked out for me in the past!

 

[SDK]

I would decide what equipment you want in the chambers first, then figure out chamber sizes to fit everything...

Also, if you copy the dimensions of an existing popular AIO, an IM 20 for instance, you will find more equipment available that is premade to fit in your AIO chambers...

 

[Jim8o]

Might have lost you in the calculations. Using the calculator line from above here is what I was seeing.

So using the link and your drawing I am seeing a length of 4.5 cm and a height of 2 cm (because we are assuming it is half full due to water level) which using the calculator is 4 gpm or roughly 240 gph. So at this water level you might starve your pump out.

If you raise your liquid level (or lower your comb) by about .5 cm you will be on target at 5 gpm. Keep in mind I am no expert in this but these estimations worked out for me in the past!

Ahhh... that makes sense now.. cheers.. my tank is only 90ltrs so won’t be running pump on full power.. thanks again.

 

[Jim8o]

I would decide what equipment you want in the chambers first, then figure out chamber sizes to fit everything...

Also, if you copy the dimensions of an existing popular AIO, an IM 20 for instance, you will find more equipment available that is premade to fit in your AIO chambers...

I will have a DIY acrylic media rack, Tunze 9004 DC skimmer, IM mightyJey 326 gph DC pump. Heater. With room for expansion.

 

[SDK]

Ok cool and just making sure...

The Tunze is a nice skimmer for an AIO. I run a 9001 in mine.

 

[Jim8o]

Might have lost you in the calculations. Using the calculator line from above here is what I was seeing.

So using the link and your drawing I am seeing a length of 4.5 cm and a height of 2 cm (because we are assuming it is half full due to water level) which using the calculator is 4 gpm or roughly 240 gph. So at this water level you might starve your pump out.

If you raise your liquid level (or lower your comb) by about .5 cm you will be on target at 5 gpm. Keep in mind I am no expert in this but these estimations worked out for me in the past!

So, if I have 2 weir combs of 4.5cm at 2cm of water height (as in design 1),

so 9cm at 2cm it works out at approx. 480gph.

 

[Jim8o]

Ok cool and just making sure...

The Tunze is a nice skimmer for an AIO. I run a 9001 in mine.

I was looking at that one, I wasn’t sure about the DC version but always like control lol.

 

[SDK]

I was looking at that one, I wasn’t sure about the DC version but always like control lol.

The DC was not available yet when I purchased mine, or I would have also gone that route....