another DIY Sump build

[sergifed91]

Planning on doing a sump build. a 40 breeder. the dt will be a 125 gallons. I plan on doing a setup like my lifereef. keeping the refugium seperate. what size baffles will I need and the height ? I plan on using glass or if I can find acrylic at a reasonable price then I will go with that. I do plan on using my life reef refugium since it would be just sitting around. I'll elavate it in the stand making one part of the stand higher than the other.

 

[Brett S]

One thing to consider as you are considering baffle height is that the baffle height will determine the water level in the sump (except for the return pump chamber, of course. The water level there will be determined by evaporation).

The higher the baffles the higher the water level in the sump and the more water in your system overall. However, you also need to consider how much water will drain into the sump when the return pumps are off, especially since you will have two tanks draining into the sump... the DT and the fuge. If the baffles are too high then there won’t be enough space for the water that drains down into the sump and it will overflow when the pumps are shut off.

The other thing you might want to consider is your skimmer. Most internal skimmers have a specific depth that they are designed to work at, so you want to make sure that the water level in your sump matches the water level that your skimmer is designed to work with. If the sump water level is deeper than what the skimmer is designed for, then you can easily elevate the skimmer on a little platform, but if the sump water level is lower than what the skimmer is designed for then there is nothing you can do and your skimmer will never perform well.

 

[sp1187]

my go to....
https://gmacreef.com/reef-aquarium-sump-tank-design/

 

[1ocean]

sounds like you are on the right track with everyones advise so far.
I am here to help if you want...Just reach out to me...

I always dry layout all the things i need in my sump designs BEFORE I glue the internal acrylic parts together.
Before I even cut or glue the sump acrylic sides and bottom together to size, I dry lay out all the internal items that will be in the sump on a piece of cardboard so that I can constantly move my ideas until it all fits and I am happy.
This cardboard idea help me to also place it in the cabinet to make sure it fits and also allows me to adjust anything if need.
It also helps me with chamber size design and allows me to plan for the future.

I am currently designing 2 race track sumps, 24" length x 28 wide x 16" tall that will be divided down the middle at the 12" mark with 1/4 inch acrylic. This gives me the length area of a 4 foot x 12" wide sump in a small area. Both sumps will be tied together and a refugium will over flow into both sumps, for my 300 build...
Each sump will have their own return pump.

see my thread to see what i mean

Large Build - 300 gallon oasis build in AZ

I got many request to start this post, so here it is. I Started building and planning a 300 gallon reef to replace my current 140 gallon. Tank is being made and I have started building the stand out of reinforced fiberglass and gluing it all together with special epoxy which is pretty pricey...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Amstar]

These guys. An make customizable baffles if needed - or they may have set ones for the size sump you are looking to do - they are on ebay as well

Jax Racks-Reef Tank Sump Kits, Overflows,& Custom Acrylic Work Florida

Jax Racks specializes in aquarium sump kits, dividers, overflows, refugiums and other aquarium accessories. We strive to provide affordable, efficient, and innovative acrylic products designed with the customer in mind. We also provide custom acrylic solutions.

www.jaxracks.com

 

[LegendaryCG]

These guys. An make customizable baffles if needed - or they may have set ones for the size sump you are looking to do - they are on ebay as well

Jax Racks-Reef Tank Sump Kits, Overflows,& Custom Acrylic Work Florida

Jax Racks specializes in aquarium sump kits, dividers, overflows, refugiums and other aquarium accessories. We strive to provide affordable, efficient, and innovative acrylic products designed with the customer in mind. We also provide custom acrylic solutions.

www.jaxracks.com

Havent heard of them before but they got some real nice looking stuff on that site. Definitely one I’m bookmarking.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Another option to check out are the baffle kits from fiji cube. That's what I used for my 40 breeder and was really happy with it. With the kit I received I needed some acrylic glue and silicone. Looks great imo.