Feedback on my sump design

[breeze]

New to R2R forum, but not to reefing. Have currently a 350 gal reef setup, up for about 3 years now. Making the switch to the Triton method and I am designing a new sump to replace my current one. The photo below shows my plan thus far. I have 2 overflows which will go into the bubble traps in each corner of the refugium. I also will tee off 2 pipes with shutoff valves to run into two 4 inch filter socks which will only run when I am cleaning the main display (stirring sand, blowing off rocks). Since I have limited door space to get the sump in, I have to divide the sump into 2 sections. The second will house my skimmer and reactors with 2 external return pumps. Any comments, criticisms, potential problems are welcome.

 

[breeze]

No replies? Is it that bad, or that good? No opinions? Just don't want to miss some obvious problem before going to production. Thanks!

 

[Motts]

is this for full Triton method? or other method?

 

[breeze]

is this for full Triton method? or other method?

This will be for full Triton

 

[Heliarc19]

Do you plan to run a refugium? I like the set up to be able to get that size sump through small doors

 

[breeze]

The first chamber will be the refugium. I had to increase the height to gain the volume to make it 10% of my display volume (350 gal). I didn't add the dimensions here, but the first chamber should give me about 39 gallons.

 

[Bob Lauson]

I am considering going to the Triton method but am emotionally attached to having my two 4 inch filter socks so was reluctant to get rid of them. I really like your thought of putting them in only for cleaning the aquarium and then removing once all the residue kicked up from cleaning is pulled out. On your design, where are you putting the filter socks? In the two open holes on the top left of the first chamber? Assuming so, are you concerned about them overflowing during cleaning such that you get water spilling outside the chamber? Are the two bulkhead fittings in the upper corners of the first chamber where the overflow is plumbed to? These two bulkhead fittings look to flow into a narrow and deep confined space that I would think would be very difficult to ever clean out if needed.

 

[Bob Lauson]

I assume you are running PVC from the two bulkhead fittings on the vertical wall from the first chamber into the second chamber.

 

[breeze]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the open holes are where I will put the 4 inch filter socks while cleaning the tank. I'm hoping since they will only be used for a short period, that they wont overflow. Currently my overflow runs into 4 filter socks and they don't overflow, so hopefully going down to 2 wont. The overflow will go into the 2 corners of the first chamber. I was worried about cleaning as well, so I was going to make those 2 bubble chambers removable so that they can either be just raised to blow out debris, or completely removed to be cleaned as necessary. They will not have a bottom themselves, only rest on the bottom of the sump. I was also going to make them opaque except for one side to reduce light coming in for algae growth, but still allow me to see inside to monitor for debris.
As for plumbing to the next chamber, I was thinking of using durso's through those bulkheads to reduce noise.

 

[Bob Lauson]

You should get convinced that the bulkhead fittings between the first and second chambers are able to handle the flow from the aquarium to first chamber. There very little head differential between the two chambers so it might not drain the water from one chamber to the next fast enough. Just a thought. I would try to test it first and make sure.

 

[breeze]

Good thought. Not sure how to test it before the sump is built, but if for some reason it was backing up, I could easily add a 3rd bulkhead since the sump will be acrylic.

 

[breeze]

oops, double post.

 

[Bob Lauson]

True. As long as you have a bypass valve on your feed pump outlet so you can divert most the flow to your sump then start closing to see how much flow the bulkheads can take.