Help fix my sump design please (75g sump)..

[Hezam]

Hello everyone,

I apologize there is a million posts on sump design and honestly I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to understand them. Gathered as much knowledge as I can but I can't seem to figure out same basic stuff, I see many complicated designs and I don't know what I need yet, first big reef tank for me. My main display is a 200 gallon tank with a 75 gallon tank sump. Its a 4.5ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft (makes sense in metric 140cm x 45cm x 45cm). and the main display is 6.5ft x 2ft x 2ft, main drain is in the middle with a modular marine bean animal style overflow and two returns on each corner.

My design is basically just 3 baffles with 1 in height less in between them, does that seem right?

My questions are:

1- Do I need bubble traps? If so where. Ive read a lot before the return is good enough with under over under, do all they do is remove bubbles? Sorry I have ZERO experience in this. Are bubbles a problem? should I strongly consider this?

2- Noise: Will this design cause bunch of waterfall noises in the sump? If so that's a big concern for me, how can I make it quieter?

3- Height of first baffle is 12inches, total height of sump is 17.5in. That's 5.5in height. Will that be enough when I turn off return pump? How do I know if its enough? Most people say eye ball but unfortunately I can't really do that since I have to pay someone to make this for me. I won't be DIYing this.

4- Other equipment: I don't know if I need a reactor for now, or any other equipment, is this enough space for "future" stuff? The return chamber is huge so is the skimmer chamber. This is where I really don't know how to future proof it as I don't know what or how I will progress equipment wise. I already bought ATO Tunze and I know I will be using that. I will be using a filter roller in the very near future, will start the tank without it though. Can I have space for maybe a frag tank? I have the tank without the baffles right now its huge. Should I be dividing chambers more?

Thanks for the help

 

[blecki]

1) Yes. You need a bubble trap to prevent bubbles making it into the return chamber. Or they get into the display and are ugly.

2) Have less baffles with smaller drop heights. 1in isn't going to be loud but the only quiet water is still water.

3) You need to calculate the volume of everything 'above water' during normal operation to see how many gallons you can handle when the power's off.

4) Fragtank in the sump? I'd plan for the equipment I've got and the roller and not worry about it.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I only have 2 baffles. First is my skimmer compartment middle is the largest and I run it as cryptic zone. third is for the return pumps. My sum is 5 feet long i dont have any bubble issues,thats more an issue with smaller sumps imo

 

[Hezam]

1) Yes. You need a bubble trap to prevent bubbles making it into the return chamber. Or they get into the display and are ugly.

2) Have less baffles with smaller drop heights. 1in isn't going to be loud but the only quiet water is still water.

3) You need to calculate the volume of everything 'above water' during normal operation to see how many gallons you can handle when the power's off.

4) Fragtank in the sump? I'd plan for the equipment I've got and the roller and not worry about it.

Is 1in drop in height good enough? I've seen people also do equal size baffles. Can I make all around 11in baffles like the skimmer height and eliminate any size difference, or is that a bad idea?

hmm my water line is very high in the main display, that will make much less water enter flow back into the sump right? I need to properly size this but I don't have the tank yet.

 

[Hezam]

I only have 2 baffles. First is my skimmer compartment middle is the largest and I run it as cryptic zone. third is for the return pumps. My sum is 5 feet long i dont have any bubble issues,thats more an issue with smaller sumps imo

Very interesting, so you don't have an issue with microbubbles? I love this hobby, but it can be really confusing. The gentlemen above said its needed and you said its not needed. I really wanna opt out of bubble trap because I feel like cleaning it will be a pain but not sure

 

[TX_REEF]

you definitely don't want equal sized baffles, that will lead to the possibility of backflow which you don't want. 1 inch drops should be fine. I'd recommend a bubble trap for the baffles going into the return to prevent bubbles in the return.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I think you 1 inch idea is fine. What skimmer do you run if it’s a needlewheel you probably want the skimmer compartment height to be in a certain range. If you have a Venturi or Beckett or even a recirculating needlewheel the water depth won’t matter

 

[Hezam]

I think you 1 inch idea is fine. What skimmer do you run if it’s a needlewheel you probably want the skimmer compartment height to be in a certain range. If you have a Venturi or Beckett or even a recirculating needlewheel the water depth won’t matter

I have Bubble magus curve 9 skimmer, instructions water height should be 9.5-11" , I took the highest number 11" and I can raise on a platform If I want.

 

[blecki]

Oh, also, prefer refugium before skimmer myself. I don't think it makes too much difference but in theory the refugium gets dirtier water that way.

 

[Hezam]

you definitely don't want equal sized baffles, that will lead to the possibility of backflow which you don't want. 1 inch drops should be fine. I'd recommend a bubble trap for the baffles going into the return to prevent bubbles in the return.

Seems like I will do that before the return as I don't think it will harm not doing I will just take a couple of inches extra from the sump

 

[Hezam]

Oh, also, prefer refugium before skimmer myself. I don't think it makes too much difference but in theory the refugium gets dirtier water that way.

You want the fuge to be dirtier right?

 

[blecki]

Very interesting, so you don't have an issue with microbubbles? I love this hobby, but it can be really confusing. The gentlemen above said its needed and you said its not needed. I really wanna opt out of bubble trap because I feel like cleaning it will be a pain but not sure

Dude could just be lucky. The drop into the return chamber is what creates the issue. The bubbles created by the drop get sucked into the return pump and end up micro bubbles in the tank. If you have an ATO so that the drop stays constant and it's not a big drop it might be just fine without one.

 

[blecki]

You want the fuge to be dirtier right?

Yes. But it's not like 100% of the water that makes it to the skimmer chamber gets skimmed. It's probably a negligible difference.

 

[TX_REEF]

Seems like I will do that before the return as I don't think it will harm not doing I will just take a couple of inches extra from the sump

you only need to make the horizontal space between the bubble trap baffles 2 inches or so, very minimal space used

 

[Hezam]

I put a bubble trap, under over under. Might make the drain chamber bigger as I might get the bigger filter roller not sure. But that's pretty much it.

 

[TX_REEF]

here's how i set mine up if it helps at all - making the bubble trap 2 baffles instead of 3 makes cleaning a little easier. The last baffle is shown from a side profile below the sump layout, obviously not to scale etc. I didn't want to start my bubble trap with an "under" because i want to keep sand a critters in.

 

[RedoubtReef]

You want the fuge to be dirtier right?

that's how I run mine you can view it in my 'My Tank' thread link

 

[Hezam]

that's how I run mine you can view it in my 'My Tank' thread link

Love your aquascape, looks really natural and pleasing to the eye, saved for when I start doing mine soon hopefully!

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

MY theory is skimmer first then cryptic sump. I’m not growing cheato for export down there. The cryptic sump helps feed the tank once you get it running. But ya there are many schools of thought on triton, berlin, etc sump designs plus and minuses

 

[RedoubtReef]

Love your aquascape, looks really natural and pleasing to the eye, saved for when I start doing mine soon hopefully!

thank you!