Help me finish designing my sump!

[BAUCE]

Hey guys,

I posted some of this over in DIY section but wanted to get more eyes on it. (mods can merge if this isnt allowed).

Im wanting to maximize the amount of room in my cube-ish sump by making it flow around the permimeter instead of from one end to the other. I played with a few ideas but this is the rough idea of what I've decided to do.

Here are the dimensions of it laid out so far.

Im leaning towards having such a big refugium because I want to add miracle mud and live rock so that tank doesnt cycle. (frag tank with some rock up top as well)


Here are my questions:

1.) do you see any glaring problems with this as is?
2.) do I need a bubble trap between the skimmer and fuge area?
3.) can I make a bubble trap one with extra sheet of glass? basically add a pane in the skimmer section so it goes under the first part and over into the fuge?
4.) should I add a pane of glass in the return area like in #3? the water goes over the fuge and then having a pane after that the water goes under?
5.) is there any reason I should have any of the glass panes come up higher? they are currently at 7.5 inches which is where the skimmmer water height is ideal.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Reeferstin]

Hey guys,

I posted some of this over in DIY section but wanted to get more eyes on it. (mods can merge if this isnt allowed).

Im wanting to maximize the amount of room in my cube-ish sump by making it flow around the permimeter instead of from one end to the other. I played with a few ideas but this is the rough idea of what I've decided to do.

Here are the dimensions of it laid out so far.

Im leaning towards having such a big refugium because I want to add miracle mud and live rock so that tank doesnt cycle. (frag tank with some rock up top as well)


Here are my questions:

1.) do you see any glaring problems with this as is?
2.) do I need a bubble trap between the skimmer and fuge area?
3.) can I make a bubble trap one with extra sheet of glass? basically add a pane in the skimmer section so it goes under the first part and over into the fuge?
4.) should I add a pane of glass in the return area like in #3? the water goes over the fuge and then having a pane after that the water goes under?
5.) is there any reason I should have any of the glass panes come up higher? they are currently at 7.5 inches which is where the skimmmer water height is ideal.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I like the diy, check out eshops rs-75 their sump is somewhat similar to this and they have bubble traps i would have the skimmer before the refugium and the refugium pumping into the return chamber

 

[BAUCE]

I like the diy, check out eshops rs-75 their sump is somewhat similar to this and they have bubble traps i would have the skimmer before the refugium and the refugium pumping into the return chamber

looking at that sump is actual pretty helpful. I was already thinking about adding a baffle/bubble trap after the refugium but now Im wondering if I should before the refugium as well. Im worried that microbubbles will go over the skimmer area and into the fuge which is not ideal as bubbles can get caught up in the macro algae.

 

[Auquanut]

I really like the design. Can't think of any reason it wouldn't work. You could put a baffle between the overflow section and fuge, but I personally don't think it's necessary. I would put a baffle between the fuge and return section though. Have water flow over the first pane and under the second as you mentioned. It would work as a bubble trap, and if you put a course filter sponge between the panes, it would help keep macrp algae, snails, detritus, etc... out of the return pump.

 

[TriggerFinger]

The only possible concern is putting some type of filter between the fuge and return so macro, mud etc. don’t get sucked into the return pump. Other than that, nicely done!

 

[BAUCE]

I’ll definitely be putting that baffle in after the fuge and adding some type of filter floss or pad.

is there any reason why I should have any of the glass come up higher? Seems like all sumps have glass that comes all the way up to the top.

 

[TriggerFinger]

It depends on how you want the water to flow. If the glass baffle goes to the top of the sump then you have to leave space below the baffle or put holes in the baffle for the water to get through to the next chamber. As it sits, you have it set for the skimmer chamber to flow over into the fuge and then the fuge flow over into the return (through a pad of some sort)

 

[TriggerFinger]

Looking again, you may need the baffle between the return and skimmer to be higher or else the water will go into the return section at the same time as the fuge.

 

[Dr Jimmy]

I have the drain coming into an actual (very small) drain section. For me, it is the first area that can keep bubbles down and it helps minimize salt creep (I cover it). The water then flows over some filter socks and into the skimmer section.

 

[BAUCE]

Looking again, you may need the baffle between the return and skimmer to be higher or else the water will go into the return section at the same time as the fuge.

What would be the problem with that?

 

[BAUCE]

I have the drain coming into an actual (very small) drain section. For me, it is the first area that can keep bubbles down and it helps minimize salt creep (I cover it). The water then flows over some filter socks and into the skimmer section.

I like that idea but my drain is very large for this size tank and would take a substantial amount of room. Hoping the filter sock helps with bubbles.

 

[TriggerFinger]

What would be the problem with that?

It may not be a problem for you. For me...I want all of the “dirty” water coming from the drain to go through the sock and skimmer, then the fuge, then return to the tank rather than have the “dirty” water overflow right into the return section and back up to the display. I hope I explained this right...

 

[Dr Jimmy]

I don't see it taking that much more room. I have two 1" drains and the area mine drain is 2.5" x 5". And I have plenty of room. You could do it better than that as well

 

[BAUCE]

It may not be a problem for you. For me...I want all of the “dirty” water coming from the drain to go through the sock and skimmer, then the fuge, then return to the tank rather than have the “dirty” water overflow right into the return section and back up to the display. I hope I explained this right...

I think i get what you're saying. With my idea youre saying since the water level is the same in the drain and fuge that it wont be as properly filtered. Do you think adding a baffle in the first area and having the water travel under and then over into the fuge would make a big difference?

 

[BAUCE]

I don't see it taking that much more room. I have two 1" drains and the area mine drain is 2.5" x 5". And I have plenty of room. You could do it better than that as well

That looks good but I have one 1 1/2" drain. Cutting out a section of my design that big will eat into the return area which I already think is on the small side. I currently have a trigger sump where there is no section like that and the water flows straight into a sock. I do like the idea of having detritus settle in the section over the entire skimmer area though. Might be a pain to remove it from an area that small in the back of the sump. Decisions....decisions....

Thanks for the input

 

[TriggerFinger]

If you’re going to use any type of mud then you cant have any baffles where water passes under. The mud will end up in all the chambers

 

[BAUCE]

If you’re going to use any type of mud then you cant have any baffles where water passes under. The mud will end up in all the chambers

Yeah thats one of the reasons I was hesitant to add them. I found a plastic tray that should fit perfectly in the fuge area though. The baffle in the return area should be fine though right?

 

[TriggerFinger]

The height? I don’t know, probably a matter of personal preference. I would try and cut some rigid plastic in the design I want to use and do a test run to see how the water flows.

 

[BAUCE]

It may not be a problem for you. For me...I want all of the “dirty” water coming from the drain to go through the sock and skimmer, then the fuge, then return to the tank rather than have the “dirty” water overflow right into the return section and back up to the display. I hope I explained this right...

dude. I just finished the first part of the baffles and it hit me to. NOW i know what you were trying to say. lol this whole thing would just fill up at the same time if I left it as is. Luckily I have an idea to make it work out and it might not even look like a mistake.

Here it is right now with basically all three sections at the same exact height and therefor they all fill up at the same time once the skimmer section is full.

Since I want them to fill in order I will silicon another strip of glass between the skimmer section and the return section that goes a little long. It will be a little long so that the water doesnt seep over around into the return section. I'll then mount the last baffle to the extra strip. With this design there would no be no other way to around doing it this way.... I think...

 

[mrlavalamp]

I must admit this will probably work, you could join that extra strip on and reinforce it with the new bubble trap, and it will probably hold for a good while if you clean the glass and silicone it well.

Your work looks good on the other seams so I believe you would be successful, but I must ask......Why not replace that entire baffle with a taller one and then add the bubble trap in?

It means re-doing work you have already done, which is painful for sure, but think about looking in on this sump in a year or two, will you be happy to see how you solved this issue? given that (IMO) you dont necessarily NEED to rush some sort of a repair at this point.

Were it my tank I would pull the entire baffle, clean it up, and replace with a taller one, and add the bubble trap how you have it shown.

but you could totally just glue that extra strip in and as long as you clean and clamp it the silicone should keep it from going anywhere once its cured.