Let’s talk about sumps!

[smitten with ocean life]

i dont know about the rest of you, but i have a big sump and i LOVE it! for some reason it fascinates me lol. i love just sitting and watching stuff run and the different creatures i find down there. (yes, i know im strange ) what about you?
i would also love if someone would give a break down of the different areas in the sump. what they are for and the best place to put things

 

[Channas]

Well im with you there so i guess im weird too i run my sump very differently from the norm, i have mine in 3 sections with just 2 loose glass pannels to separate my huge macroalgae/reef from my skimmer and return pump, the skimmer is placed close to the drain then comes my refugium which is about 70% of my sump then my return pump, oh btw my sump is 53 gal approx. I lay on the floor atleast once a week looking inside for stuff that crawls in there and i have also dumped in a few mystery crabs that i have asked my lfs to keep for me everytime he gets some hitching on Stones and corals etc

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ok i love this! how big is your sump? mine is also divided into 3 sections. that seems to be the norm i think!

 

[Channas]

ok i love this! how big is your sump? mine is also divided into 3 sections. that seems to be the norm i think!

53 gal but my dividers are loose (not glued) ment just to separate the Macro from geting Sucked into the return pump and skimmer

 

[Channas]

ok i love this! how big is your sump? mine is also divided into 3 sections. that seems to be the norm i think!

Do you keep something fun inside your sump?

 

[EnterName]

i love just sitting and watching stuff run and the different creatures i find down there. (yes, i know im strange ) what about you?

Well, if this isn't a great opportunity to "promote" my microscopy thread! The thread where all those little bugs and critters of the sump have a place, maybe even those we reefers usually dislike.

We might have a similar "strange" obsession

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yes! wow!

 

[NCsalt]

Perfect timing. I finally have a tank with a sump. Been running month and a half with tank transfer from my sumpless 40 breeder. I see the appeal now. Cade 1500 Peninsula. 210 total system. 32 gallon sump with refugium and TBS rubble in media chambers.

Now my issue. Water level in return chamber and my ATO. Went through 5 gallons in 24 hours just today.

I have moved the sensor a few times and still it pumps more than what i believe is evaporating. The display water area is higher return is lower. I think it is my filter socks clogging rapidly that is the main problem. 100 microns, clean almost every day but still back up the water.

So should i figure out the level in return at the clogging point level and have the sensor under that?

I have messed with this for a month. Return is Sicce 9 SDC running at 31 percent and i get my gate valve dialed but then continued ATO reservoir drain.

Pic of sump

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ooo nice! @UncommonSense might have some tips for you with figuring that one out!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

or @tbrown?

 

[TokenReefer]

So should i figure out the level in return at the clogging point level and have the sensor under that

What do you mean clogging point level? Remove the socks while figuring it out. Get the water in the return where it should be then lock it in by placing the ato sensor /float right at the water line in the return chamber

 

[TokenReefer]

Then add socks and you can see if they clog too fast if that's what you mean?

 

[PharmrJohn]

I took a 20g long and threw in some acrylic separators to make three areas: Socks, skimmer and return.

 

[kevgib67]

Hello Jill! I have a 40g sump with a 10 gallon for the ATO water. First chamber contains the socks, second contains the refugium, Third skimmer and fifth ATO water. Second contains gracilaria, live rock, copepods, amphipods, stone crab and gorilla crab.

 

[NCsalt]

What do you mean clogging point level? Remove the socks while figuring it out. Get the water in the return where it should be then lock it in by placing the ato sensor /float right at the water line in the return chamber

Yeah thats what ive done several times.

Then add socks and you can see if they clog too fast if that's what you mean?

There is an overflow lip at each section of socks. When first set start to clog it rises until it over flows into the next section. The lip for each section is about a half inch thus i would assume changing the water level in the return by same amount. This happens in 24 hours or less. So the sensor is going better pump.

I swear it seems like the water in the return drops faster when the ATO is on rather than when its not.

I heard socks were a pita but dang. Might have to go with the three N Clear rollers. Or maybe i’m missing something.

Also any water change requires a valve adjustment which can take some time to see the affect of adjustment.

 

[TokenReefer]

Is this the same sump? Sorry it's hard for me to picture the flow path tbh but maybe someone else is familiar

 

[smitten with ocean life]

Hello Jill! I have a 40g sump with a 10 gallon for the ATO water. First chamber contains the socks, second contains the refugium, Third skimmer and fifth ATO water. Second contains gracilaria, live rock, copepods, amphipods, stone crab and gorilla crab.

love it kevin! i need to visit your build thread again! what are you going to try and grow under the light?

 

[tbrown]

Perfect timing. I finally have a tank with a sump. Been running month and a half with tank transfer from my sumpless 40 breeder. I see the appeal now. Cade 1500 Peninsula. 210 total system. 32 gallon sump with refugium and TBS rubble in media chambers.

Now my issue. Water level in return chamber and my ATO. Went through 5 gallons in 24 hours just today.

I have moved the sensor a few times and still it pumps more than what i believe is evaporating. The display water area is higher return is lower. I think it is my filter socks clogging rapidly that is the main problem. 100 microns, clean almost every day but still back up the water.

So should i figure out the level in return at the clogging point level and have the sensor under that?

I have messed with this for a month. Return is Sicce 9 SDC running at 31 percent and i get my gate valve dialed but then continued ATO reservoir drain.

Pic of sump

If the display tank water level is rising it's something with the overflow/drain plumbing. Either the weirs are partially plugged up or the overflow u-tubes potentially have air or algae in them restricting flow.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

thank you mr. brown!

 

[kevgib67]

love it kevin! i need to visit your build thread again! what are you going to try and grow under the light?