Should I rebuild my sump?

[Joel w]

I built this thing 10 years ago when i was 18, i have no idea why i built it like this but I did. The tank was in storage for years and I just recently got it back up and running. Just finished the cycle and added a few fish.

Anyway, i have been thinking about completely redoing the design. I get a ton of micro bubbles in the tank (hence the filter media, which helps, but doesn't get rid of the problem) and i think it could be done a lot better. I don't have the skimmer yet, but i just ordered it and its on its way. Would where i have it planned out be okay to put it?

Any other suggestions would also be immensely helpful. For reference the sump is a 55 gallon and the main display is a 150. This is how i have it set up now. (apologizes for the bad sketch, did it on my phone)

 

[Joel w]

I was thinking of doing something like this.

 

[Jeepguy242]

i built one just like your fist for my first.....

i have found i can't grow cheato for squat in it...

i had both returns coming in the skimmer section and the return pump feeding the fuge.... that is when i couldn't grow cheato

i have since separated my returns... 1 goes to fuge, one goes to skimmer... now it grows cheato... didn't feel like taking the sump apart to change it...


if i had to do it all over again i would put my fuge first, then skimmer, then return.. for max cheato growth and then skim to get what the cheato won't get

 

[Reef-junky]

You don’t need that many baffles. One after the skimmer and 3 for a bubble trap.

 

[Xavierwally]

Hi, IMO you should redo the sump because you have to many baffles. I just made a sump last month out of a 20 gallon long tank and took my idea off a Trigger System sump (only 3 baffles) I got the baffles from ebay.

 

[Joel w]

You don’t need that many baffles. One after the skimmer and 3 for a bubble trap.

Hi, IMO you should redo the sump because you have to many baffles. I just made a sump last month out of a 20 gallon long tank and took my idea off a Trigger System sump (only 3 baffles) I got the baffles from ebay.

Yea, probably a few to many baffles. Especially near the return. I am just paranoid over micro bubbles, they're driving me crazy. I think i will be tearing down the sump this weekend.

Will the main display be okay without the sump running for 2 days?

 

[Reef-junky]

You will be fine. A bubble trap which would be 3 baffles before the return will get rid of any bubbles. The baffle next to the skimmer will set the water height for it. A common design is skimmer first then return and last refugium ran off the speed you need to bleed off the return pump. Some people put the refugium in the middle and return pump last. I would not buy a baffle kit or what ever they are called as they are a rip off. They also don’t bond worth crap to glass. I’ve seen people just pop those kits out. Your best bet is to find a glass shop.

 

[Reef-junky]

To give you an idea this kit is $150 and I spent $30 at a glass shop to get baffles made. If you try to bond anything other then glass to glass it’s not going to stick very well at all. I think there are some ways of doing this but why bother.

 

[Joel w]

To give you an idea this kit is $150 and I spent $30 at a glass shop to get baffles made. If you try to bond anything other then glass to glass it’s not going to stick very well at all. I think there are some ways of doing this but why bother.

Wow. That is insane. That's what I did when i first built it, was just get the glass cut. It's easy enough.

I've been looking at the sump all morning and I think I'm just going to add a 3rd baffle and reverse the tank. I'll post some pics of before and after.

 

[Reef-junky]

That kit cost more then both of my sumps together. Don’t know if some people get scared or just have no idea but I would never waste that kind of money on baffles. You could probably make that crap out of acrylic your self for cheaper.

 

[mkj]

Can also use ceramic tiles instead of glass for baffles. Easy to cut and trim yourself and great for the fuge section because no light goes through ceramic and no need to paint anything. Silicone bonds very well to both ceramic and glass. There are also a few DIY sumps that people have had success with using ceramic tiles for baffles. Most people just don't realize they can silicone ceramic and glass together. Many showers use ceramic and glass tiles together. Just don't get blue or green tile. Google will tell you reason if you dont know why.

FYI: a quick fix that has a stronger bond than mortar is using silicone to replace a tile in shower that has come loose. Only reason pros don't use silicone for tiling is cost of silicone verse mortar and mortar is easier to apply on large areas.

 

[PopaSmurph]

My eBay sump kit from jax.racks for $125 for a 20g long custom triton build well worth the money

 

[Reef-junky]

My main sump is a 20 gallon long it cost me $65 to build and that’s for the tank, baffles, and silicone.

 

[PopaSmurph]

That kit cost more then both of my sumps together. Don’t know if some people get scared or just have no idea but I would never waste that kind of money on baffles. You could probably make that crap out of acrylic your self for cheaper.

It's all about esthetics and convenience for me on my current build. I took the filter socks out for another adjustable baffle, changed water heights, and picked the arcylic color for my custom triton sump. I'd rather waste my money on a refugium kit from eBay then a bounce shroom that melts as soon an you get it. I've spent money on both and the baffles are still here looking pretty can't say the same for 2 of my bounce shooms tho. This is not a poor man's hobby but we certainly try to invest money where we can. I spent about $600 plumbing my tank including overflow but spent only $200 on jebao pumps to move water, could of spent over $1000 on ecotech but im gonna wait to come into some secondhand deals. Tanks are like women some like em quick, cheap, and easy and others like something a little more exquisite lol

 

[Reef-junky]

How many times have you changed the baffle heights? How often in a week will you change them? Are you displaying the tank or sump and plumbing? I’ve seen people use Walmart totes for sumps and they work just as well as a $1000 sump. I’m going to probably be doing an in wall build at one point and my stand will be made of concrete blocks. Will anyone see it no so does it matter to me no. Will I save money yes.

 

[cracker]

notice the baffles in the Gmac diagram, post 7 .the baffles are set opposite . I tried this & don't like it one bit. It does create an up welling but leaves the water surface stagnant which can form a film.

 

[PopaSmurph]

How many times have you changed the baffle heights? Are you displaying the tank or sump and plumbing? I’m going to probably be doing an in wall build at one point and my stand will be made of concrete blocks. Will anyone see it no so does it matter to me no. Will I save money yes.

I've set them once and that's it but if I get a new skimmer I can adjust the level for the skimmer and the fuge can be adjusted for the drainage. I have an extra gallon of space now but my fuge is currently 14% of system volume but can be lowered to 10% for the triton minimal fuge percentage. Yeah my stand is open front I love looking at all my hard work (minus cutting acrylic lol) and look over everything daily quickly to ensure proper function. Totally do that cheap and you can take what you would of spent on a fancy stand and put it into redundancy or something for livestock I'm sure it will get spent on the hobby lol

 

[Reef-junky]

All you doing is spending a ton of money on an over glorified tank. All of which you stated can be over come with out adjustable baffles. Most people don’t have an open stand so it does not matter. Do baffles work better if they are CNC cut or if they are cut by you out of scrap acrylic? They work the same the difference is the cost. You can even get colored acrylic if you want to get fancy. DIY doesn’t mean it can’t look just as good and cost you less.

 

[PopaSmurph]

Do baffles work better if they are CNC cut or if they are cut by you out of scrap acrylic?
DIY doesn’t mean it can’t look just as good and cost you less.

No they work exactly the same.
A Wal-Mart tote sump imo doesn't look as good as a tank sump but both do the exact same thing. If your not looking at it get a tote but if your want the underside to look as good as the top side your gonna throw a little more cash in it

 

[mandi29221]

Hi, IMO you should redo the sump because you have to many baffles. I just made a sump last month out of a 20 gallon long tank and took my idea off a Trigger System sump (only 3 baffles) I got the baffles from ebay.

What where your dimensions for the baffles? And what thickness of glass. Please and thank you