Help with new sump

[cesar357]

This is my first time to install a sump so I would like your opinion. I will be placing a 20 gallon sump under my 60 gallon main display tank. The 20 gallon sump is 30"L X 12"W X 12"Tall.

Now I would like to know how would you divide that to place the return zone, intake zone and refugium zone?

Im thinking im going to need baffles to divide all the compartments, so how would you divide that.

Another thing I might want to mention is that the return pump is rated at 1017 gph so I need to take that in consideration. Some people say that the space is limited due to the fact that the water going through there is very strong.

What do you think?

 

[ChrisRD]

Will you have a skimmer in the sump or no?

 

[cesar357]

Actually I will. Im trying to figure out how I am going to fit it under that stand I have because I just made some last checks and noticed that the stand is quite small inside. Im going to place an ASM Skimmer in there but I might have to change plans because of stand size issues. I was thinking of getting a custom acrylic sump with a buddy of mine but I think that's not going to work, man im getting very fustrated.

 

[Anonymous]

External sumps refugiums can be very fustrating. You are correct to think it out first.

I recommend you test, test , and then test some more. Make sure the sump does not flood during a power outage. And the display does not flood when power returns. And try to insure flooding does no happen if an overflow gets plugged or otherwise fails.

Most do use baffels. If there is no room for a seperate container for a refugium, then you might put the refug section on one side, the filter section on the other with the return line and pump in the center. That way you can still "tee" off a line to the refug, have slower flow with a higher water level on the refug side.

On mine I had home depot cut acrylic to my specifications then I glued together for a filter box. That way I can remove the box to clean/replace the filter media. The box cost me all of $5.00 but I recommend using something other then the really thin stuff. It chips and breaks a seam too often.

Whatever you decide on I hope you are happy with it. Mine was a great addition to my 55g. But I now have an in tank refug and am working on replacing the external with a closed loop/canister DIY type. That way I can still have the refug, filtering, and can add a surge device. Without worring about floods.

 

[ChrisRD]

It's pretty simple to setup the system so it's not prone to flooding. A few basic design considerations and some simple math is all it takes.

The footprint of the sump sounds plenty big enough to fit the ASM and still have a decent size portion for the fuge (I've done something similar with a 29 gallon tank - same tank just a bit taller). What's the problem with the stand - height?

Also, I do agree that 1000 GPH is a lot to be moving through a small sump, especially if you intend to have a portion of it as a refugium. If it's not a pump that does well under pressure though, you may not end-up with anything near that after gravity head + plumbing form/friction losses.

 

[seahunter]

a sump is a sump is a sump...very easy to make one out of a cheep aquarium. Take a look at some online and go from there. All you need is some plexy glass or glass for baffles to get rid of the micro bubbles coming back into your system, and you could always add a refuge to it, here is a pic of my totally AMATURE sump/Refuge. The only thing I care about is that it works not the looks.

http://www.reefgossip.com/public_html/album_page.php?pic_id=93

 

[cesar357]

You know what ChrisRD the problem I am facing now is that my freaking stand is too small. The lenght is perfect but the inside height is only 21"H. Now the ASM skimmer is 19"H, so that doesn't really give me alot of space to work with incase I need to get in there. Now im looking at either buying a new stand of building one. I cant win for loosing man, haha. If it's not one thing it's another.

 

[cesar357]

BTW, I would like to meantion that I was going to get a custom made sump from a local reefer here in Cali. Very reasonable price too. He is going to place 3 comparments that will be for my intake, refugium and return zone's. The sump will be made out of acrylic and it will be something like 32L X 12"W X 12"H, which is kind of weird because that's only 2" bigger than mine. But I wont have to deal with building the baffles and all.

 

[ChrisRD]

Anything watertight will do, but if you can get a custom sump you're happy with for a reasonable price that'll work. That stand is short - not much room to work with... ...that's why I tend to build my own.

 

[garagebrian]

I built my first stand for my new 75 gallon tank. I was worried it would not hold all the weight, but it has been setup with water for 2 months now with no signs of danger. I built it 29" high (internal room) thinking that would be PLENTY...turned out to be barely enough, I have about 1" above the top of my skimmer cup. I feel for you only having 21".

B.

 

[cesar357]

Yeah I was thinking of building my own but in all honesty I dont consider myself what you call a handy person, hahaha. The last thing i want is for that tank to come crashing down. YIKES, just the thought of that freaks me out. I'll see if dad will do something, if not I guess I will have to nip it and buy one. My wife like the idea since she can keep my current stand and turn it into some type of sofa table or something, hahaha.

 

[garagebrian]

I can understand not wanting to build one I'm definitely not considered handy either, the last thing I build from wood was a jigsaw cat puzzle in wood shop in HS I took about 1 1/2 months researching designs on the internet and eventually copied the design of a fellow local reefer who had it up for a year with no signs of strain.

Even with that I still come home at night and hold my breath a little when I open the door to see if the tank is on the ground or cracked from a minor unevenness That is slowly fading away.... Sometimes it is just better for peace of mind to buy a stand.

B.

 

[ChrisRD]

Personally, one of the things I don't like about some of the factory stands is the strength of construction. I prefer to use 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 for the support framing. Probably overkill, but most of the tank manufacturers' stands use a much lighter support structure and look flimsy to me...

 

[cesar357]

I just went to LFS and was told that I can get a stand done for about $100. It will be about 26" to 30" tall inside measurement. So that will give me enough space to play with that 19" ASM Skimmer. Not only that but the LFS guy can get me a custom made sump for $150, I can play with that.

 

[Anonymous]

1000 gallons going through a 20 gallon sump is a bit much

I have 920 I think and it roars through there, I am unhappy with it. If I had it to do over again I would do two things differently.

1. use a smaller pump for the sump return
2. use the pump I have for a closed loop

 

[MLVA123]

1000 gallons going through a 20 gallon sump is a bit much

I have 920 I think and it roars through there, I am unhappy with it. If I had it to do over again I would do two things differently.

1. use a smaller pump for the sump return
2. use the pump I have for a closed loop

This man writes words of wisdom. Use moderate flow through your sump - and use a CL for high flow (or if you have the cash, use Tunze Streams, they kick @$$)

 

[ChrisRD]

Another thing I might want to mention is that the return pump is rated at 1017 gph so I need to take that in consideration.

Most likely this is the rated flow at 0' head. Keep in mind that after gravity and friction losses it's very possible that it will be moving more like 600 GPH. We'd need to know the specific pump and planned plumbing layout before we can estimate what the actual flow through the sump will be.

 

[Anonymous]

you can adjust the flow rate with plumbing. Just set up a loop with tee's before and after the pump and some valves. Then the more water being pumped through that loop the less between from the sump to tank. And the pump is running at at the max also.

 

[ChrisRD]

It's also fine to just put a valve after the outlet of the pump. Most of the pumps used in the hobby can be restricted considerably without a problem.

 

[cesar357]

Thanks guys. After checking all my info with local reefer I was told that I might want to slow down the flow in the sump. I was thinking of having that 1017 GPH in there but he said that can be a bit of an overkill.

I know that 1017 is at 0' head so I was thinking of getting a bit of a smaller pump. But I will keep my closed loop pump the same at 1017 GPH, does that sound good? I was thinking of changing the return pump to something that will be pumping about 300 gph up in the end of it all. How would I determine that? If I want it to pump at let say 500gph, what gph will I need to get?

Hope this makes sence, hahaha.