Building new Sump. Need help
- Thread starter chinatown
- Start date
macro feeds off the phosphates in the tank. your 3 tier idea seems fine but I also think that there'll be too much pressure in your fuge if the display tank is draining into it. Teeing it off the drain to route another pipe down to your sump for the drain would lessen this pressure.
so here's a picture of the sump i build. pretty straight forward and simple. silicone job not the best but its functional.
i have a question. what determines the water level for the area where the return pump is? For most sump setups, I see that partition to have a lower water level then the height of the baffle that separates it from the fuge.
and here is the new tank im going to set up.
i have a question. what determines the water level for the area where the return pump is? For most sump setups, I see that partition to have a lower water level then the height of the baffle that separates it from the fuge.
and here is the new tank im going to set up.
The height of the shorter baffle bordering the return area, and water evaporation rate. When you use a sump the return area is where water loss through evaporation shows.
- Location
- Staten Island
what is the height of the baffle in the left side of the picture. It looks like it is taller then your shortest baffle.
- Location
- Staten Island
the baffle on the far left side of your picture has to be lower by 1 1/2"-2" lower than your shortest baffle otherwise the water level in your first chamber would be too high, this would cause a problem with your skimmer, the water level in the first chamber is determined by the first and third baffles. whatever your skimmer brand recommends for water height will determine the baffle height for 1,3
sorry, hopefully this picture will be less confusing. the original picture i posted was inverted so i flipped it in PS.
The setup is like this: from left to right:
Skimmer | | | Fuge | Return.
The 1st baffle is 8 inches, 2nd baffle is 9 inches, 3rd baffle is 8 inches. The last lonely baffle is 9 inches (separates the fuge and return)
Recommended Operating level for skimmer is 7-8"s, which is why I made the 1st baffle 8 inches.
Will this work? Or would I still have to lower the last baffle? Because the 2 sumps in the post before this, their fuge baffle is a lot higher than the water level in their return section.
I prefer the second sump in which the fuge flows into the return chamber. In the first pic it looks like the fuge flows into the skimmer/drain chamber then to the return chamber. I assume that you will have a setup where the fuge area is fed by a T from either the drain or the return.
Yea Good point. I think I'm going to move the return to the middle and shift the baffle over so that I'll feed the fuge with a T from either the return or drain and then flow down into the return section.
Where would the T be better going into the fuge, from the drain or the return?
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- Location
- Staten Island
ok the baffle on the right side which is 9" is too high, that would have to be lower by 1 1/2" -2". like I said in post 4 having a fuge on the opposite side is much better. You would t it off from your drain.
Thanks Richie. I'll get a new baffle cut today.
edit: The glass shop closes early weekdays so i can't get it cut till saturday. But I've been thinking about it and since the return is now going to be in the middle, the baffle on the right don't necessarily need to be lowered since the water will be flowing into the return, correct?
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- Location
- Staten Island
that is correct. you don't need to get glass cut, if you take that 9" baffle and move it left, just make sure you give enough room for your return pump.
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Take a look at Melev's page.....has a lot of good info for you.....scroll to the bottom of the page.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html
and here is a step by step DIY sump build on his page....:splitspin
http://www.melevsreef.com/29g/sump/design.html
Hope this helps...
Thane
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html
and here is a step by step DIY sump build on his page....:splitspin
http://www.melevsreef.com/29g/sump/design.html
Hope this helps...
Thane
Now that sump is done. On to the plumbing. The tank came with these bulkheads for the return and the drain. What can I use to connect these to the PVC that I'll be running? They are 1" for the drain and 3/4" for the return.
Should I do PVC for the drain or just use a vinyl tube?
Should I do PVC for the drain or just use a vinyl tube?
- Location
- Staten Island
use all flexible hoses as much as you can, 1" inner and 3/4" inner you could find it at hd (clear ones) I am not a fan of using pvc.
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