Custom Sump

[Jkedra]

ok, Im planning on a sump...Space is limited, but this is a basic idea of what its gonna look like...

I will use a 10 gallon tank
Protein Skimmer: http://www.aquacave.com/super-reef-octopusbr-xp-1000sss-cone--brprotein-skimmer-3059.html
Return Pump: Im trying to decide between a 500 gph and a 350 gph...

500 gph pump:
http://www.aquacave.com/mag-drive-5-water-pump-29.html

350 gph pump:
http://www.aquacave.com/mag-drive-3-water-pump-1602.html

What do you guys think?

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

10 gallon is too small. How much space is under your stand? it's a 55 right?

 

[Jkedra]

Yes...

 

[Jkedra]

10 gallon is too small. How much space is under your stand? it's a 55 right?

The dimensions of my cabinet:

Length= 21 inches
Height=22 inches
Width=13.5 inches

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

hey trig. me and reefs4life are gonna build me a 55 gallon sump/fuge. how high do you think the water level should be for the fuge cause we cant decide on a good level.

10 gallon is too small. How much space is under your stand? it's a 55 right?

 

[Jkedra]

Bump

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

J that's the dimensions INSIDE? That's the measurements you use. It has to be able to FIT! You would need a slimline sump something that is about 10-12" wide depending on how much room is in your cabinet. You need to get the exact measurements from inside and figure it out like that. Maybe even use 2 small wet/dry filters or 2 small drilled tanks plumbed together one for drain and skimmer one for fuge and return.

A I would say somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 is standard. It really depends how much water will come out of your tank in case of a power fail. That's the point of having a large sump. So you minimize disaster in case the pump stops running. You need to have the tank full sump empty and shut the pump off to see how much water will drain out. Then you use the difference (a little less is better) as your fill level.

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

ok thanks. yea i think im going to do about 3/4 high because it drains about 5-7 gallons when i turn the pump off. lol funny tory about having a big sump i was using a rubbermaid bin before i decided to drill the tank and make a sump and something got stuck in the pvc and clogged the overflow and i was standing looking at the tv and i just turn my head and see a huge waterfall just pouring down every side of the tank. it was because i didnt have baffles in the sump to prevent the whole 20 gallon sump from being pumped in. but now there will be dual overflows so that should help. ohh and you can stop being mad at me for killing animals because im restarting the whole tank fresh with the help from reefs4life and he is going to hold my livestock until i recycle the tank and get stuff stable.

J that's the dimensions INSIDE?

A I would say somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 is standard. It really depends how much water will come out of your tank in case of a power fail. That's the point of having a large sump. So you minimize disaster in case the pump stops running. You need to have the tank full sump empty and shut the pump off to see how much water will drain out. Then you use the difference (a little less is better) as your fill level.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

where do you get 5-7 gallons from? You haven't even drilled the tank yet... it is a 125 it will be much more than that I'd say probably between 10-20 gallons. It depends on how low the overflow is. If it's 2 inches from the top it's about 11 gallons if it's 3" it's about 17. The only way to be sure is by having the sump empty 1st and shutting the pump off like I already told you. You also have to make sure there is a way to break the siphon so you do not have additional overflow from your return.

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

well 5-7 gallons is what it is now with the over the tank overflow with the U tube and stuff. when i turn off the pump in an 18 gallon rubbermaid bin the water level now is about halfway and when i shut off the pump it fully drains to about 2 inches from the top of the sump so i was just estimating. but with built in overflows i guess it will be more. and to stop back flow on the return i got a check valve so i dont have to drill like a air hole or anything in the pipe.

where do you get 5-7 gallons from? You haven't even drilled the tank yet... it is a 125 it will be much more than that I'd say probably between 10-20 gallons. It depends on how low the overflow is. If it's 2 inches from the top it's about 11 gallons if it's 3" it's about 17. The only way to be sure is by having the sump empty 1st and shutting the pump off like I already told you. You also have to make sure there is a way to break the siphon so you do not have additional overflow from your return.

 

[Jkedra]

and back to the 10 gallon sump...Triggerman those are the measurements...i made it so that skimmer would fit and the partitions would also be correct...now which pump out of those two do you think I should use...the 500 gph or the 350?

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

The 350 would not be enough 500 might not even be. I use a 700 on my 40 long which is the same dimensions as a 55 but shorter. Ask Masterswimmer he is more of a a pump calculation expert. If you need a bigger pump he can ship you one in a day or you could probably even pick one up he is not that far from you.

 

[Arati]

Jkedra - i think adding a 3rd baffle is a good idea. if will force any bubbles that might make it past, back to surface again. I know thats how ive always done it.

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

yea thats what i thought but then again it is a 10 gallon tank so you have to take that into account. glass that thin can only handle so much flow. i originally told him 500 but then i was thinking about it. the waters is completely coming and going 50 times so i thought that would be a little to much flow for a 10 gallon so idk maybe he should get the 500 gph and put a ball valve.

The 350 would not be enough 500 might not even be. I use a 700 on my 40 long which is the same dimensions as a 55 but shorter. Ask Masterswimmer he is more of a a pump calculation expert. If you need a bigger pump he can ship you one in a day or you could probably even pick one up he is not that far from you.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

10 gallon is a bad idea regardless..if the pump shuts off you will have a flood bottom line. You need to get the inside dimensions which is def not 13.5" wide that's probably the width of the whole stand from front to back. You need a long and skinny sump or like I already said connect 2 small tanks together and make a big sump you could probably put 2 15 gallons or something in there and have 30 gallon sump/fuge instead of just 10.

 

[Jkedra]

so for a sump like this you think a 500 won't do the job?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

For a 55g tank I would go with at least a 29g sump and 3 baffles like arati suggested.

 

[Anthony.Luciano710]

the thrid baffle is part of the bubble trap. its just a little thing so it would take like a half inch off the fuge area

Jkedra - i think adding a 3rd baffle is a good idea. if will force any bubbles that might make it past, back to surface again. I know thats how ive always done it.

 

[Jkedra]

Jkedra - i think adding a 3rd baffle is a good idea. if will force any bubbles that might make it past, back to surface again. I know thats how ive always done it.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You should be able to fit a 29 in there.