40 breeder build (pictures/queations/first saltwater tank)

Yes it did! I've got everything re-siliconed today so hopefully on Monday I can do a water test and see if everything holds in place. Hopefully the overflow can keep up with my return pump. If not I'll tune it with the ball valve.
 
So it turned out that my glass overflow box worked but I didn't like the way it looked honestly. I thought it was a total eyesore. So I took it off and I'm just going to go with a bigger black CPR box that way both of my wholes are covered. I did run a water test though and my herbie method is ultra silent after fine tuning everything. I'll post a video later. Also did a flow test to see how much water my system would be pushing and hour after I fine tuned it. I should be running 450 gph which is perfect for my system.
 
Very smart to test the actual flow rate! A lot of reefers think they are moving more than they actually are. sounds like you are on the right track Isaac, and I think it's smart how you are putting in the time now to get it just how you want it. Maybe add a snail trap to keep critters out of your pipes.

Keep up the good work!
 
Thanks CStrickland! Yea i tested with my glass overflow box I made and hopefully nothing changes after I put the new CPR box on. I put a 2 gallon bucket in my sump and timed it to see how fast it filled up and then just did the simple math from there to get to the hour. Hey what type of material should I go with to put around my pipes to keep snails out?
 
This is what I put on my main herbie drain in my overflow...

Strainer

I bought two. I can simply swap out a dirty one for a clean one and then clean the dirty one to do the same the next time.

Nothing should change with a new overflow.

I did the same thing as far as testing flow. Always good to know how much you have going through.
 
Oh I see gotcha! Yea I'm definitely going to buy 2 of those! Great idea! I've got 1 that came with my return pump but it's a slip fitting so I'll buy a couple threaded ones.
 
I kinda like how my Baffles are in my sump I only have 2 Baffles and no micro bubbles at all. I think I'm going to my baffle closer the drain pipes so I have more refugium room. Good idea or bad idea? I'll still leave space for a protein skimmer.
 
Isaacs55 said:
I kinda like how my Baffles are in my sump I only have 2 Baffles and no micro bubbles at all. I think I'm going to my baffle closer the drain pipes so I have more refugium room. Good idea or bad idea? I'll still leave space for a protein skimmer.
Click to expand...

Just make sure that the room you leave is sufficient not only for a skimmer you get now, but will fit one you may get later that might be larger. You don't need a big drain section, but it has to fit the skimmer.

I love having a large refugium (27 gallon one in a 65 gallon sump).
 
Yea thanks for the great advice! I was going to do the whole over under over thing but it seems overkill and redundant? I would much rather save the space for my middle refugium chamber.
 
Jeez that must be nice! Thanks for the advice! Yea i was going to go with the over under over method but idk two Baffles seem to work for me.
 
I initially started out with two baffles myself. Then when I figured out how large my refugium was going to be, I added two raised baffles and installed two short (2") ones right below them. That area in between the 2" baffles on the bottom contains the sand and I put eggcrate diffuser against the opening and put a lot of rock up against it on both sides (more live rock will be added in time). Now the water has to go over the first baffle (where my display drains and the skimmer sits), through my rocks (where it gets circulated by a pump in the refugium) and then through the rocks on the other side before going back up and over in my return.

I wanted good flow through my refugium and the rock in it, and good circulation in there to tumble my chaeto (when I get it...tank is still cycling).

refugium.jpg


sump2.jpg
 
that's a nice build mmittlesteadt!
I don't like a cluttered sump, unnecessary rocks and sand are just more places for detritus to collect imo. I prefer an empty chamber so that the water which has been moving fast in the tank hits the sump and slows down so the crud settles and can be sucked out with a siphon tube. Just personal taste.
 
CStrickland said:
that's a nice build mmittlesteadt!
I don't like a cluttered sump, unnecessary rocks and sand are just more places for detritus to collect imo. I prefer an empty chamber so that the water which has been moving fast in the tank hits the sump and slows down so the crud settles and can be sucked out with a siphon tube. Just personal taste.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm not too concerned with the crud sitting in the refugium. If there is anywhere in the sump I want it to settle, it's in that section! I plan on growing chaeto and mangroves (in pots with mud and sand). Let the crud dissolve there...bring it on! LOL.

Elsewhere in the sump I can easily siphon out what settles in the bottom of those chambers when I do water changes.
 
Wow that's a nice design you got there! See at least your sump has a rym and reason! Very well planned!
 
Alright so I've made progress on my sump guys. I finally finished it. I only have two Baffles but I love it this way so I have the most room for my refugium as possible. Also put a little baffle that about 3-4 inches high in the middle of the refugium so I can have miracle mud on the left and sand and rock on the right. And there will be Chaeto in there as well. You can check out the videos here and fallow my build on YouTube as well.

20 gallon long custom sump part 1
https://youtu.be/QghuZbHAK2U

20 gallon long custom sump part 2
https://youtu.be/QghuZbHAK2U

And here is the final end product to my custom sump. Hope you guys like it. Thanks



 
Isaacs55 said:
Alright so I've made progress on my sump guys. I finally finished it. I only have two Baffles but I love it this way so I have the most room for my refugium as possible. Also put a little baffle that about 3-4 inches high in the middle of the refugium so I can have miracle mud on the left and sand and rock on the right. And there will be Chaeto in there as well. You can check out the videos here and fallow my build on YouTube as well.

20 gallon long custom sump part 1
https://youtu.be/QghuZbHAK2U

20 gallon long custom sump part 2
https://youtu.be/QghuZbHAK2U

And here is the final end product to my custom sump. Hope you guys like it. Thanks



Click to expand...

looks great! I like the layout of the baffles.
 
Yea everyone has there own type of need/want. For me I know I wanted miracle mud and I also wanted sand and rock so I made the best of both worlds. I'm going to make a mud tray out of acrylic so it's easier to change out every year rather then changing it directly from the sump. Today I'm going to be finishing my stand so I'll try and make a video on that.
Thanks guys
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Overflow GPH for 125 tank w/ 40 gallon sump?
2
Replies
22
Views
759
jason2459
jason2459
A
First marine tank build
Replies
4
Views
287
reefing102
reefing102
S
Thinking about starting again!
2 3
Replies
55
Views
797
reefing102
reefing102
G
Need some advise on fish for 40 breeder
Replies
7
Views
148
griss
griss
S
New to the forms starting my second tank
Replies
8
Views
149
Vinny Kreyling
Vinny Kreyling
Back
Top