40 breeder DIY sump

J

jaylensdad06

New member
I am about to set up a 120 deep. demensions are 48x24x24. it is used like my 55 was when I got it. I don't like the sump that came with it. so I have a 40 breeder that I want to turn into a sump. just fishing for ideas in design. I have a few already. I have it in my head that I wanna use a simple 3 chamber design. a filter sock/heater/whatever + refugium + return.

I was toying with 2 drains. 1 on each end into a single sock on each end. 1 end the skimmer and the other the refugium with the return in the middle.

what does everyone think? all advise or critisisms welcome.
 
I'm at the same point in design. This is what I was thinking with drain into skimmer section


9705cce84573f8b6095577be74cec2c4.jpg


I have read that drain into refugium just leads to problems. I think most of reads said it is a garbage dump ....
 
I just picked up a 120 deep tank. The plumbing was already dome when i purchased it. I currently have freshwater running thru it to clean it out. It has a durso drain and is COMPLETELY SILENT. the drain is 1 1/2". I can post pics of the drain setup and sump setup if needed
 
absolutly nathan. any info or pics welcome...I startéd out with a 5 gallon...then 55...now 120....to bad the only new tank was a 5...but I dont mind the cleaning and redesign.
 
No problem at all. I will take pictures tomorrow and send them to you. Is your 120 already drilled for an overflow?
 
That's pretty much the design of mine. The skimmer chamber and fuge both overflow into the return. The return goes to the fuge, gated with ball valve and splits to the return. I'm pretty happy with the sump design.
 
here is my old sump, same concept as above, you can see the drain section to the left, and the return is teed to the 'fuge.

Sump%2525252520001.jpg
 
no unfortunately it is not drilled....I am undecided if im gonna order over flo boxes from glass holes or build my own box or just do a hob overflow...I have some different designs I can toy with to stop it from losing prime when the power goes out. it is an old tank tho it has the brown edging..lol
 
I have a 40 breeder I made into a sump it has worked well for me the drain goes to a sock on the right to collect detritus and then the same chamber the skimmer is there to, that helps clean the water as well then the next chamber is the refugium this is where the sponges and pods all grow out I keep sand and rocks in here and cheto on top the water flows through it and this stuff grows like crazy ..I have undetectable po4 with a salifert test kit ..I also run the cheaper gfo....then from the refugium I have a return pump zone after the bubble baffles, I used to run an internal pump but drilled it and have external currently ...I got all my glass cut and the edges rounded for $38.00 for four panels from a local glass shop and silicone them in myself ...I like this design because the water flows across all sections. My cheto grows from smaller than a volleyball size to a bed pillow in a few months..this design guarantees no bubbles in the main display ..hope this helps giving you different ideas
 
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I think your biggest decision will be to drill or not to drill the display tank. And if you do drill what overflow system to use. I know glass holes has great reviews from many different forums. And from what ive noticed quite a few people are using a bean animal over flow setup. I try to look at peoples setups when im at houses picking up corals lol a hang on back over flow would aslo work just fine, im using one on a 55g and its quite noisy. And ive heard some people had the "U" tube break syphon causing the tank to over flow. Drilling a tank is intimidating but im sure there is someone on here that has drilled tanks several times and could lend you a hand and help out. And snake1's sump is a pretty common design. Some people might move the skimmer to the fuge area if they arent using a fuge but the 3 chamber design like his is popular.
 
awsome. all of this is very help full...I found something on ebay for a baffle kit for a 40 breeder...cnc cut acrilic....I used to work in construction so im pretty familiar with adhesives. is fish safe silicone strong enough to hold acrilic to glass. or has n e one used a different type of silicone?
 
jaylensdad06 said:
awsome. all of this is very help full...I found something on ebay for a baffle kit for a 40 breeder...cnc cut acrilic....I used to work in construction so im pretty familiar with adhesives. is fish safe silicone strong enough to hold acrilic to glass. or has n e one used a different type of silicone?
Click to expand...

I have never tried it but people on here say silicone will not stick to acrylic ..That's why I went with glass baffles I have acrylic and was going to use it on mine but after reading that I went with glass instead.
 
jaylensdad06 said:
awsome. all of this is very help full...I found something on ebay for a baffle kit for a 40 breeder...cnc cut acrilic....I used to work in construction so im pretty familiar with adhesives. is fish safe silicone strong enough to hold acrilic to glass. or has n e one used a different type of silicone?
Click to expand...

Use Dow Corning 795 Silicone and you will be fine. MUST allow 2 weeks to fully cure.

BTW, I just finished installing those baffles in a 40 breeder sump I'm using on a frag system.

40b%20sump.jpg
 
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