Best Sump Tweak

[cklayko]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a custom sump for a 100G rimless cube build.

I'm trying to design, from the beginning, a sump and under cabinet design with lessons learned from many others.

So aside from "getting the biggest sump possible" what are some of the tweaks you have made to your current sump or design ideas you wish you had implemented from the get go.

My sump will be a cube shape, so if you have any blueprints/schematics for the walls/water flow that you'd like to share - please do!

Thanks in advance for all the input! Chris

 

[slief]

I'd suggest removable dividers in case you want to change things down the line or need more space. I'd also suggest removable bubble traps at the end of the sump before your return pump. That allows you to change your water level in your sump if you need unless you are using an ATO and keep a higher level. Even so, it's nice to have them.

I like filter socks and believe the more you have the better because you can go longer betwen sock changes and you go with a smaller micron sock and get more time on them.
I built in boxes that the water goes into before overflowing into the socks. It eliminates most of the microbubbles before they get into the main sump.

A lid over the sump is a great thing to reduce humidity under the tank and also reduce evaporation.

Here are a couple pictures of the boxes before the socks on my sump. The clear acrylic makes it hard to see. This is a picture while it was being made. It still has the paper on the acrylic and the sock shelf's were not built yet.

You can also see the lid which is 3 pieces. The back part of the sump lid is hinged. The front part is 2 pieces and has a cut out between the 2 around my skimmer.

You can see the sump lid in this picture and the hinges on the back half of the lid. It makes accessing the rear pair of socks and breeze under my tank which is 4' deep and those socks are situated at the furthest point.

Here is a shot looking down at the removable bubble traps in my sump. My sump flows directly into my fuge which is a second sump in itself. It also has removable bubble traps where the return pump pickup is. It also has a lid.

Another shot of the removable bubble traps and laser cut slots that also keep fish and other critters from going between the sump and fuge. (I have a bunch of live rock in that sump and a crab or 2)

The sump and fuge before I put it in. I did this as a retrofit from a wet dry filter. The tank was full of fish when I tore the old sump out, redid the underside of the tank and installed the new sump and new pluming. It took the better part of the day but the tank and it's inhabitants were fine.

Here is my sump design. Maybe you could get some ideas from it.

 

[moondoggy4]

Wow that is a great looking sump, talking about getting the details right.

 

[cklayko]

Slief- these are great recommendations. I like the idea of the separate overflow box which then 'overflows' into the sock for micro bubble release... I'm guessing it also makes changing the socks easier?

 

[slief]

Slief- these are great recommendations. I like the idea of the separate overflow box which then 'overflows' into the sock for micro bubble release... I'm guessing it also makes changing the socks easier?

Yea, It does becuase you dont have to deal with a pipe going into the socks. It's also easier on the socks because they don't get beat up by the water going stright into them from the plumbing.

 

[evanjah]

Looking good

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 2

 

[moondoggy4]

I am assuming that you do not have a basement slief I guess this will be going into the garage?

 

[slief]

I am assuming that you do not have a basement slief I guess this will be going into the garage?

LOL.. That went under my 4x8 tank a few years back. No basement needed. Just well planned out.

Here is my build thread. I've had the tank 17 or more years now. The thread pretty much covers the original build and its evolution. Videos included of the sump install. It's a little behind in updates but I'll be updating it tomorrow.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

 

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2260802 here is a 50 gallon cube may gets some ideas from this cubes can be difficult to lay out.

 

[moondoggy4]

What are your working dimensions for this sump?

 

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20616777#post20616777 another cube build

 

[cklayko]

Moondoggy4 - I love the innovation you applied. The roller chassis is a great idea

 

[moondoggy4]

I also helped slief do his sump also LOL sorry cannot take credit for anything other than copy and pasting. Just trying to show that the cube are harder to do and need a lot of planning.

 

[jscarlata]

perhaps think ahead for expansion, and have additonal bulkhjeads installed in case you wanted to add water change piping etc..cleaner than going up and over the top...but the sump above is awesome...