Critique My Sump Design....

[Enjoy]

Hey everyone, im looking to get a new sump ordered. I wanted to see others opinions on it before I go any further.


(I know the bubble trap between the skimmer section and frag tank is incorrect (backwards). This has already been fixed.

bottom/back/ATO and lid/baffles - Black Acrylic
Front/sides - Clear Acrylic

The return will feed the DT, fuge, reactors, etc...

The bubble trap between the Fuge, and return has 4 baffles instead of the typical 3. This is just to keep the sand contained in the fuge and not blocking the bubble trap opening.


Any input is helpful, so let me know what you guys think. Thanks in advance!
-Andrew

 

[jefathome]

When your ATO is empty, will that put a lot of pressure on the walls from the water in the chambers next to them?

Also your bubble trap on the left side is a little confusing. it seems two of the "traps" next to each other both go all the way up to the top. How woudl that benefit you? Shouldnt they be "up, down, up, down..."

 

[Enjoy]

I cant imagine the water putting any more stress on the ATO walls than the exterior walls of the sump. I don't think that will be a problem. But it is something to be aware of. Thanks

Here is a clearer drawing of the bubble trap near the fuge. This is looking in through the back of the sump.

 

[FishyBiz]

Like jefathome said: I dont understand the baffles from the refugium to the return area.
Why do baffles at all? Just do 1 full height divider and do teeth to let the water overflow to the return area.

All in all I think you have a good design. Only complaint I would have is it looks like you are going to have a lot of water volume in the sump and some people would be afraid of a return syphon and the sump not being able to handle a whole lot of water from the display.

 

[FishyBiz]

Ahhh I see now. I still think you should only do 1 divider and let it overflow.

 

[Enjoy]

I will be having the return feed the fuge with a spray bar of some sort, and want to avoid ANY bubbles from returning to the DT.

I have done the math and the "extra" volume in this sump will easily hold my DT overflow volume if there is a power outage or if my return pump died. It should still have at least 1" to the top of the sump.

Tank = 120g
Sump = 40-50g



Thanks! Keep it comin!!!!

 

[ocdreefer]

Yeah dude c'mon what's up with that bubble trap? Really? Jeez!!!

 

[Enjoy]

hahaha..... hatin on it!


:lmao:

 

[mikedege]

Do you think building such a small ATO area into your sump makes sense? Only reason I ask, is when my 120 was up and running, I was topping off 2 gallons a day. So in a sense you will be adding water to that area probably every other day. I would think that area could be used to make your return area that much bigger, or something else more useful. And place a larger ATO area external? Or just add water to the return area every other day, instead of the ATO area?

just a thought.
good luck ,Mike:strange:

 

[jefathome]

I cant imagine the water putting any more stress on the ATO walls than the exterior walls of the sump. I don't think that will be a problem. But it is something to be aware of. Thanks

Here is a clearer drawing of the bubble trap near the fuge. This is looking in through the back of the sump.

Yeah, that baffle on the left isn't really needed. The more times it goes over the "top", the less bubbles. There isn't much need to have the water go back down to the bottom though. I'd either add one more baffle, or remove the one that is closest to the return. Or, raise the one on the far right and remove the one on the far left. Then you will still have the water near the surface twice and less bubbles.

 

[mikedege]

Oh yeah, also, I see the teeth you have going into your return area. You may want that to be a bubble trap instead. Because the "waterfall" effect thru those teeth may create larger bubbles in your return area(depending on gph pumped) , which may get sucked up by your return pump, and pushed back into the display. Which I'm sure you dont want. Only reason I say this, is beacuse I did the same thing in my 1st sump design. And wouldnt do it the same again.

-Mike:thumbsup:

 

[ocdreefer]

No, I can't see any pics. I am at work so the pics don't load. I was just razzing you. Good luck with this. Hopefully I will be there someday.

 

[deadmanh]

Yeah, that baffle on the left isn't really needed. The more times it goes over the "top", the less bubbles. There isn't much need to have the water go back down to the bottom though. I'd either add one more baffle, or remove the one that is closest to the return. Or, raise the one on the far right and remove the one on the far left. Then you will still have the water near the surface twice and less bubbles.

+1 on removing the last fuge baffle, not adding one more because this should be low flow through a fuge right?,

because the Frag tank and the Refuge are in seperate locations, are you having them lit with 2 different light sources?

because the ATO tank is in front of the return pump, and I think there was black acrylic there, is that going to make it hard to service and check on water level on the return pump?
Or if the return is in the front, then I hope you are filling the ATO tank with a direct water line and don't have to lug buckets of RO water like me.

danny

 

[Enjoy]

Yeah, that baffle on the left isn't really needed. The more times it goes over the "top", the less bubbles. There isn't much need to have the water go back down to the bottom though. I'd either add one more baffle, or remove the one that is closest to the return. Or, raise the one on the far right and remove the one on the far left. Then you will still have the water near the surface twice and less bubbles.

I thought you avoid bubbles the more times the water was forced under a baffle. Dont bubbles float? Wouldn't they float right over the baffle into the return area? Curious....

Oh yeah, also, I see the teeth you have going into your return area. You may want that to be a bubble trap instead. Because the "waterfall" effect thru those teeth may create larger bubbles in your return area(depending on gph pumped) , which may get sucked up by your return pump, and pushed back into the display. Which I'm sure you dont want. Only reason I say this, is beacuse I did the same thing in my 1st sump design. And wouldnt do it the same again.
-Mike:thumbsup:

Thats a very good point. I would rather have too many bubble traps than not enough. I will take note of this.

No, I can't see any pics. I am at work so the pics don't load. I was just razzing you. Good luck with this. Hopefully I will be there someday.

I know you were!! Thanks for steppin in and sayin Hi.

 

[Enjoy]

+1 on removing the last fuge baffle, not adding one more because this should be low flow through a fuge right?,

because the Frag tank and the Refuge are in seperate locations, are you having them lit with 2 different light sources?

because the ATO tank is in front of the return pump, and I think there was black acrylic there, is that going to make it hard to service and check on water level on the return pump?
Or if the return is in the front, then I hope you are filling the ATO tank with a direct water line and don't have to lug buckets of RO water like me.

danny

I will look into the baffle situation.
The frag tank will have a 4-bulb t5ho unit for now until the LEDS come in. The fuge will have a 2 bulb T5ho with proper Kelvin bulbs for good cheato growth.

The ATO tank is in front of the return. But with my stand being 38" tall and sump only being 14", I should have plenty of viewing room to see the return pump/probes/osmolator sensor, etc..

 

[BryanS]

I've got to agree the ATO seems to be way too small. From the looks of it, it will only old about 2.12 gallons?

 

[boodlefish]

I thought you avoid bubbles the more times the water was forced under a baffle. Dont bubbles float? Wouldn't they float right over the baffle into the return area? Curious....

you are correct... i constatnly see people posting baffel drawings that are backwards here. dont make that mistake i did and had to add another baffle latter to rid my DT of micro bubbles.....

i was wondering why you have 11" deep fuge and only 10" deep return area? the return area is the area that experiences the water level drop from evaporation and by all means should bee as deep as anything else in your sump. JMHO

i.e.

 

[Enjoy]

The ATO is 7x14x14 = 5.9g

Probably more like 5 after all said and done. But as of now, I have a 5g top off bucket for 130g total water volume. I refill the 5g bucket every 3-4 days.

I just didnt want to have a huge water storage container on the side of my stand. I can run a hose from my water barrels in the garage about 20ft to fill up the ATO, or wheel the water barrel inside and pump directly into the ATO.

Anyone have a better suggestion? Hooking the RODI unit straight to the ATO is out of the question. RO unit is in the laundry room.


Thanks for everyones advice. Keep it coming, so I don't order a mistake!!! haha

 

[boodlefish]

oh and id consider ditching the ato built in solution for a larger separate ato water container. i have a 20tall next to my sump for a top off container and i end up adding at least 5 gallons a week. my system is only 100 gal total...

 

[Enjoy]

Boodlefish- Thanks! thats exactly what I was thinking about the baffles.

As far as the return baffle height - The baffles in the return area are only 10" high. But if the water was at 11" it wouldn't change anything, would it?

I dont see that being a problem, as my eheim 1262's are only a max of 6", and the osmolator only lets water flucuate (sp?) about .5" -1" maximum.

Does that seem reasonable? Im trying to keep the height of the overall sump down, so that it can be rimless without having to get 1/2" - 3/4" acrylic.



ATO - I dont have room under the stand to fit another top off container. I want a big sump for easy access, but I do understand what your saying.

I will keep brainstorming........ thanks!