DIY Sump - expert opinions please

MickD

New member
Hi there i have uploaded this picture of a sump i will (maybe) be making.

I have been reading allot about sumps but still do not know really what i am doing if i am honest.

Basically i would like to have miracle mud in a refuge and some bio balls (not sure if i need them or not) a really good skimmer aswell as some chemical reactors.

I am not sure if i put the flow of the chemical reactors in the right place.


Main tank size = 100g - 140g (not sure as i will be making this tank and what will fit in my wall space)

Sump size - i would like it to be about 40 - 50 gallons ?
upload2world_ab61f.jpg


The link above is of the sump i have designed... please feel free to add any ideas of what else would be good for a sump


Thanks in advance too anyone that can have a look at it for me.

Regards
Mick
 
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Yeah i think the gallery is down because i cannot get on it (reefcentral) i copied and pasted the link
 
I have now uploaded the photo to a free upload site and the picture is in the first post... thank you
 
When i made the sump i thought would i need the bio balls or not because i have read allot against the bio balls ?

So maybe i could just get rid of the whole middle section and have the live rock in with the skimmer and make that bigger ?

When you say restrcit the overflow pipes are you talking about the flow coming from the tank ?, if so i would not be restricting it i would be dripping the flow into the refuge so most of the flow goes into the skimmer section then through the sump ?

Is it better to have some of the return taken back into the refuge or is it ok to make it go from the main incoming flow ?

Thanks for the replies
 
yeah, ditch the bioballs. For one, bioballs, to work as designed, need to be in a "wet/dry" setup where they are not submerged. However, they generate Nitrates which is a bad thing. Most people are no longer using them.

For a sump that size, i would also consider maybe setting aside a place for frag grow out. You may not use it now, but if you get into SPS in the future, it's nice to have a protected place to grow frags.

You can just put live rock in the "fuge" section where the mud is. It won't hurt to have it everywhere, but you'll pay more for rock than you need to.

My opinion on sumps is to just keep them simple. The main purpose for my system is to add water volume and provide a place to put equipment out of view. They don't need to be complex and from my experience, the more complex it is, the more chance a problem will develop. My next sump will be a simple tank with one set of baffels to keep the water level in the skimmer section consistant. No fuge, no bioballs, etc. Maybe some extra rock down there to rotate between the main display and sump (maybe not). ...and room to put some frags if needed.
 
Thanks for that pbrown :)

So bio balls are out then!

Also sorry to keep on but i have some questions about the sump design because i would really like to get it right the first time out and it could make the whole experience better

1) Should i put a glass part at the end of the return so the water into the return goes under to prevent bubbles ?

2) Should i put the small maxijet for my reactors into the return so in effect its cleaned via the sump and then treated chemically ?

3) Would it be better to have the drip into the refuge coming from the return or is it ok coming from the main tank.

4) How much space would i need for some frag space ? because i have never done anything with frags from corals.

5) So i could also in theory put live rock in all the compartments except the return?

Thanks allot everyone i really appreciate the help

Mick
 
Yeah, definitely no bio-balls, and I don't believe in putting rock in the sump either. A ball of Chaeto is more than enough for pod growth. Also, the return section is kinda small. You will grow to hate that quickly. A small return area doesn't give you a lot of leeway for top off. Meaning, if you get stuck in traffic after work and your evap is close to the volume of your return section, you are going to get bubbles filling your tank. If I had to go with a smaller sump, I would go with no fuge at all to make the return area as big as possible, or go with a staggered setup like this one of Melev's

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/d/sump_model_d.html
 
umm, is no one going to point out that you have your entire return flow going through your Refuge?
Having two return pipes doesn't make sense there all to the right of the refuge which means everything is flowing threw that.

If you stuck on that design, then remove on of the returns and get rid of the valves.

That's too much flow for a macro tank and if your going to say your using a smaller return pump, then you have another problem.
 
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It will be a 100 gallon or 140 gallon depending on depth when i make the tank ?

So should the flow not go through the refuge at all ?

cheers for the replies
 
"So should the flow not go through the refuge at all ?"

certainly some flow should go though the fuge, but move the fuge all the way to one side, so that only the water entering from the pipe above goes through the fuge. For example, in your design, just move the fuge all the way to the left and put the return pump between your frag and fuge sections.
 
Thanks for that :)

This is where i am now with the design on the sump.

I am not sure which the best source for the flow into fuge, either the flow from the tank or from the return pump with the flow restricted to take only so much (via the valve)

upload2world_88d31.jpg
 
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Move the maxi jet to the skimmer or return pump area then run it through the carbon then into the GFO then back to the return. Dont split the flow like you are.

Also in the frag section if it was me I would load that about half full of live rock rubble for 2 reasons.

1. It will really help with micro bubbles.

2. You will always have frag plugs avalable there.

Also make sure you leave room to have a filter for your return water. It really helps with bubbles and collecting garbage that would normally end up in your rock and sand.

One last thing. Make sure you have anough room in your return pump area for a ATO. You will want one eventually.
 
the maxiget might run dry if its put in the return ?

i will put the rubble in the frag section :)

what does GFO stand for ?... if its the phosphate i am sure i read that the phosphate needs a slower flow than the carbon reactor and would need a valve to reduce the flow from the maxijet into the phosphate allowing the main flow to go through the carbon and back to the return ?

Looks like a few more tweaks here and there and it might be ready ?

Also when you say about a filter after the return do you mean one of the external types that have sponges in them ?

Thanks allot i am new to all of this

Mick
 
your return should never run dry, so the maxijet wont run dry. If it does you have bigger issues.

GFO is phosphate remover. Should have the same flow as your carbon. Just run it through the carbon first then through the GFO.

Filter = sock filter. I dont really like sponges.

Looks like your doing well.
Only other thing I would caution you on is sizing your sump width, and baffles to what you want your flow to be.
 
thanks for the help rbnice i will put the phosphate on the same flow as the carbon :)

and you know the filter you are talking about should it be a external one like a fluval 302/3 etc ? if its possible could you show me a link to one that you can buy ?

i can ask a few questions about flow after lol.

Thanks again for the help
 
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