Help Me Plan Out My Sump

[itstheantitang]

My tank size is a 55 gallon. I wish to use a mag 7 as the return pump, and feed it through multiple nozzles for output.

I want to use a 20L as my sump. I would use a 30, but it costs over 30 dollars more than the 20L.

I need help with the sizes of the sump's compartments. This is the way I want it, from left to right: Skimmer- Return- Refugium. The drain line will be tee'd and ball valves will control flow to both the fuge and the return.

I will have a single baffle with water traveling over it coming from the fuge to the return, with eggcrate as a sort of grate on top to keep macro out of the pump.

The skimmer will have the under, over, under baffles to keep microbubbles to a minimum. I have planned these baffles to go an inch apart. Is that okay?

The skimmer section and the fuge will be 12x12x10, holding 6.2 gallons each.

The return area may be too small. It is 8x12x10, at maximum water level. This only holds 4.15 gallons. However, I will have an ATO.

All of the water levels are 2 inches lower than the rim of the tank. Could I raise them safely? Also, do you see any flaws with my design? Any sizes need to be changed?

How much space do I need between the bottom of the sump and the bottom of the baffle?

Thanks!

 

[kgross]

I know you don't have much room, but with your baffles only 1 inch apart if anything gets between them and needs to be removed, or if you just need to clean them, you will not be able to reach in and do it. Plus with only 1 inch between them, that does not slow the flow down for the bubbles to get released so it works as a good bubble trap. You should go with atleast 1.5 inch or even bettern 2 + inches if you can so the bubble traps work, and you can reach into them when needed.

Kim

 

[itstheantitang]

Ok, makes sense. I actually will go with a over-under-over for the skimmer section.

Thanks

 

[itstheantitang]

What is th width I would need for the baffles?

They need to be 12 inches wide to fit the inside, but do I need a gap to fit a filet of silicone inside? So would the baffle need to be 11 15/16 inches?

 

[kgross]

Are you using glass or acrylic baffles. With glass I would suggest the 11 7/8 to 11 15/16, with acrylic go 11 3/4 because the acrylic will expand as it absorbes water, and if you make it to large it can put to much pressure on your sump and break it.

Kim

 

[itstheantitang]

Okay. I was thinking of using glass, but the local shop is going to charge 50 dollars for it. For that kind of money, each section of my sump could be a separate aquarium.

Does $50 for 4 (roughly) 12x12 pieces of 3/16 inch glass seem steep?

 

[LazyD]

Yes, it does seem steep, the only thing I can think of, which many glass companies do is charge a square foot minimum for glass cut to size. I know where I work and our distributors charge a 3 sq ft minimum so they may be charging you for that. But even then it should only cost around 35 at the very most, but hey then again thats using pricing that I have here figuring in a small markup so who knows....

 

[itstheantitang]

The price was 7 dollars per sq. foot. I need four square feet, and I need the corners knocked off of the bottom of 3 pieces. They are charging me 6 dollars per square foot to knock 2 corners off. A total of 18 dollars to make 4.5 inches of cut.

If I used 1/8 inch glass, instead of 3/16, I will drop the price to $42.

 

[ambaratur]

Hmm... I paid $48 for 4 baffles at a local glass shop.

3 were 11 7/8 x 11 and one was 11 7/8 x 16.

All of it was 1/4 inch glass.

I even had a hole drilled in the middle of the larger baffle for a special drain that I built.

All pieces were sanded at the edges so they were not sharp. The baffles fit great and did not need the corners knocked off.

 

[itstheantitang]

I think I will just get the glass cut to size and see if I need to cut the corners off from there. I have a glass cutter, so I can do the corners myself, but I need to have someone else do the long cuts.