Help with new 125 gallon build

[DopeCantWin]

Can i get a recommendation on how to design the sump/fuge? Some people have the return in the middle some dont. Are there advantages to doing that or is it just a preference?

Since I will be using the BM NAC 7 Skimmer, how big should my compartment be for the skimmer section? Also, how big should the fuge and return be? My sump again is a 48 X 17 X 12.5

I personally prefer not to have the pump in the middle. The reason is I like the water to go through the skimmer before going through the refugium. But if you look closely you'll probably have a turnover rate of about 10x your water volume, but your skimmer pump isn't strong enough to process that much water, so some will go from display directly into your refugium anyway. I do it my way because if I'm in the mood to use socks for filtering, I can just put one big one around the pipes going into the sump.

 

[SimonSKL]

I put my return section in the middle because I want a different and smaller flow volume to go thru the fuge than thru the skimmer section.

Since BM Nac 7 has such a small foot print, a section of 12x12.5 will be plenty. You want to be able to turn the skimmer from vertical to horizontal in case you have to remove it from the sump. Your bevel in the skimmer section don't need to be higher than 11" as you only need 10-11" of water there.

 

[SimonSKL]

You have a good size sump so you can have the fuge as big as you want. Just keep in mind the bigger your fuge, the smaller is your return section. The water level in a small return section fluctuates more wildly from evaporation due to smaller volume unless you have an automatic top off system. Without an automatic top off system, I would keep my return section fairly large so your return pump won't run dry if you are gone for a day or two. It is a balancing act.

 

[tassod]

You have a good size sump so you can have the fuge as big as you want. Just keep in mind the bigger your fuge, the smaller is your return section. The water level in a small return section fluctuates more wildly from evaporation due to smaller volume unless you have an automatic top off system. Without an automatic top off system, I would keep my return section fairly large so your return pump won't run dry if you are gone for a day or two. It is a balancing act.

I'm definitely going to have an auto top off, having said that, what would you keep the return section at?

 

[SimonSKL]

I'm definitely going to have an auto top off, having said that, what would you keep the return section at?

I keep mine in the middle so I can have different flow thru the fuge and skimmer. Usually you don't need a high volume of water thru your fuge. If you want the same flow thru each section, you can have the return section at one end of the sump. You can also have some way to bypass some of the flow away from the fuge to the return section. There are many ways to configure the sump.

 

[tassod]

Ok, looks like I'm going to go with 1st chamber for the skimmer, fuge in the middle then my return with a bubble trap before it.

My first baffle should be 11" tall. Can someone tell me what the sizes should be on the other baffles? The inside of the sump is 12" wide.

 

[tassod]

Ok guys,

I've given this some thought and changed my mind on the sump setup and will be going with a center return with an external pump. BTW, do you guys think i should worry that this sump tank is not drillable?

In searching for sump designs, i came accross this post from someone here on reefcentral with a google sketchup design of his sump which is pretty much identical to what I would like to do. Simon, I also think this looks very similar to your design as well.

I know the bubble trap baffles on this pic are reversed, should be set to flow over/under/over and it currently shows under/over/under so I will change that.

The skimmer section wall will be 11" high. The fuge wall on the other end will also be 11". How high shoud the return walls be?

 

[Doughball]

I am by no means an expert, but I wonder if your walls are too tall.

Have you figured out how much water will siphon into the sump when the power goes out? The higher the walls for your 2 side chambers, the less room you'll have to hold water in an emergency.

 

[tassod]

I am by no means an expert, but I wonder if your walls are too tall.

Have you figured out how much water will siphon into the sump when the power goes out? The higher the walls for your 2 side chambers, the less room you'll have to hold water in an emergency.

I'm going with a BM NAC 7 skimmer and that unit needs water lever to be about 10-11".

 

[SimonSKL]

Looking at the SketchUp drawing, the water level in the right chamber is only as high as the middle baffle. So the height of the baffles on each side in the drawing is much higher than necessary. They just need to be slightly higher than the middle level. If the water level needs to be 11" high, just make all 3 baffles 11" tall. The first and third baffle sit 1" off the bottom to have flow under/over/under.

 

[tassod]

Looking at the SketchUp drawing, the water level in the right chamber is only as high as the middle baffle. So the height of the baffles on each side in the drawing is much higher than necessary. They just need to be slightly higher than the middle level. If the water level needs to be 11" high, just make all 3 baffles 11" tall. The first and third baffle sit 1" off the bottom to have flow under/over/under.

Are you saying it should be under/over/under? I thought it should be the other way around. The way it is pictured in the sketchup is incorrect unless I am wrong here.

 

[Doughball]

Are you saying it should be under/over/under? I thought it should be the other way around. The way it is pictured in the sketchup is incorrect unless I am wrong here.

You're correct, the sketch has it backwards.

 

[SimonSKL]

There is no right or wrong way. The idea is to get rid of the bubbles by forcing the flow to go up and down at least once. If go down first, you must have the second baffle to set the height of the water level which is 11". If the flow is to go over first, the first baffle must set the height.

 

[tassod]

There is no right or wrong way. The idea is to get rid of the bubbles by forcing the flow to go up and down at least once. If go down first, you must have the second baffle to set the height of the water level which is 11". If the flow is to go over first, the first baffle must set the height.

That makes sense, just wanted to be sure. That being said, it would probably be easier to set just 1 baffle (middle one) up one inch of the floor versus doing 2 of them.

Now as far as the last baffle over by the fuge, does that one also need to be 11" or does it need to be higher? Also do i need carve out teeth on it? I'm also assuming that one baffle is enough over by the fuge and that I don't need another bubble trap over there.

 

[SimonSKL]

Yes, you can have a 2-baffle trap. If the second baffle is 1" off the bottom, the first baffle must set the height.

As far as the height for your fuge, it is up to you. You don't want it to be too high to become a waterfall thus creating bubbles going into the return section. More than 1" drop will create lots of bubbles and noise.

 

[tassod]

Thanks Simon, I appreciate all the advice. Hopefully i can get this done by the end of the week coming up. The next tricky part will be drilling that hole for the return. I think i should be good on the glass, but i need to get more confirmation that its not tempered.

 

[DopeCantWin]

I think once you start drilling you find out really fast.

 

[tassod]

I think once you start drilling you find out really fast.

I would say i agree 100% with that! :hammer:

 

[tassod]

Well tonight i took some 3D active sony glasses with a laptop and looked at the laptop screen using the 3D Glasses through my car door window and I saw the lines they talk about when you google on how to tell if glass is tempered or not. Then i did the same looking through the tank I want to drill and it was clear with no lines whatsoever. This is telling me that its not tempered.

 

[SimonSKL]

Interesting way to find out tempered glass. Just curious did you check the bottom panel of your tank to see if it is tempered glass?