Input on a sump build....

[divebri69]

Hello all.
I have a 135gal mixed reef tank, not drilled, with overflow box and sump.
I made the current sump from an Amiracle wet/dry trickle filter. The sump won't hold the total overflow when I shut my pump down.
I'm preparing to build a new one. I just found a sheet of 1/4" black acrylic over in Brooklyn that a production company was getting rid of. Once I pick up a 16" x 48" piece of clear 1/4", I'll have my acrylic and start working.
The tank is in place and full, so I cannot build as large a sump as I would if I was just setting up new. I'll make a sump 30"l x 16"w x 16"h.
My intention is a simple straight line flow from left to right- intake/ skimmer - refugium - return.
I've been reading a bit about silencing fish tanks. One of the ideas I'm intrigued by is that by dropping my siphon lines into the sump so they are submerged I will have a marked reduction in noise.
I'm curious to know if anyone has tried this with success.
I am also going back and forth with the notion of particulate filtration with a 'sock' or just sticking with the old faithful pads I've always used. I do use foam prefilters for large particulates in the overflow box. I'm wondering what some of your experiences are with the filter socks.
I'm currently using a Coralife HOB skimmer, which has worked fine for me up until now. However, I had the opportunity to get an older ETSS 500 skimmer in my price range (dirt cheap) and I intend to set that up inside the sump. The skimmer currently has the gate valve attached perpendicular to the skimmer body. I've seen pics of the AE Tech Reef Devil models with the valve plumbed with an elbow to vent vertically upwards (parallel with the body) and am considering taking the bulkhead fitting apart to re-plumb in that style to save a bit of space in the sump. Anyone ever done that? I just shot off an email to AE Tech to ask if it's do-able or will mess up the skimmer performance, just wondering if anyone already has experience with that....
I'd be very happy to hear from anyone who's built sumps on their own and learned any basic design lessons I should heed!

Thanks for any input,
Brian

 

[fio1022]

Design your sump around your skimmer.Bigger the better.Keep in mind maintenance and future upgrades.Make it easy to work on.
As far as silencing noise,look into the Bean Animal drain.It is completely silent and no micro bubbles.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Built 2,
Do you need a bubble trap?
How deep in the water should the skimmer sit, or does it matter, it might be an external model.
Submersible return pump?
Remember the sump level will change with evaporation, NOT the tank level.
leave as much room as possible in the pump chamber for that.
Unless you can easily change the filter sock I would stick with the pads.
If you happen to want or need a great overflow I have one.

 

[divebri69]

Thanks so far!
I looked at the Bean Animal Thread..... it's a great idea, but I'm not looking to drill my tank, and I'm unsure about running that over flow with traditional siphon tubes.
Yes, I'll be building two bubble traps into the sump, one after the intake/skimmer area, one after the fuge, before the return pump.

I tell you what Vinny- if you have a dual siphon/ dual drain over flow box (the old style for non-drilled tanks) I'd definitely be interested.

One of the things about the Bean Animal overflow that's so interesting is the size over the length of the tank, which pulls a smaller depth over a larger surface area, therefore skimming more surface lipids. I've seriously been considering a second overflow box: not because I want more flow in gallons per hour; but because I like the lowered water column height over the spill for the box. More area for water to flow means less buildup in height over the bottom edge of the 'teeth' on the boxes- hence, less overflow volume when the pumps shut off.

I'm leaning toward NO sock- but that's mostly because I've been using floss or pads since I a kid. I've also heard they have to be changed A LOT.
Additionally, I'm running the refugium to grow macro (probably red gracilaria for my vegetarian Tang and Rabbitfish) and have a pod haven again.
I recently shut the lights off in my sump because I'd gotten some caulerpa in there with the gracilaria at some point and I've been working on obliterating from the tank. Persistent stuff!

Again,
Many thanks, and keep the experiences you've had in sump design coming.
Brian