Looking on input for my sump design

[ReefWreak]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for anyone's input on what they think of my design for a new sump for my 120g. The dimensions are 30x18x18, as that is the largest footprint I can fit through the front doors of my tank's stand.
EVERYTHING IS IN 10=1" ratios (i.e. Length of sump in pic is 300, reality it will be 30")

Brief explanation:
Drains spill down into left hand side of sump, which is the skimmer section, probably with the skimmer pump's intake facing the opposite corner, so as not to suck in bubbles from the drain. Middle chamber is refugium, the top down view shows 2 little protruding bars to hold a PC fixture if I decide to get one, and can find an 18" one. Then there is a baffle structure, which would hold probably bio-balls with filter-floss or carbon or something on top in a bag. Last is the return section, where it will basically be heater, phosban reactor/carbon reactor feeding pump, and mostly just water storage. It gives me 6.7g of water back there as reserve. The return LittleGiant 1000gphish return pump is external and will be plumbed with a 90 degree from that exit bulkhead.

One of the things I'm wondering about changing would be making the internal baffles from 10" to like 14" or 16" just to afford holding more water in the return reservoir section.

The structural integrity of the sump will have to be worked out with the builder when the time comes.

Thanks for any input!

Eric

 

[Rogger Castells]

Nice drawings! What is the small line on top of the "70" in the left lower drawing? I will increase the baffle to 16 if I was not using an ATO as this will give more time between top offs, otherwise I will keep the lower level to give me more empty sump space in case of a power failure.

 

[ReefWreak]

Thanks for the reply Rogger,

The little piece over the 70 part represents the rest of the acrylic sheet that has the holes drilled in it. The space represents the holes.

I don't have an ATO yet, and that's why I wanted to maximize availible space for the return section. The problem with an ATO is that the tank is in my parent's living room, and my mother would go nuts if there was a big tank of water sitting next to the chiller, next to the tank. I'm wondering if maybe I could fit just a 5g or 10g tank in the bottom of the stand just for an ATO unit. There will probably be a good 10-15 inches to the side of the sump, because I can't use the space with a larger sump because the largest footprint that would fit through the doors to the stand is 30x18.

There should still be plenty of drainage in case of an overflow. That's why I don't think I would raise the baffles to 14-16 inches like I said after the fact in the above post.

 

[Abengochea]

you can always put the resevoir in a remote area and pump the water in using a float switch. The only thing u will need to hide then is the tubing going into the tank

 

[bawla47]

IMO, i think one of the biggest, best money spent is setting up a top off setup. even if it is just 5-10 gallons.

i think the worst part of tank care, is the constant topping off. without one. SUCKSSSSSSSSS


i have a 30 galon tank in my room, with a 55 gallon reservoir outside, that feeds a 5 gallon tank inside that directly feeds the 30.

my main tank, i have a 10 gallon tank above my fridge, that feeds my tank on the oposite side of the wall. it gets automatically filled 2ce a week.

 

[ReefWreak]

I'll check out the idea for the auto-topoff. Probably just going to use the extra space inside of my stand. The problem is that the tank backs up to a very large and bare wall section, with outside wall behind it. That would be ideal for having an outside sump/chiller/reactor area like some people have, but it's impractical for me because I wouldn't be allowed to drill the wall. My parents are already freaking out about a gallon of moisture evaporating every day into the house as it is...