New sump Design, Please Comment before build
- Thread starter Amartin86
- Start date
uncleof6
Active member
You are trying to do too much in a tank that is too small. Evaporation in the return section, will not allow a constant water level for your skimmer, and your sand bed will be too small to be of practical value. Your water levels are too high to allow for power out drain down.
Jim
Jim
uncleof6
Active member
This will not allow a constant water level for the skimmer as evaporation will cause the water level to rise and fall. The evaporation shows up in the return section, the "lowest" level in the system, as baffles control the water height everywhere else.
Jim
uncleof6
Active member
Yes and no. You should buy a skimmer that is properly sized for the system, based on flow rate through the skimmer, the first time, and upgrades become necessary. For the most efficient use of space, the skimmer section only needs to be large enough to accommodate the properly sized skimmer. Even if you have to pay more initially for the skimmer, this saves money in the long run. Why buy twice, what you only need to buy once.
This is a function of the width of the baffles. I flow roughly 2800 gph through sumps, with 1" drop from skimmer section, and often 4" drop from a "fuge" section (far less flow rate though), into the return section, without bubble problems, or appreciable noise. Again, size matters when it comes to flow rates.
Regards,
Jim
uncleof6
Active member
This is a fairly large sump, so is illustrative, rather than specific to your system. It scales down, to a point, but you run out of room in small sumps rather quickly. Especially if using large skimmers, that are not always necessary.
Jim
jimmyj7090
aka John K
Just to add to the other feedback;
In the pic in the original post it shows a DSB section. That DSB section appears to have drain holes down low. This will not work at all, you would be pouring sand into the next chamber and circulating water throught the DSB section, making it a simple sand filter (which would serve little if any benifit, AND would make a big mess).
I would suggest leaving the sand out of the sump entirely. Like Jim said, you don't have enough room for it in there (and it will only cause trouble).
Also as Jim said, the skimmer will need a constant level, so you don't want it in the same section as the return, the skimmer should be before the return in a section that keeps a constant level.
In the pic in the original post it shows a DSB section. That DSB section appears to have drain holes down low. This will not work at all, you would be pouring sand into the next chamber and circulating water throught the DSB section, making it a simple sand filter (which would serve little if any benifit, AND would make a big mess).
I would suggest leaving the sand out of the sump entirely. Like Jim said, you don't have enough room for it in there (and it will only cause trouble).
Also as Jim said, the skimmer will need a constant level, so you don't want it in the same section as the return, the skimmer should be before the return in a section that keeps a constant level.
rbnice1
New member
Sorry meant the drain section as per my drawing.
Jim is correct that your skimmer section must stay at a constant lvl.
rbnice1
New member
In theory your correct. However many many people dont buy the best skimmer and therefore have to upgrade later. So designing your sump with any future upgrades that you may want to do is not a bad idea.
As far width of baffles.... That has nothing to do with what I was talking about. I am not talking about micro bubbles from the drain or skimmer. I am talking about bubbles you can get when the water drops over that last baffle and falls into the return section.
My return is only about 800gph and the return section is 8 inches deep and if my water drops more then about .5 inches the pump will suck those small air bubbles in before they can surface.
Again just something to think about.
jb61264
New member
I highl recommend this design as it allows for alot of flexibility. I have this same design with chaeto macroalgae in the "fuge" section...I also have "T's" on the split from the return so I could add reactors if needed in the future (phosban/carbon/etc)This is a fairly large sump, so is illustrative, rather than specific to your system. It scales down, to a point, but you run out of room in small sumps rather quickly. Especially if using large skimmers, that are not always necessary.
Jim
uncleof6
Active member
jimmyj7090
aka John K
Or in other words, not placing the waterfall next to the return chamber 
