[Project] 120 l Reef aquarium

Miguel.RS

Miguel.RS

Member
Hi guys,

I'm starting this thread to share my thoughs and doubts with those more experienced. I aprecciate your help and patience. I've been keeping for a while a 60 L reef aquarium and I'm looking to build a larger aquarium with a sump. The aquarium will have the following dimensions: 72,5 x 35 x 50 cm. The lenght and depth are determined by the aquarium stand.
However, I've never had an aquarium with sump, and I'm having trouble dimensioning it. The only thing that is certain at the moment is that the outlet and return will be made via Blau internal overflow (1500L/h). My concerns are with the size of the sump, because the stand I have only has space for a 32 x 35 x 40/45 cm sump. I know it's a bit small, but it's only intended to hide the aquarium parafernalia (heater, skimmer) and to allow some surface skimming and filtration media.

So, on to the problem:
The outlet hole in the back of the aquarium will be the lowest water draining point and will stand 7 cm from the top of the glass (see pic). By my calculations, if I choose to go with these measures for the aquarium, in case of an eletric power cut, a maximum of 17,8 L will be drained to the sump. If I let the maximum water level in the sump to be 30cm, the volume available will be 16,8L. In this cenario a full liter of water will be spilled in my living room. Not ideal 😅

blau.png


So, my questions are:
1. Is it feasable to have a sump?
2. How high should the water level in the sump be?

Can you spare some wisdom and advices.

Thank you in advanced, and sorry for any grammar errors.

Cheers,
Miguel
 
Last edited:
Your water will actually stop where I marked, not at the bottom of the hole you drill so that could adjust your calculation.

blau.png


You can also add a check valve on your return line preferably that is cleanable. This will stop backflow when power is off but they are not fullproof after time. Picture is just an example.

c_valve.png


Most skimmers don't need more than 20cm of water depth, so as long as your sump or some part of it has that much water you would be good.
 
Thx Kharmaguru,

I must admit that I did not noted that. This might give me some volume to work with.
Does de check valve keep the system stable, when the lights go out? Meaning, the water going down depends on the suction made by the return pump, like a closed loop. Is that it?

I have a Tunze doc skimmer 9001. The manufacteur sugests a immersion depth of approx. 135 - 155 mm. So 25/25 cm of water height is good. This should give me extra room.

Again, many thanks for the advice.
 
Miguel.RS said:
Does de check valve keep the system stable, when the lights go out? Meaning, the water going down depends on the suction made by the return pump, like a closed loop. Is that it?
Click to expand...
When the power goes off water siphons down your return line back through your pump. A properly functioning check valve simply stops that backflow.
 
Hi,

So, I went to check on the blau overflow and seems I'll have to use the drill hole as a reference point after all. The drainage hole sits higher than the railing (check pic).

Blau overflow.jpg


Meanwhile, what kind of return pump do you guys recomend?

I've been looking at some:
- SICCE Syncra 1.5 (1.350 l/h)
- Bubble Magus Rock WP2000 (2100l/h)
- SEACHEM Impulse 400 (1.500l/h)
- Eheim compact 1000 (1000l/h)

What do you think?

Since I've never owned one or had a sump, which should be the criteria, since the overflow output can be 1500l/h?
I would like them to be as silent as possible, since the aquarium will stay in my living room 😅

Cheers
 
Miguel.RS said:
Hi,

So, I went to check on the blau overflow and seems I'll have to use the drill hole as a reference point after all. The drainage hole sits higher than the railing (check pic).

View attachment 32392514

Meanwhile, what kind of return pump do you guys recomend?

I've been looking at some:
- SICCE Syncra 1.5 (1.350 l/h)
- Bubble Magus Rock WP2000 (2100l/h)
- SEACHEM Impulse 400 (1.500l/h)
- Eheim compact 1000 (1000l/h)

What do you think?

Since I've never owned one or had a sump, which should be the criteria, since the overflow output can be 1500l/h?
I would like them to be as silent as possible, since the aquarium will stay in my living room 😅

Cheers
Click to expand...
I have sicce syncra .5 on a timer as a flow pump. It's really silent and it always comes on without jamming up so I consider it very reliable. I haven't used any of the other pumps.
 
I’ve used Sicce and Eheim pumps and they’re both solid in my opinion.

Many have had good luck with the cheaper Jebao pumps. I don’t have experience with those but I’ve had good luck with Jebao powerheads.
 
So, guys... Went to a store to buy a Blau Nano-flow eductor and got a very cool advice, that I'll share with those who might need it, like me: the water inlet hole should be drilled a bit lower, as oposed to the recomended by Blau (IMO on the same level as the water outlet hole) so as to prevent surface splashes.

Cheers
 
Hi,

Here are the latest plans for the sump.
Tell me what you think, what you would change.

Sump_blueprint.png


Sump_blueprint_upperview.png


I tried to maximize it the most, since the available space under the stand is relatively small.

Also, made some tweaks to the holes that will be drilled in the aquarium back glass.

blau_rebosaderov1.png

Thanks everyone's for your patience 😓

Cheers
 
nationalparkaquariumblog said:
I’ve been operating the drain in my overflow system, positioning it approximately 1/2 an inch above the base of the overflow’s drainage slots.
Click to expand...

Hi NPAblog

Since the drainage slots are a bit lower than the outlet hole, you have your inlet hole a bit higher than this:

blau_rebosaderov1.png


You have it aligned with the top end of the water outlet hole. Did I get it right?

Cheers
 
Not sure about the overflow, but I’d move the bubble trap to the return pump area. I thought, but could be wrong, bubble traps were mainly to prevent microbubbles to the return pump and getting into your display
 
reefing102 said:
Not sure about the overflow, but I’d move the bubble trap to the return pump area. I thought, but could be wrong, bubble traps were mainly to prevent microbubbles to the return pump and getting into your display
Click to expand...

I thought the bubble trap is meant to capture the micro bubbles from the skimmer 🤨 but this should be an easy fix
 
kharmaguru said:
Mine is right after the skimmer. Some sumps have it in both locations. As long as all the bubbles have risen before the return pump, it doesn't really matter.
Click to expand...

Ok, no worries there, then.

I got some good news. Just bought a wavemaker, the new JEBAO ELW-10. I heard/ read some good reviews from the older models and will be giving it a chance! Plus, got it with a superb price with the Black Friday deals ;)

For now, the likely setup will be the following:
Aquarium: 72,5x35x50 cm
Sump: 31x35x40 cm
Skimmer: Tunze Comline DOC skimmer 9001
Lights: Jebao AL-150
Circulation: Jebao ELW-10
Return pump: SICCE Syncra 1.5*
Heater: JBL ProTemp S100 or EHEIM thermocontrol e125W*
Others:
- Blau internal overflow
- Blau Nano flow eductor*
- Bubble Magus Filter Sock Holder*
- Bubble Magus Filter Sock 10cm*
- JBL Blue filter foam coarse pore 50x50x2,5cm*

* still to be bought 😅

Just the overflow and wavemaker will remain in the tank, the rest will be placed in the sump.
Tell me what you guys think.

Cheers
 
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