Return Section Sizing

[KSReefer]

Hello All,
I am in the process of setting up a 90 gallon reef. I just finished the stand and now am building the sump. It is going to be a three section sump. the return is going to be split to each side on for the fuge and one for the skimmer and have the water flow to the middle section where the return pump will be. I have 36 inches in legnth to work with. The skimmer section is going to take up about 16 inches of my of that to leave me 30 inches for the rest of the sump. I would like to have as big of fuge as possible and I cannot think of what else I would need in my return section to justify saving some space in there. I will be using a quiet one 4000 as a return pump (4.25" x 3.75" x 4").

The total size of the sump will be 36 L x 12 3/4 d x 17 h.

So of the 30" left from the skimmer how much should I allow for my return pump?

any help would be appriciated.

Thanks,

and if you want you can check out my home-made stand fromt he pictures in my gallery.

David

 

[mfinn]

I did the same as you, making a 3 section sump. The first section was for the skimmer, plus a little so the pump or the skimmer body would not be touching anything.
Then I decided how big to make the return area. I want my heater to be here. Plus if I need to add a large powerhead, for any reason, I would want it here. My return pump is external, so the bulkhead fitting has a pvc 90 on the inside. So once I figured out how much room that all took, that is where I placed the divider to separate the return from the fuge. This gives me the maximum area for my fuge as possible.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[spineshank385]

if you're using an auto top off, the return section does not have to be big at all. If not, remember that the water lost to evaporation will affect this chamber only, and that the smaller the chamber, the more frequently you will have to top off

 

[KSReefer]

top off water

top off water

My top off water will be dripped with a hospital iv from a 10 gallon aquarium situated on a platform built above the sump. The fuge light will be under this ledge.

 

[spineshank385]

i would really go with another route for top off. The gravity system is VERY hard to adjust, and very easy to overflow, or underflow.

You can get a complete automatic top off system for $75 or so.

$60 for the float switch, $10 for a cheap pump, and another couple of bucks for tubing.

 

[mfinn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7939769#post7939769 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spineshank385
if you're using an auto top off, the return section does not have to be big at all. If not, remember that the water lost to evaporation will affect this chamber only, and that the smaller the chamber, the more frequently you will have to top off

In my sump the return and fuge area will be at the same level, which is about 2/3's of the sump total. Won't be a problem as the sump total is 80 gallons.

 

[jstraka1]

Gravity fed auto topoff works fine if you use a mechanical float switch. I would use your origional idea with the 10 gallon and instead of dripping, just gravity feed a mechanical float switch like this one..........http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8220/cid/2011

 

[KSReefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7940152#post7940152 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jstraka1
Gravity fed auto topoff works fine if you use a mechanical float switch. I would use your origional idea with the 10 gallon and instead of dripping, just gravity feed a mechanical float switch like this one..........http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8220/cid/2011

This is what I will do. that float would work great. My only question on that would be that I am going to have to use a sypon, is there an easy way to prime a syphon without having to start it with sucking the other end, because if it is attached to the float I am not going to unhook it all of the time.


back to the original part of this thread, I think I will use the 16" for the skimmer, 10" for the return and 10 " for the fuge

 

[KSReefer]

and sorry I messed up in the original post, after the 16" of the skimmer section there is only 20" left for the return and the fuge.

 

[jstraka1]

I wouldn't use a siphon, I would drill the 10 gallon. Use a dremmel with a ceramic tile/glass diamond bit. Dont drill the bottom drill one of the sides down low. If you dont feel comfortable drilling the tank, I guess a siphon would work. Or maybe use a plastic water jug or acrylic tank.

 

[CoolUsername]

Another vote for plastic water jug or rubbermaid. Drilling 10 gallon tanks can be trouble. The glass is so thin. Many break when drilling, others when tighening bulkhead. There are many threads here on that subject. It's not a huge loss either considering a 10 gal is on about $10.

Add a connection for airline tubing on top of your siphon tube and run a it to the venturi port of a powerhead in the 10 gal. It would act as a recirculation pump. The suction on the venturi will keep the siphon primed.

 

[KSReefer]

I probably will not drill the 10 gallon just for a fress water top off system. I would rather save the 10 gallon in case I need a hospital tank and use a rubbermade container so that I can drill through it easier. Thank you for the input guys.