Will this sump setup work?

[motoxmann]

Hey all,

I'll spare the boring details, but long story short I'm building a 75 gallon mixed reef. I originally intended to use a standard 30 gallon tank for a sump, but due to height restrictions in my stand, I'm going with a 20 long instead. I was hoping that the equipment gurus here could take a look at the current plan and tell me how it looks.

Hopefully this picture works. It's a crappy cell phone pic and the baffles are currently made out the cardboard box that my skimmer came in, but you get the idea.

The tank is a standard 20 long (30x12x12). The first section is where the overflow will drain to ( going to setup a herbie siphon drain so two pipes will lead here). This will also be the skimmer section. The skimmer is a swc 150 bmk and it needs around 9 inches of water for optimum performance. The first baffle in the bubble trap is set at 9 inches to set the water level for the skimmer and the last baffle is set at 6 inches to se the level of the return. The last baffle will be 9-10 inches high and will block off the section for the fuge. Return pump will be t'd off so that it can feed the fuge and the water will drain back to the return. I'll be using an ATO to keep the water level consistent in the return chamber.

Is the fuge section even big enough to be worth it? I figure its big enough for a little sand, some rubble, and some macro. Not ideal but hopefully its better than nothing.

Also, how much water can I expect to flow back into the sump in the event of a power outage? Only one of the overflow pipes should have water in it, and there will be one return pipe ran over the back wall and they'll probably be 1" and 3/4" respectively. I am planning on a corner overflow and I'll try to keep the main siphon drain only a couple inches under the level of the water in the overflow, so there shouldn't be too much water flowing back, I wouldn't think at least.

Anyway sorry this is all so long, I just want to make ure to get this right. If anyone has any suggetions, I'm all ears!

 

[Misled]

First, you'll need two more baffles on the end. This will reduce bubbles going to the return section then the tank. You can also make the return section smaller since you have an ato, it won't matter. This way you can increase the size of the fuge.

 

[Chasman]

Misled

Where would you add baffles? I'm thinking of a very similar design. No experience with sumps. But I like the looks of that design. I have a HOB fuge at the moment.

Chasman

 

[Lance M.]

That is exactly how my sump is designed except mine is a 40B sump for a 40B. I have no problems with bubbles what-so-ever.

 

[Misled]

Misled

Where would you add baffles? I'm thinking of a very similar design. No experience with sumps. But I like the looks of that design. I have a HOB fuge at the moment.

Chasman

On the right of the last one on the right. The next one to allow water to pass on the bottom, next one just like the one that's already there.

Lance, you may not have bubbles for other reasons, slow flow, a skimmer that handles micro bubbles, or even a larger return area. If he decreases the return area, there's more water passing through that area. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Chasman]

Sorry I'm confused....If you put one to the right of the last one on the right and have the water flow under it, wouldn't it just be full of the sand or media of the fuge section. Or do you mean to put a full three trap similar to the one on the left just higher??

 

[nemosworld]

I have a 20g long for a sump on my 75g reef, i only have two baffles in the sump. from left to right, like your setup, i have the drain/skimmer section, baffle is 11inches, center is fuge area and on the right, is the return section which is about 6 inches. I designed it this way to leave you for drainage, though once power goes out i do not get more than and inch drain from the display. as my returns are plumbed with pvc and go over the back of the tank into the display with a siphon break drilled in. no bubbles, the trick is slow flow through the sump.

 

[Misled]

The one he has on the right now is touching the bottom. That's the end of the fuge. Water goes over it, under the next, then over the next. Driving the water down allows the bubbles to get trapped and flow to the top of the first baffle. While the first set of baffles get rid of most of the bubbles, having an extra one prior to the return pump eliminates the leftovers.

 

[nemosworld]

looks like the return is in the center with the fuge on the right, he should not have bubbles as the flow through the fuge should be slow, this will allow the water to gently fall over the baffle and down the baffles wall, not creating a splash and bubbles.

 

[nemosworld]

since it's a 20 long, the flow through out should be slow, to fast and he will have salt creep everywhere.

 

[Misled]

looks like the return is in the center with the fuge on the right,

My mistake, I get that now. Yes the water coming from the fuge "may" cause bubbles. Just depends on the flow through the fuge. Keep it slow. Personally, I like things running in line, so that's kinda the way I see them.

 

[nemosworld]

here is what mine looks like.

just flip the image around in your mind. and you have drain, then fuge, then return.

 

[nemosworld]

by the way op, i would keep your setup, it looks good. and deff will work.

 

[motoxmann]

Thanks for the replies! Yeah the idea for the fuge is to keep the flow low enough that it hopefully just trickles over the baffle and doesn't create a bunch of bubbles in the return area. The main thing I'm worried about at this point is how much room I need for water coming back after a pump outage. I guess I'll just have to play around with it once I get everything setup.