Help with Sump Design
 

The following image is a working concept, however I am not convinced that this will work the best.

Thoughts:

Intake Feed by 2 x 2" and 2 x 1 1/2 Inch Drains.
* There seems to be a lot of debate on the socks. I was going to start with them.
* 1 Bulk Head in the In take compartment would feed an external pump for UV and Chiller. Return for this would drop off into the GFO media compartment. I know I can have the GFO External however, I am trying to keep as much in the sump as possible.

I plan on having Rubble \ Live Rock (or) a DSB in the Refugium area.

Skimmer - Deltec SC2560 Internal... I have read that it will require 7 -11" adjustable water height.


[IMG]<a href="http://s1050.photobucket.com/user/Zachariah_Lee_Williams/media/sumpdesign2Overhead_zps16a5a6f7.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s404/Zachariah_Lee_Williams/sumpdesign2Overhead_zps16a5a6f7.png" border="0" alt=" photo sumpdesign2Overhead_zps16a5a6f7.png"/></a>[/IMG]

This was the 2nd design concept

[IMG]<a href="http://s1050.photobucket.com/user/Zachariah_Lee_Williams/media/sumpdesign3Overhead_zpsc70327c3.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s404/Zachariah_Lee_Williams/sumpdesign3Overhead_zpsc70327c3.png" border="0" alt=" photo sumpdesign3Overhead_zpsc70327c3.png"/></a>[/IMG]

Very applicable:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2447396

Folks enjoy complicating things. The fancy production sumps look cool, but that is about where it ends... ;)

There really should not be any debate on the socks, but it is what it is...

What type of drain system are you planning with 4 drains? What size tank....

Your return section(s) is way too small, and that is actually more important than much of the rest you want to put in the sump. ATOs fail everyday, you don't hear much about it, as folks have a tendancy to not make threads concerning their failures... ;)

UV has a purpose for fish only, but for a reef type setup is is worthless. However, running a uv on a quarantine tank has some value...

I see you are planning GFO, does your system need it? It certainly is not needed in a new tank...in fact it is questionable whether the skimmer is needed for a period of time (months) after the initial startup...allowing for it is fine (GFO) but you should hold off on the implementation till you know how your system is going to run, you may find it is useless (as many other have) and can be detrimental to your system as well, depending on conditions....

UncleOf6

Thanks for the feed back. I have a few question regarding the feedback and some answer to the questions posed. Here goes

This tank will be a mixed reef.

You asked. What type system am I planning with 4 drains and what size

Answer: either a 72x36x27 or 84x36x30. Either way I will have dual over flows. Each over flow will have a single 2" drain and a backup 1 1/2 just in case the primary gets clogged.


You said the return chamber was not big enough. If 8" by 20" is to small what would you consider sufficient for a return pump? Note the total size would be 60" x 30".

You noted to not start a tank with a GFO. How about carbon only to start?

You noted issues with ATO's. My plan was to have a 10 gallon topofftank to only help with evaporation. My sump would handle the extra 10 gallons if the pump didn't shut off and the 10 gallons would only be 1/30 - 1/40 of my capacity so it should not cause any major crash if a failure occurred. I was hoping to automate topping off to minimize major change to salinity.

You need to re-evaluate your flow rate plans then, because the drains you are suggesting will not handle the flow rate, unless you are planning siphon systems, as in dual herbies style, and two will be difficult to keep in balance...if dual herbies, the main siphons need to be the smaller of the two not the larger...


How many gallons of water will be above the inlet to the pump? If that volume is > 6 - 8 gallons, I will shut right up about that...

I would not recommend that either. The tank is going to do its own thing for a good solid 4 months, no point in making it take longer than it is going to. If you have been the hobby for a while, you already know the algae will make you crazy (new tank syndrome) and then will go away, on its own, unless you are way overstocked and way over feeding, for a new tank. Initial cycle for a tank can take well over a month or longer, depending. Until that phase is done, you don't need this other "stuff." (Don't cycle the tank with anemones, and coral, or anything else that cost more than a buck, but you probably know that already...)

The issue with ATO failure does not have anything to do with how much water the sump can hold, if the ATO pump does not shut off, it is about how long will your main return pump last if the ATO fails to operate at all...(fails open rather than closed) -->evaporative loss, which will equal a dead return pump, when the volute burns up, and you happen to be in Tahiti for the weekend... :)