help! idk if my plan for a sump will work :S

[Blondebell]

im newer to saltwater and im going to build a sump since it seems to be the best form of filtration and increases water. so...

ok i have a stand for a 55 gal that has a center wall with no back wall
i wasnt thinking about a sump till after i got so oops but anyways i was hohping to build a sump that would be bigger than just one side and was thing of building a sump that wrap aroung the back of the wall ( with support legs o on the back) here's my plan

the black is the walls of the stand the red is the floor of the stand and blue is the walls of the sump/refug starting on the right is the skimmer >bubble trap> next is my refug sand bed > baffles as it travels around the back wall> next ill have some live rock> and return upper right hand corner and lower right is my phos reactor.

any advice? look ok? will it work? im too indecisive about this idea i had to start building till i get some advice...

[TheFishMan65]

I think you would be better building on one side and having a remote DSB. If (more likely when from my reading) it needs to be replaced it will be much easier. Plump the reactor as external. Then if there is still space build a tank with gravity feed back to the sump with live rock in it.

If you build what you have you may have an issue with the fast flow moving the sand from one side to the other.

[Blondebell]

ok so i think i may have figured out a better plan. what if i run a 2 in pipe through the wall? and run a line off the return line with a ball valve on it back into the refugium. this is my first diy kinda unsure

demensions
22"l *12"w*12"h - each tank
phos reactor has 6 in foot

unfortunately my skimmer is a hang on the back of the tank one so it doesnt need much room. btw ive heard mixed reviews on using bioballs in sump good or bad idea ?

[TheFishMan65]

Bio balls have there uses, but probably not for what you are doing. You may not get a lot of flow between the two tanks. The head pressure from the left side to the right is caused by difference in height between the two side. How much flow do you want? Not enough difference and the water can't flow fast enough through the pipe and the left side will overflow.

[Blondebell]

:S dont want that i have original hard wood.
um i am building a diy overflow about 6 inch across with bending acrylic as shown on melev's and i have a mag 9.5 at a head height of ~3.5 feet so i should be doing about 650 gph

[TheFishMan65]

Well according to the BeanAnimal calculator that won't be as bad as I thought.

What is the blue line on the right side before the algae?

[Blondebell]

idk... i was told i need a wall between the wall/pipe and the sand/LR/algae its suppose to have teeth along the top for water to flow over into refuge. i figured it would slow down flow

[TheFishMan65]

Forgot you were doing sand.

Just notice you have an awfully small section for the return pump. ATO? If not you may evaporate enough water that the return section goes dry.

[Blondebell]

ato?? the bag will get a space of 5x10in not big enough? ty so much for your help seriously i can never get replies to my posts and i can only read so much about others sumps because i have a very diff problem. so ty

[TheFishMan65]

ATO = Auto top off.
What bag?

[Newsalth2o]

Ive built two sumps the first I had the inlet in the back... bad idea hard to clean inspect. Second sump flow from end to end. See the following http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSy-y...eature=related or my first attempt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7IkL..._order&list=UL. The second design is much easier to maintain and the flow speed is much slower across the fuge. I hope that gives you some ideas. You can see mu build at http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2094588

happy reefing.........

[Blondebell]

i meant mag not bag lol

[Blondebell]

i just want to know if my sump will flow from left to right or if im going to habe to have a return and inlet for each side tank? someone in diy thread basically told me to give this up it wouldnt work but i need a sump and i will make something work...

[Blondebell]

thanks newsalth20 you second vid was a help it is a little more simular to mine than i usually see! ty

[TheFishMan65]

I think it will flow with a 2 inch pipe. I just wonder about avopration. How much are you toping off now?

[Blondebell]

ok ive decided to just give in and build a stand to fit the sump go big or go home

[TheFishMan65]

Well here is a good stand design.

[TheFishMan65]

What did you think of that stand design?

[Blondebell]

lol thanks for the post i had already found that thread and have started the build keep you guys posted lol most likely with more questions