Setting up a sump for a 75g FOWLR, would this simple sump idea work?

[Ryanrttu]

Im going to preface this by I am doing a FOWLR for quite some time (years) as I am a newb and like to take things slow.

Would all I need in the sump is a protein skimmer, heater, ATO and a carbon GFO reactor?

I was planning on having 3 sections in the sump, with my Skimmer on the left, ATO & heater in the middle, and carbon GFO reactor on the right, does this make sense and even bigger question, what size sump would you recommend (I was thinking 38 gallon, which would fit nice in my below area).

I put picture below of my tank and no this tank is not going there, too much light in that spot.

[Ryanrttu]

Edited: saw glass cages will do the acrylic sump with sections. I'm going to get it from glasscages and pick it up directly on June 16th since they will be in Houston.

[rale2001]

I hear they are good but also try www.melevsreef.com

[Ryanrttu]

Thanks...any thoughts on my initial sump design though? I feel like with that design eventually I could do a reef and have the fuge where I said the ATO/heater would be.

Also does a carbon gfo sit in the water?

[thegrun]

The usual configuration has your skimmer and heaters in the first section (and filter socks if you plan on using them), Refugium in the second section and your return pump in the third section. GFO and carbon work much better in a seperate reactor that sits outside of the sump. You would have a small pump inside the sump to feed the reactor(s).

[Ryanrttu]

Looked up online what filter socks are, seems like a good addition to add. What are those sections of the sumps I see online that look like you could fit a book into them? They are really thin areas, and there are usually a few of them.

[thegrun]

Those thin sections are called bubble traps, the are designed to eliminate micro bubbles that are often released from protien skimmers.

[thegrun]

Your ATO reservoir is typically a separate container, although I have built sumps in the past that contained a top off reservoir. The float or other water level sensing devices are always located in the return pump section where the water level will fluctuate.

[Ryanrttu]

Fantastic information from thegrun as always. Thank you so much. I'm only 3 weeks in to this salt water world but have spent about 24 hours of time reading/researching/etc. Starting to really figure out the direction I want my sump to go in and this website has helped me out immensely. Still a few months away but feeling pretty confident about all this vs when I got the actual tank.

[Ryanrttu]

Oh also, im talking about where the ATO is going to distribute to (in the return part of sump). I will have the separate container with the ro/di water in it.

What kind of ATO do you use thegrun? SO many options, so many opinions...just like everything else in this hobby lol