Sump Design/Overflow questions

[bcrane]

Alright, my project is rolling around here, and I just need a little bit of input from you guys.

1.) Its a 30 Reg sump, in which I will make my own baffles. I plan to make the baffles out of fiberglass acrylic so I can cut them myself, the tank itself is all glass. Will there be any hindrances using silicone to apply acrylic FG to glass? (I know to use aquarium safe silicone.)

2.) I plan to have a fuge in this setup, so the drain should go directly into the first chamber, then fuge, then return correct? If I remember from research Fuge into skimmer is counter productive.

3.) Filter socks, Do I just place one on the flextube of the drain? are there any special ways I need to affix the filter sock?

4) How big of a DSB should I have in the fuge section? Keeping in mind the height is around a foot

5) What kind of light will sustain chaeto?

6**) Assuming with having a fuge in my sump, with addition to the protein skimmer needing 8'' of water to function, I'm assuming I cannot leave the necessary amount of space so that if power goes out the sump would fill to a safe capactiy. So can someone breifly explain how the "siphon break' concept works and how to apply it to a reef ready system to ensure my carpet wont be soaked in saltwater?


Thanks in advance for anything answered

[bertoni]

1) I'd ask in the DIY forum on this one.

2) Actually, skimmer first or second doesn't matter much.

3) I've never used one. Someone else might be able to help.

4) None, IMO. The refugium will be very small, and a macroalgae would do a lot more.

5) I had the best luck with PC, but people use all kinds of bulbs. More light will bring more growth, for a fair range of wattages. Did you have anything in mind?

6) The sump must be able to receive all the flow when the power goes out. A siphon break is useful to prevent draining of the sump onto the floor, for example. This thread might help:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1207729

Usually, there's not much water flowing down after the power goes out, so it's not much of a problem.

[butchik]

I can help with the "siphon break" concept. As you know, on a power outage, any water left in the return line goes down and creates a siphon. It will drain any water up to where your return pipe/hose can reach, example, if return is reaching down 6 inches, it will drain the water until it reaches that point, as soon as it sucks air instead of water, the siphon breaks. So what other people have done with their tanks are 1. set up the return hole high; the lower the return, the more water can possibly be siphoned and 2. drill a hole on the return hose so that when water gets below that level, air is sucked and breaks the siphon.

[bmiller1234]

1 and 2.
i would recommend getting glass cut, Get 3 8" x 11-3/4 and 1 10 x 11 3/4, this will give you your bubble trap baffles, set your skimmer height, and set your fuge. Since your making it yourself, the best set up is to have first chamber the flow from DT and your skimmer area, then the bubble trap. Center section will be your return pump area, then use your 10" baffle and make your fuge. then you just T off your return line to supply your fuge with whatever flow you want
The glass will prob cost your about 20 bucks with polished edges in 1/4" glass which will be rock solid once siliconed in

3.
Do a diy search on filter sock holders, theres tons of ways, my favorite is the holder from a 4"pvc Y thats cut and hangs on tank edge

4.
I personally feel that with a 30 reg your not going to have enough room left to have a properly functioning DSB Your fuge will be better used just growing chaeto and maybe a normal sand bed with some CUC and what not

5.
Everyone is using the twisty CFL bulbs from home depot, they make them in 6500k and they are 5 bucks and only use 15 watts. get yourself a clip on floodlight reflector and for 10 bucks your done

[Tschupe]

You should post this in the diy forum. Heres a good site with alot of sump info and the light you need.http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

[Elysia]

Everything that I have read has said that there will not be a problem w/ using silicone to attach plastic to glass. If you put a line of silicone on each side of the baffle, the silicone will adhere to the glass, and the baffle will do its job.

There are actual products that are made to hold filter socks.

[Tschupe]

Everyone in the DIY forum say to use glass on glass

[mandingCa]

Originally Posted by bcrane

3.) Filter socks, Do I just place one on the flextube of the drain? are there any special ways I need to affix the filter sock? --try to have a hole cut in a square piece of acrylic. The diameter of the hole should be smaller than the lip of the filter sock, but big enough to fit the bottom of the sock through it. This will act as a frame. Mount this directly under your flexhose.



5) What kind of light will sustain chaeto? I have had some outstanding growth in the past with halogen bulbs...but, since heat is an issue in my newest tank, I am using NO with decent growth.




Thanks in advance for anything answered