Best sump design

sbshady · 08/05/2011, 01:02 PM

I was searching out designs for a sump for my 180. I picked up a 65 gallon tank that I am going to use. I was just wondering if anyone had some designs. Google has thousands of them. I plan on having a skimmer, live rock, and chaeto in the sump. The pump I have is an external pump. Im looking for a design to keep microbubbles to a minimum. If anyone has any pictures on how I need the chambers set up, please post them. Any advice is appreciated.

krshlln300 · 08/05/2011, 01:07 PM

I will draw some up that would be perfect for you from my personal experience. Just let me know an email or whatever you want me to send them to as I will be using paint software probably lol.

jacksonpt · 08/05/2011, 01:11 PM

drain/skimmer section ||| return | fuge

| denotes baffle

Search the DIY forum... lots there. Pay particular attention to posts by uncleof6.

TheFishTeen · 08/05/2011, 04:52 PM

[IMG]http://i56.*******.com/2edw8ll.png[/IMG]

This seems to be what the highest quality tanks are using.
In this video you can see this exact sump used on an 2400 Gallon Reef System.

The sump is seen at about 6:30 in the video.

lolgranny · 08/05/2011, 05:05 PM

@Fish

I use the same design and love it!

I want to add a fuge as well, and im thinking of T-ing off my return to another section after the return and have the fuge over there with a spray bar of some sort / have it drain into the return section, but only have one baffle with teeth in it so it slowly falls and doesnt create alot of bubbles. Just a thought as i kind of want to make another / larger one.

Thoughts?

sorry for the hijack! Figured more ideas = better for all of us!

sbshady · 08/05/2011, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krshlln300

I will draw some up that would be perfect for you from my personal experience. Just let me know an email or whatever you want me to send them to as I will be using paint software probably lol.

My email is sbshady@gmail.com. Thank you!

sbshady · 08/05/2011, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFishTeen

[IMG]http://i56.*******.com/2edw8ll.png[/IMG]

This seems to be what the highest quality tanks are using.
In this video you can see this exact sump used on an 2400 Gallon Reef System.

I have my returns going directly through my filter socks. Maybe thats why I have to change them every few days. As far as the last section, wont the water going over the 2nd piece of glass and under the 3rd cause some bubbles to get sucked into the pump? Or do I make that last section a little larger? Design looks great, thatnks for the input!

Should I use lexan or glass for all the dividers and holders

The sump is seen at about 6:30 in the video.

javajaws · 08/05/2011, 10:42 PM

The submerged drain lines work really well and not having them stick directly into your filter sock(s) makes it real easy to change them. Here's mine. I custom designed it to minimize the amount of plumbing under the tank (vertical runs only for drain and return on the same end of the tank). 0 microbubbles and only 2 baffles between skimmer and return section. To not have noise from the filter socks the top of the sock shouldn't be more than an inch above the water level in the skimmer section. Mine is probably a little too high at about 1.5-2" and you can hear a very slight trickle (silent with door closed).

The original design (I flipped it end for end after this image was made):

lt.smash · 04/29/2014, 02:14 PM

I know this is old, but how does the filter sock work in this setup?

drew2007 · 04/29/2014, 03:48 PM

Water from tank drains into that section, fills up and falls through the filter socks. This is the design I'm using on my 40 breeder. Only difference is I'm making a section for ato reservoir.

lt.smash · 04/30/2014, 06:08 AM

Ah, now i see it.

Not to hijack this old thread, but in a 20gallon long, would it be possible to add a refugium to this setup. i.e. where the skimmer section is, split it up into 2 sections.

4Hummer · 04/30/2014, 07:16 AM

More pics in my build

lt.smash · 04/30/2014, 07:22 AM

4Hummer

Looking Good! Thats exactly what I am going for!

A few questions.

1. What size is this tank?
2. How how are your baffles?

Bodnaahh · 04/30/2014, 07:55 AM

These look awesome. I got some questions as well. How is the water height regulated. I understand that alot of the baffles will keep a certain water height in each area. But is this tank gravity fed beneith your display tank? and if so does it run the risk of overflowing if your return pump is too slow?

drew2007 · 04/30/2014, 04:03 PM

4hummer if that's a 40 breeder we need to talk lol

Redman88 · 04/30/2014, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lt.smash

4Hummer

Looking Good! Thats exactly what I am going for!

A few questions.

1. What size is this tank?
2. How how are your baffles?

i believe the tank is a 55 if i am remembering right. i know he says the height of his baffles in one of his threads

cvcoda · 04/30/2014, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew2007

4hummer if that's a 40 breeder we need to talk lol

Way too narrow and tall for a 40B. Looks like a 55.

4Hummer · 04/30/2014, 09:53 PM

Yes it's a 55 long.

Each section is one inch lower than the prior section. Baffles are a very scientific 2x4 width off the bottom and 2x4 width apart (for the bubble trap). Can you guess what I used to space the glass?

With a one inch drop between all baffles my chaeto tumbles all on its own.

Sorry guys on my phone. Find my build thread. I have all the pics. Including how to make the sock holder.

Love the setup. Filter socks take 10seconds to replace

4Hummer · 04/30/2014, 09:57 PM

Also sump can hold all the water when the return pump is off

Bean animal drain system with an almost coast to coast over flow box. It will only drain what the return pushes up. Zero chance of flood

drew2007 · 05/01/2014, 04:48 PM

Just looked thru your build thread. Sweet setup! What is the width of the glass that the filter socks sit in? And also the squares you cut for the socks what size are those? I'm doing a similar design in my 40 breeder. Only difference is I'm incorporating a reservoir for ato instead of a refugium. Also are those 1x4 wood block or 2x4?

1000rrstunna · 06/06/2014, 10:47 AM

awesome ideas in here hummer how good were you at working with glass before this project? i want to do a setup like yours badly but i'm not confident in my glass working skills since ive never done it before

4Hummer · 06/06/2014, 09:49 PM

It's pretty easy to cut glass. Get a couple pieces to test with first. Only real trick is the scoring part. Have to make sure to put a nice even scratch all the way across the glass.

Plenty of YouTube videos to watch

08/05/2011, 01:02 PM	#1
sbshady Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 144	Best sump design I was searching out designs for a sump for my 180. I picked up a 65 gallon tank that I am going to use. I was just wondering if anyone had some designs. Google has thousands of them. I plan on having a skimmer, live rock, and chaeto in the sump. The pump I have is an external pump. Im looking for a design to keep microbubbles to a minimum. If anyone has any pictures on how I need the chambers set up, please post them. Any advice is appreciated.

08/05/2011, 01:11 PM	#3
jacksonpt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 3,679	drain/skimmer section \|\|\| return \| fuge \| denotes baffle Search the DIY forum... lots there. Pay particular attention to posts by uncleof6. __________________ Jackson - All advice I give is based on my first hand experience. YMMV. Current Tank Info: 38g (mostly LPS) with a 20g sump/fuge and all the other standard goodies

08/05/2011, 05:05 PM	#5
lolgranny The DQ King Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chicago (McHenry) Posts: 2,414	@Fish I use the same design and love it! I want to add a fuge as well, and im thinking of T-ing off my return to another section after the return and have the fuge over there with a spray bar of some sort / have it drain into the return section, but only have one baffle with teeth in it so it slowly falls and doesnt create alot of bubbles. Just a thought as i kind of want to make another / larger one. Thoughts? sorry for the hijack! Figured more ideas = better for all of us! __________________ -Dave Current Tank Info: 40g RIP. 300g system, 180g display. Last edited by lolgranny; 08/05/2011 at 05:16 PM.

08/05/2011, 10:42 PM	#8
javajaws Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 1,620	The submerged drain lines work really well and not having them stick directly into your filter sock(s) makes it real easy to change them. Here's mine. I custom designed it to minimize the amount of plumbing under the tank (vertical runs only for drain and return on the same end of the tank). 0 microbubbles and only 2 baffles between skimmer and return section. To not have noise from the filter socks the top of the sock shouldn't be more than an inch above the water level in the skimmer section. Mine is probably a little too high at about 1.5-2" and you can hear a very slight trickle (silent with door closed). The original design (I flipped it end for end after this image was made): __________________ Everyone has an opinion. Accept the fact now that someone isn't going to like yours sooner or later. Current Tank Info: 110g in-wall, ATI 8x54w T5, 2xMP40es, SRO XP-2000i, 2-part Ca/Alk, Apex controlled

04/29/2014, 02:14 PM	#9
lt.smash Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 125	I know this is old, but how does the filter sock work in this setup? __________________ 65 gallon reef tank, 20gallon sump 60 lbs of rock, 2-3 inch sand bed 6 small fish, 3 shrimp, various of frags and soft corals. Current Tank Info: My tank is full of salt water

08/05/2011, 01:07 PM	#2
krshlln300 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Robinson twp, PA Posts: 641	I will draw some up that would be perfect for you from my personal experience. Just let me know an email or whatever you want me to send them to as I will be using paint software probably lol.

08/05/2011, 04:52 PM	#4
TheFishTeen Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,677	[IMG]http://i56.*******.com/2edw8ll.png[/IMG] This seems to be what the highest quality tanks are using. In this video you can see this exact sump used on an 2400 Gallon Reef System. The sump is seen at about 6:30 in the video.

04/29/2014, 03:48 PM	#10
drew2007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 976	Water from tank drains into that section, fills up and falls through the filter socks. This is the design I'm using on my 40 breeder. Only difference is I'm making a section for ato reservoir. __________________ 110g rimless, Elite Aquatics sump, JNS ConeS Co2, ATI Sunpower, Vortech, Digital Aquatics RKE

04/30/2014, 06:08 AM	#11
lt.smash Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 125	Ah, now i see it. Not to hijack this old thread, but in a 20gallon long, would it be possible to add a refugium to this setup. i.e. where the skimmer section is, split it up into 2 sections. __________________ 65 gallon reef tank, 20gallon sump 60 lbs of rock, 2-3 inch sand bed 6 small fish, 3 shrimp, various of frags and soft corals. Current Tank Info: My tank is full of salt water

04/30/2014, 07:16 AM	#12
4Hummer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 379	More pics in my build

04/30/2014, 07:22 AM	#13
lt.smash Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 125	4Hummer Looking Good! Thats exactly what I am going for! A few questions. 1. What size is this tank? 2. How how are your baffles? __________________ 65 gallon reef tank, 20gallon sump 60 lbs of rock, 2-3 inch sand bed 6 small fish, 3 shrimp, various of frags and soft corals. Current Tank Info: My tank is full of salt water

04/30/2014, 07:55 AM	#14
Bodnaahh Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 28	These look awesome. I got some questions as well. How is the water height regulated. I understand that alot of the baffles will keep a certain water height in each area. But is this tank gravity fed beneith your display tank? and if so does it run the risk of overflowing if your return pump is too slow?

04/30/2014, 04:03 PM	#15
drew2007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 976	4hummer if that's a 40 breeder we need to talk lol __________________ 110g rimless, Elite Aquatics sump, JNS ConeS Co2, ATI Sunpower, Vortech, Digital Aquatics RKE

04/30/2014, 09:53 PM	#18
4Hummer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 379	Yes it's a 55 long. Each section is one inch lower than the prior section. Baffles are a very scientific 2x4 width off the bottom and 2x4 width apart (for the bubble trap). Can you guess what I used to space the glass? With a one inch drop between all baffles my chaeto tumbles all on its own. Sorry guys on my phone. Find my build thread. I have all the pics. Including how to make the sock holder. Love the setup. Filter socks take 10seconds to replace

04/30/2014, 09:57 PM	#19
4Hummer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 379	Also sump can hold all the water when the return pump is off Bean animal drain system with an almost coast to coast over flow box. It will only drain what the return pushes up. Zero chance of flood

05/01/2014, 04:48 PM	#20
drew2007 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 976	Just looked thru your build thread. Sweet setup! What is the width of the glass that the filter socks sit in? And also the squares you cut for the socks what size are those? I'm doing a similar design in my 40 breeder. Only difference is I'm incorporating a reservoir for ato instead of a refugium. Also are those 1x4 wood block or 2x4? __________________ 110g rimless, Elite Aquatics sump, JNS ConeS Co2, ATI Sunpower, Vortech, Digital Aquatics RKE

06/06/2014, 10:47 AM	#21
1000rrstunna Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 111	awesome ideas in here hummer how good were you at working with glass before this project? i want to do a setup like yours badly but i'm not confident in my glass working skills since ive never done it before

06/06/2014, 09:49 PM	#22
4Hummer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 379	It's pretty easy to cut glass. Get a couple pieces to test with first. Only real trick is the scoring part. Have to make sure to put a nice even scratch all the way across the glass. Plenty of YouTube videos to watch

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