Sump Building Help

[bk_market]

Alright here is my scenario, My tank is 45gal dimension is 36"L x 12"W x 24"H.

 

Im planing to build a sump/fuge for it.

 

I bought a siphon overflow box rate 600gph.

 

I did a calculation from RC website and here is the result

 

Using the following input parameters

Tank Length = 36 inches

Tank Width = 12 inches

Height of Water above Overflow = 2 inches

Flow through sump = 600 gph

 

Sump volume is calculated as

Sump Volume need to handle tank overflow = 3.7 Gallons

Recommended Minimum Volume for sump = 9.7 Gallons

 

The area under my tank inside the cabinet stand can only hold a tank size up to 30"Lx10.5"Wx18"H or if I push the tank back and lift it up a bit then I have another option which is 27"Lx12"Wx16"H.

 

So according to these space limit, what tank should I get? Since recommended Minimum Volume for sump = 9.7 Gallons I think I should get around 15 gal or more. Im planning to do

 

skimmer chamber--->return<---fuge

 

Im thinking of sump to be around 10gal or more and the rest is fuge with at least 2.5gal size for fuge.

What do you guys think? Any tank size that will fit my scenario? Should I get another overflow with smaller flowrate?

 

Should I go overflow from main tank to skimmer chamber and to return and do refugium as a seperate system? Please advise. Much appreciate in advance

[toastiireefs]

im doing a 40gl hex with a 10gl sump-- how i have no clue yet and if i can get someone to do it for me i will greatly appreciate it.. i love science and biology but when it comes to mechanics im no help! :(

 

hey i grew up where everything you ever needed was on the internet.. so if you need COMPUTER help im good haha

wow this was long and un necesary.. sorry

 

[treesprite]

im doing skimmer>fuge>return

[rsaavedra]

I'll do: tank overflow to fuge---> skimmer---> return. The reason being you want the raw/dirty/dingy water to go to the fuge first so the macro/small critters can get fed, proccess the dirty water, then to the skimmer for further proccessing, then return to the tank. That's my understanding on how a fuge sump should be setup, I might be wrong and if I am please correct me.

 

Raf

[toastiireefs]

I'll do: tank overflow to fuge---> skimmer---> return. The reason being you want the raw/dirty/dingy water to go to the fuge first so the macro/small critters can get fed, proccess the dirty water, then to the skimmer for further proccessing, then return to the tank. That's my understanding on how a fuge sump should be setup, I might be wrong and if I am please correct me.

 

Raf

 

i thought i read somewhere that if your fuge fgoes before your skimme than the small critters will be skimmd out

[Guest JasonD]

Don't forget you need to have access into your fuge...mainly to lift off the skimmer collection cup. At first I was going to use a 30 as a sump, then realized I'd only have about 3 inches of clearance to get my hands into the sump. I had to cut back to a 20...glad I did too 'cause I have just enough room to get into the sump. The 30 would never have worked.

 

It looks like a 15 (24x12x12) will fit if you do the alternate setup you mentioned...but will you have enough clearance for your skimmer height and be able to remove the cup?

 

Don't forget that the fuge/return area and baffle height is what will determine your sump volume...not the size of the sump tank.

Edited June 27, 2007 by JasonD

[jnguyen4007]

I think a 20 gal long tank will be suffice. It's long enough with the height low enough that it should leave you room to play with.

 

James

[Guest JasonD]

I think a 20 gal long tank will be suffice. It's long enough with the height low enough that it should leave you room to play with.

 

James

 

 

A 20L is 12 inches wide...he only has 10.5 inches of room.

[jnguyen4007]

You're right. I missed that. That's a real tight space.

 

James

[bk_market]

Seem like

15 Gallon 24x12x12 is good. I think I will have enough room to life the cup as my skimmer will be inside the tank.

 

So by calculating the sump volume this mean that this is the volume of the return and skimming area right?

The fuge will be seperate correct?

 

Now let say I pick the 15gal 24Lx12W and decide the fuge will be 2.5gal which is 4"Lx12"W. I have 20" left inside the tank to be use as skimming area and return area which is total up to be 12.5g. According to what u say this will be the sump volume correct? I probably dont need a big return area as the only thing I stick in there is my return pump so maybe another 4". That left me with 16" left for skimming and doing bubble trap bubble.

 

Also I think overflow--->skimmer---->return<----fuge<-----same overflow is what im gonna do.

 

Any other things I should watch for?

[bk_market]

This is my design. Please advise...

 

[treesprite]

What is the benefit to having part of the return water not having gone through the fuge area?

[Guest JasonD]

You'll probably need a 90 degree elbow and/or a filter sock on your overflows to reduce splash and noise. I tried the LR rubble and it don't do a thing.

 

I'd make your skimmer area as small as possible, leaving more room in the return area, so you won't need to topoff as much. In a 15 gallon sump, topoff is going to be a big deal...how do you plan to deal with it? I can go 2, maybe 3 days between topoffs with my 20 gallon sump. That got old real quick so I got the Tunze Osmolator to handle it for me. Now topoffs are only limited by the size of my topoff reservoir.

[bk_market]

I havent think about the top off. What is it and what does it do? Any website with info about the top off?

[Rascal]

You'll probably need a 90 degree elbow and/or a filter sock on your overflows to reduce splash and noise. I tried the LR rubble and it don't do a thing.

 

Try this: 45 above the water leading to a T. The perpendicular part of the T sticking up out of the water and the other part entering the water on an angle almost but not quite all the way submerged. Does a pretty good job of limiting both bubbles and splash.

 

I'd make your skimmer area as small as possible, leaving more room in the return area, so you won't need to topoff as much. In a 15 gallon sump, topoff is going to be a big deal...how do you plan to deal with it? I can go 2, maybe 3 days between topoffs with my 20 gallon sump. That got old real quick so I got the Tunze Osmolator to handle it for me. Now topoffs are only limited by the size of my topoff reservoir.

 

Doesn't going that long w/o topping off result in some pretty significant salinity swings?

 

If you are going to use an auto-top off, there may actually some benefit to having the return section smaller, so that the system is topped off more frequently. Rather than using the extra space for your skimmer section though, I would max out the size of your fuge.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Rascal

[Antiguan]

This is my design. Please advise...

 

 

I am new to the hobby and this may be a silly question; but based on this drawing does the overflow water in your refugium get to the return pump before it's skimmed by the protein skimmer? Sure that I'm just missing a step.

 

Thanks.

[bk_market]

I think the benefit is to give the refugium some nutrition to grow algea.

 

What is a good skimmer for 60gal system. My budget is ~200$.

Edited June 28, 2007 by bk_market

[Guest JasonD]

I havent think about the top off. What is it and what does it do? Any website with info about the top off?

 

An automatic topoff (ATO) has a sensor (a float valve like your toilet or an infrared sensor like on my Osmolator) connected to a small pump that sits in the bottom of a water reservoir. When the sensor detects that the water level has fallen in the sump, it turns on the pump, filling the sump back up. Pretty simple, really.

 

If you don't have an ATO, you must watch the water level in the sump, and add water when you see it's low. If you only add water every day or two, your salinity will be up and down all the time. My ATO comes on 2-3 times an hour, so my salinity level will be very constant.

 

One last thing, if you get an ATO, make sure you have a backup overflow switch that will turn the pump off if the water level gets to high, else you run the risk of flooding.

 

Here's a couple of links:

 

Simple and cheap: ATO

 

Fancy and expensive: Tunze Osmolator

 

Homemade: Melev's ATO

[YBeNormal]

I STRONGLY recommend against the design on Melev's site. That design routes 110v through into the sump and through the switch. The wires on float switches have very thin insulation. If you're going to DIY an ATO, go with a design like this one that uses low voltage and relays.

[Guest JasonD]

I STRONGLY recommend against the design on Melev's site. That design routes 110v through into the sump and through the switch. The wires on float switches have very thin insulation. If you're going to DIY an ATO, go with a design like this one that uses low voltage and relays.

 

Yes, Melev's ATO is a bit ghetto...

[bk_market]

But this is not a must to add right now? I mean I can always add the top off sometime in the near future after i set up my sump right?

[Guest JasonD]

But this is not a must to add right now? I mean I can always add the top off sometime in the near future after i set up my sump right?

 

Correct. You'll just have to topoff manually.

[YBeNormal]

Is an ATO an absolute requirement? No. Not now, not even later. I will say that the ATO I built and installed is one of the things I appreciate most on my tanks. Anything that safely automates routine procedures is a good thing for me.