DIY sump design

[bioteacher]

We'd help with a new sump I am building for my 125g reef tank. I will be using a 40 gal tank, dimensions 36x18x16. The image is one I found on the Internet which I think I would like to use as my design. Before I found this picture, I was planning on having both my drain lines enter on the left into the skimmer chamber, then refugium in the middle chamber, finally return pump on the right. I have seen several designs now like the one in the image which has the return pump in the middle chamber. Any thought on which design is superior? I've never built a sump before so this is all new to me......thanks for your opinions!

 

[crister13]

I personally would go skimmer fuge return. That way the skimmer will have all of te water pass through it and it will be able to clean some water before the crap gets in the fuge. JMO

 

[bioteacher]

Yeah, it seems like all the commercial fuges are skimmer/fuge/return. Maybe I should follow that design.......any thoughts on baffles? Two? Three? Does 3 really reduce microbubbles better than two?

 

[AquaRick]

I have the exact same tank config as you. 125 DT, 40G breeder sump. I went with the skimmer-->fuge---> return config. It's a lot easier to manage than the config from the picture up top.

You need 3 baffles for the microbubble trap to work well. 2 baffles didn't make much of a difference IME.

 

[bioteacher]

I have the exact same tank config as you. 125 DT, 40G breeder sump. I went with the skimmer-->fuge---> return config. It's a lot easier to manage than the config from the picture up top.

You need 3 baffles for the microbubble trap to work well. 2 baffles didn't make much of a difference IME.

So would you do 3 baffles on both sides of the fuge, or just between the skimmer and the fuge?

 

[AquaRick]

I would only do the 3 baffle bubble trap right before the return pump. 1 baffle to separate the other sections will be fine.

 

[bioteacher]

Ok, sounds good. Thanks for the input.

So, now to other questions. First, filter socks. I have two drain lines that are now running to a filter floss pre-filter which trickles down over a bioball chamber. I am losing that setup and going to a 100 or 200 micron filter sock. I am going to buy a hob filter sock adapter....I think a 4 inch diameter. Like this one.....

http://www.marinedepot.com/CPR_Sock...ps_Accessories-CPR-CR05123-FIFRBSAC-4-vi.html

It seems like 7 inch diameter is only for much larger sumps. I am not sure if I should buy 2 socks and have each line run into separate socks, or if I should plumb both drain lines together and run it through one sock. I think 2 socks would be better, but I am not sure if that is how it is conventionally done. Any thoughts here?

Also, I am going to buy a new return pump. I am currently using one that is dry, getting old, and loud. I would like to switch over to a wet pump, but I am not sure how much flow to buy. I can't find a rating anywhere on my current pump. I was reading up on head pressure and it is a little confusing. I have 4'8" of rise to the returns in the tank. Do I multiply that by 2 since I have 2 return lines? I also have one elbow and about 2 feet of horizontal flow. Putting that all together with an equation I saw online, gives me about 12 feet of head pressure?? Argh, so confused! Does that sound right?

 

[AquaRick]

I'd go with 2 lines into separate socks.

As for head pressure, you don't have 12 feet. The head loss is the distance from the top of the water in your sump to the top of the water in your DT. Add an extra foot more or less for any 90 degree elbows. Horizontal flow should not be included in the calculation.

As for the two return lines, are they the same diameter as the pump output? Where are they T'd off? (Near the pump or up top near the DT)

Also do you want high flow in your sump? I personally like a low flow in the sump \ return pump of 2-3x my DT volume. This makes your system more efficient for your skimmer. If you have a reef tank, powerheads will add to the flow in your DT.