Sump design and Filtration Media

[aSmallcat]

Not too long ago I converted a rimmed tank into a rimless one for the sake of showing it can be done and for aesthetic reasons as well. About a year afterwards I got permission from the boss to set it up! But in order to enhance my current setup further I want to turn my old 10 gallon tank into a sump for this new display. The display tank is 30 gallons.

That brings us up to speed on the project. The display tank has been tested and passed and I have drawn up a simple design of what I think will work for my 10 gallon sump.

As this is my first sump project and other than hang on back filtration method, I am looking for sump design tips and filtration media suggestions.

This is what I've got so far. Let me know what you think!

 

[aSmallcat]

This is the tank I took the rims off of and intend to use as my new display.

 

[aSmallcat]

Fluid bed

To stir the media in the fluid bed chamber i'm hoping I can get away with only using the force of the incoming water from the overflow box on my display.

I'm thinking about using micro k1 or hel-x media.

Has anyone tried a fluid bed cycled by falling water?

 

[aSmallcat]

I know I can't be the only one on this site to build a sump.. or to use filtration media..

I've gotten more attention with this same thread on a saltwater forum.

 

[Cuereus_George]

i've never done a sump before but was looking at doing one. from what i've read up on and choice of media. i would go straight from the overflow into a filter sock, water goes under then over a baffle into your main chamber with your fluid media you'll need and air stone as it won't stay fluid and moving. you'll want teeth like a wier on your next baffle to stop your media from escaping. with flow going over then under. this chamber is where i would put any chem filters, heaters and the pump back to the tank. i was going to do a similar settup when i first got my tank but its expensive to get good fluid media like K1. so i just went with a canister which was so much cheaper

 

[Nmesaris]

I built a sump a few months ago when I was building my tank and stand. I opted for the first chamber to be a trickle wet/dry filter tower.

 

[aSmallcat]

Nice looking stand

 

[aSmallcat]

I built a sump a few months ago when I was building my tank and stand. I opted for the first chamber to be a trickle wet/dry filter tower.View attachment 300678

Looks like a decent set up you've got there. I was going to build a stand too but then I got a hand-me-down so I'm set there.

I'm not very familiar with the whole wet dry thing. How's it working for you?

Does it cause a lot of evaporation?

 

[Nmesaris]

Looks like a decent set up you've got there. I was going to build a stand too but then I got a hand-me-down so I'm set there.

I'm not very familiar with the whole wet dry thing. How's it working for you?

Does it cause a lot of evaporation?

The trickle tower drawers are packed with biological media and grows a ton of beneficial bacteria, It can handle a large bio load. It also is virtually silent. The top shelf acts as mechanical filtration also, I clean the filter pad once a week or ever other week sometimes. As far as evaporation... I am not sure if it accelerates the process, I live in a hot dry climate so I do get a bit of evaporation, I keep a lid on my tank and sump to minimize it, I also installed an automatic water level filer so I never have to manually add water.

 

[Fresh2o]

OP - The only thing I would change in your design would be to put the biomedia in the LAST section, not the first. I'm a stickler for water entering the biological section to be free of particulates. Then again, I understand the concept of fluidized media in that it is constantly moving and for the most part self-cleaning.