110 Gallon First Build

[barterking85]

Hey guys and gals this is our first salt build we got ourselves a 110 gallon 6' long and we have a few questions

1 can I just mix instant ocean mix with my tap water or do I have to go ro/di?

2. I am building a sump from a 30 gallon first section through a sock filter /next live rock /then into a section with the skimmer and return pump. My questions here are can I put my skimmer right inside the sump? And for my return pump I was gonna get a 1300 gph utility pump will this be enough gph or too much? And last do I drill the holes in my display tank on the lower back panel? I seen people do it on the bottom but this tank bottom is tempered and wouldn't it suck sand in? And one more do I need a flow valve on the intake side so it doesn't over fill my sump?

 

[Digger]

Tap water is a definate NO!

As for the rest, someone more qualified than I will have to answer that as I'm just starting a 125 gal FOWLR and have some of the same questions.

 

[Ibrahim]

I'll glad answer
1. Nope treat it atleast if you were going with tap but you will probably have an algae break out in the future if you do.
2. The skimmer goes in the first section of your sump then a bubble trap then the section with liverock then the return pump section. 1300gph is good but it depends on the size of the holes you are going to to drill. So let's say 1" hole=600gph so if you drill two holes that's 1200gph going down to your sump. So you'll want a pump that's about 1600gph-1700gph because there is also headloss. Then you'll want to add a ball valve to the return section. So you can throttle your pump down if it's too much.You should drill the holes towards the top of the tank not the bottom and if the glass where you want to drill is tempered then you'll have to get an HOB overflow otherwise your tank will crack. I hope this answers all your questions

 

[Digger]

How much water turn over should you have in a tank that size?

 

[barterking85]

ok guys and gals here is my plan for the sump tell me what you think

 

[HPballer76]

the skimmer needs to be in the first section before the return. the way you have it drown will send a ton of micro bubbles into the dt.

 

[barterking85]

the skimmer needs to be in the first section before the return. the way you have it drown will send a ton of micro bubbles into the dt.

Ok let's say I put the skimmer in the first section and the bio in the last with the pump

And add another section of glass on the end before the pump will that reduce the micro bubbles?

 

[HPballer76]

yeah i would do over under over just before the return pump. what bio media are you talking about using? i would just have the main tank drain into a filter sock in the first section. have the skimmer and heater along with any other equipment you are going to use in the first section. the second section have your refugium and then just your return pump in the last section.

 

[barterking85]

yeah i would do over under over just before the return pump. what bio media are you talking about using? i would just have the main tank drain into a filter sock in the first section. have the skimmer and heater along with any other equipment you are going to use in the first section. the second section have your refugium and then just your return pump in the last section.

Ok took your advise and drew a new plan what do you think?

 

[HPballer76]

looks good to me. only thing i'm not sure about is the check valves. someone else will have to answer on those but i don't have any on my tank.

 

[HPballer76]

pics of my sump and plumbing can be found in the link in my sig.

 

[barterking85]

looks good to me. only thing i'm not sure about is the check valves. someone else will have to answer on those but i don't have any on my tank.

Ok I know I am using them for sure they stop water flow from going in the opposite direction incase of power outages which would lead to sump overflow

 

[carey]

I have a single check valve on my return line. I also have ball valves on both in and out lines just in case. I wouldnt rely just on a check valve though, they can fail. Make sure you put a small hole in the return line where it is just under the water in the tank so that if the check valve fails at least the hole will break the back siphon.

 

[Ibrahim]

Ok I know I am using them for sure they stop water flow from going in the opposite direction incase of power outages which would lead to sump overflow

Some times they get clogged which will lead to problems. You don't need a check valve on the input. It can get clogged even faster since that's where water that hasn't been filtered comes in from.

 

[barterking85]

I have a single check valve on my return line. I also have ball valves on both in and out lines just in case. I wouldnt rely just on a check valve though, they can fail. Make sure you put a small hole in the return line where it is just under the water in the tank so that if the check valve fails at least the hole will break the back siphon.

That's a great idea just wondering where to put the hole my tank will be drilled with bulkheads

 

[barterking85]

Some times they get clogged which will lead to problems. You don't need a check valve on the input. It can get clogged even faster since that's where water that hasn't been filtered comes in from.

That's a good point too I just want to make sure I don't overflow if the power goes out

 

[carey]

If the power goes out the input will only drain to the grates on the overflow you have, not a drop more. I keep my water just above the grates on two of my tanks so in case of power outage only a small amount goes down to the sump. Since I have a check valve on the return line it also doesn't back siphon more than a few ounces at best.