Sump

[Cb24]

I have a 90 gallon tank and was wondering what size sump you think would be good

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

You can go as big as you want. I'd go for 20-40. The more water, the better.

 

[dwayne.aycock]

I agree...just be sure to get an overflow valve in case your power goes off. Your tank would start to siphon and overflow your sump, leaving a river of water all over your floors.

 

[Ingy]

I agree...just be sure to get an overflow valve in case your power goes off. Your tank would start to siphon and overflow your sump, leaving a river of water all over your floors.

Proper planning can easily avoid this. When I shut off my return (for reaching the bottom of my 110 gal, 31" tall tank) the return reverse syphons back to the sump. Once the water level falls below the return nozzle, the syphon is broken and the backflow stops. This happens well below my overflow as well, so does represent the worst case scenario ( same as a power outage). As I have ample room in my sump for the DT to do this backflow, there is no disaster or rivers. And then I can reach the sand without getting my armpit into the water.
My sump normal level is only about 8" or so to the top of the return baffle. That determins my sump capacity for backflow.

Word of caution, if you decide to go with a checkvalve on the return line, they can leak. If they do, and you didn't provide enough room in your sump for a full backflow of DT water, then you could have a disaster as mentioned. So, checkvalves are a "fool's caution" and may not provide adaquate protection. Proper planning will.

 

[Cb24]

Besides like the skimmer and pump would I need anything else besides the piping(which is just the PVC pipes)?

 

[Ingy]

|Chaeto and a cheap CFL light bulb to keep it growing. An ATO is all but a must for a 90. I get about 1 gal per day of evap.

Then the options mount. Another pump to a reactor. Extra rocks for pods to grown in and get piped to the DT and feed the mandarin you get.

 

[Cb24]

Would you recommend a refugium or however you spell it? So I was planning on water from the tank going through the skimmer first then into the refugium then to the pump back to the tank..does sound good?

 

[Ingy]

Yup to both.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I have my 2 filter socks and skimmer in first chamber, 2nd chamber is 25lbs of live rock, chaeto, and heater. 3rd is my return pump, phosguard and carbon.

 

[Cb24]

I just wanna make sure I'm 100% correct before I make any moves with a sump..so you have the overflow box which connects directly to the skimmer which then pours into the refugium then that just pours into the next chamber where the pump is which shoots the water back up to the overflow box into the tank?

 

[Ingy]

No. The overflow drains directly into the first section of the sump. That is also where the skimmer is normally housed. The skimmer has its own pump to pump water and infused air into the skimmer chamber. the outflow from the skimmer is normally oriented away from the skimmer pump and towards the next section.
The return pump then feeds to a return nozzle located near the top of the tank, and preferably on the opposite side from the overflow, but still on the back side.

 

[Cb24]

Alright ya that's makes more sense..but after the skimmer do you need any piping or pumps to get it through to the refugium then to the return pump? Like I guess my question is how does the water get from chamber to chamber?

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

The baffles aren't usually the same height or 1 baffle sits off the bottom so that water is either priced over baffle or under baffle. Water should flow from left to right or whichever way your return pump pulls.

 

[Cb24]

Alright that's what I thought

 

[Fresh2o]

I agree...just be sure to get an overflow valve in case your power goes off. Your tank would start to siphon and overflow your sump, leaving a river of water all over your floors.

Drilling a small hole in the return pipe just above the water line will prevent it from siphoning water from the tank to the sump. A small jet of water will shoot out of the hole; this is normal. Be sure that the hole points to towards the tank (and not outside of the tank). Gunk, algae, and salt deposits might clog the hole; clearing it with a toothpick from time to time helps.

 

[Cb24]

How does the water flow to the sump? Does the overflow box take care of that?

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

The overflows take water to sump, then through chambers, then return pump pumps water back into tank. You will need to run a light over refug. Also know that having a sump causes more water evaporation. So have ro water on hand for top offs.