Looking to build a 20 gallon sump

[honeysuckle11]

hey everyone i have a 30 gallon tank with a hangon fliter and looking to build a 20 gallon sump or will 10 do? and how do i go about measuring it all out? Plus what could be some good equipment to use in it? im looking to do corals and all. thank u for all the advice and help.

 

[jbree13]

Um, bigger the better! Your Gunna wanna put a protein skimmer in it, and a pump to get the water back up to the tank, so a 20 gallon would be better, but honestly it's your call..

 

[honeysuckle11]

i like to do a 20. i mean i have a protein skimmer now that good for a 40 gallon tank thats in my tank. i was going to use that for now. mean was told i can just i have to make sure i empty it more which i empty mine every day now. But how high do i know to cut out my glass or how to space it and all? Plus like what size pump would i want to use? is there a website to give me idea and all that u know of?

 

[Mrc8858]

With a 20 long you would have enough room to add a fuge which is a huge help to the system if properly done but you'll want to have the water go from your overflow into your skimmer section then flow over a baffle (piece of plexiglass or glass silconed in) into the fuge then through a bubble trap (a system of baffles causing most bubbles to float back up and not enter the return) into the return section housing your return pump that sends water back to the tank

 

[honeysuckle11]

ok the center section of baffles i see people make kinda like a box out off baffles and have like seaweed or something on top. how do i know how high to bring up my glass walls? plus i seen one guy have to pipes come out of the return for if the tank ever lost power that the water would go back to skimmer section. plus when people do like the 2 pieces of glass to break off each section is that how u do it?

 

[Ingy]

I HATE cutting glass. People who know how to do it say it's easy. Fortunately for me there's a window shop just down the street. They don't charge for cutting and I just pay by the square foot and they cut to order.
But if your fuge is acrylic use acrylic baffles.

 

[honeysuckle11]

its not like a whit plastic that all sqaures that u glue together?

 

[OscarFan76]

I'm currently building my 20g sump as well. I picked up a $8 piece of acrylic at lowes instead of glass. If you plan ahead and know what sizes you want then they will cut glass or acrylic for free.

I read online about movable baffles. I thought I would give that a shot, but I'm thinking I might have to silicon them in place.

Here is my attempt at movable baffles. I just have two in place with epdm weatherseal. I will finish the rest today. It is a work in progress and needs touched up.

 

[Mrc8858]

I like the idea for the sliders. Let me know if it works and what you used please

 

[Mrc8858]

Here's mine I built a few months ago

 

[honeysuckle11]

Can I ask u ur measure ment like how far apart and how big ur piece are and all plus can I ask y u did 3 piece on one and one on the other? I'm going to say far left is ur return side and right is skimmer and center is ur heater and bio ball or live rock or something to hold the bad stuff out?

 

[honeysuckle11]

hey can i ask what ur measurements og ur cut glass pieces and how thick the glass is? plus what would u recommand for a return pump for a 30 gallon tank? going to use a over flow box. another question do u have to have a light over the center one and how much watts does the light need to be?

 

[Mrc8858]

I forget the measurements to be honest but adding the extra baffles is the bubble trap. Mine actually goes (left to right) skimmer section, fuge, return and the fuge is lit by a simple cfl in a reflector housing which helps my chaeto grow and eat up nitrates and phosphates. The bubble trap though will help remove micro bubbles from your tank although mine isn't the preferred setup so just jump on Google, do a little research, and find what best suits you and your tank

 

[OscarFan76]

The one I just created is 6 inches on the overflow side, 3 panes for a bubble trap, 14 inch fuge area, a single baffle, and 7 inch return chamber.

 

[honeysuckle11]

So did u just make a square out og baffles and drop it in there and then on top of ur dividers u put baffles too

 

[OscarFan76]

I'm not sure I understand the question. I used the terms baffle/divider interchangeably. I have 3 on one side 2 connected to the bottom (low, high, low) for a bubble trap. They about 0.5 inch apart. The other side only has one which is connected to the bottom.

 

[honeysuckle11]

Yea sry I was confised I lthough like the white grit was a baffle now I understand now sry for theconfusing

 

[honeysuckle11]

what all is good to put in the refugium selection of the tank? i have all my measurement done. I was told to do a 2 inch sand bed in the bottom for a start is that true?

 

[Mrc8858]

A fuge helps with nitrate and phosphorus levels with the addition to macro algae (i use chaeto as do most) and it can also help stabalize your PH swing during the night/day switch. If you plan on keeping finicky eaters its also a great way to keep a tank populated with pods and a safe haven for small inverts

 

[honeysuckle11]

can i ask how do i know what a good size return pump would be back to my tank?