20 gal glass tank for sump

[ellisz]

Hi all,

I am wanting to phase out the wet/dry I am currently using and replace it with a 20 gal glass tank. Main purpose is to put more water in the system and to allow me to do water changes without disturbing the water in the tank.

I have a 75 gal with about 80 lbs of LR. I know I could use more but I am planning on getting some more LR for this tank and the 29 gal I am starting. I have a MAG7 pump as the return pump and a MAG5 for the Berlin classic skimmer.

My main question is about the skimmer. I planned on putting the skimmer in the sump but the skimmer returns are so high up and I don't want to hear water running all the time. I would like to have about 15 gal in the 20 gal tank most of the time depending on evaporation. Any ideas for this? I don't believe the tubes can be under water ...

Also, from what I read, I can get glass sheets cut to make a 3 wall baffle. Is this the best easiest way to prevent micro bubbles?

I am going to start taking the bioballs out of the wet/dry. I cycled the tank with 45 lbs of LR(fiji) and 5 lbs of base rock. I later added 30lbs FL LR. I also have a 4" DSB that I seeded with 10 lbs of LS. Should I take about 1/3 out every week or can I do it faster. I have 2 damsels, a percula clown, CBS, 15 hermits, 7 snails and 6 hitchhiker clams.

Thanks

 

[Smonkey15]

My main question is about the skimmer. I planned on putting the skimmer in the sump but the skimmer returns are so high up and I don't want to hear water running all the time.

i was wondering the same thing.
steve

 

[fishfreek]

Can you put some extensions on the return to get them closer to the water surface?

You can put a few baffles in the sump if you want. I use a 30 gal long tank for my sump and dont have any baffles in it at all. I have my overflow drains on one side of the tank and the sump return on the other side.

Where you going to use a 20L or a 20H for your sump?

 

[ellisz]

I got 2 20 gal tanks for free so I was not sure what they were when I got them. After seeing them, I believe they are 20 highs. I think a long would be better but not sure if it really matters. I guess for bubbles a long might be best?

I can still leave the skimmer outside the sump but it would be nice to have it all in the sump. I would like to have enough room underneath to put an auto top off bucket as well.

I guess I could put the skimmer in the middle and let it drain towards one end and then put the return pump on the opposite side.

Do you guys put any kind of filter media to collect bigger junk that will come down into the sump? I have prefilters on both of my pumps right now.

 

[ellisz]

I was thinking that maybe I could put a 5 gal tank or container in the 20 and let the drain from the 75 come into the smaller container. The water would just go over the top of the smaller container and then fill the 20 gal. I could also have the skimmer dump into the smaller container since the water level here will be constant.

Would the water running over the side of the container effectively reduce the micro bubbles? I have heard of people using different size containers for the sump but was never sure how it was done.