Looking to build a 20 gallon sump

[Mrc8858]

Your sump will be a product of your own design and needs though and everyone's will probably be slightly different.. you just need to understand the basics of why your using a sump/rufuge and then you can make it to best suit you

 

[honeysuckle11]

yea i agree with that. i mean i understand y i want to use sump and with all the information u gave and with what i looked up and all i think its a piece of cake to build but will just take some time to build it. so u only have 2 sponges in ue last baffle and thats it?

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya filtration wise I've got as of now not in the pic. A nylon sock that drains directly into my mesh sock for a finer filtration then enters my skimmer section to be skimmed. It then enters the fuge where my algae,pods, and other small life helps naturally clean up the water. It then enters my bubble trap which must pass through the sponges for a final mechanical filter to reduce fuge waste/debris from entering. From there 2/3s of it enters the return pump to go back to the tank and 1/3 enters my Uv sterilizer which then sends it back to the skimmer section to start all over

 

[honeysuckle11]

so u dont just have it run straight though u have like a second pip which feed water back to the start again? like i was going to have it run from my tank down though a nylon sock which then wil go into my skimmer section. Then though my bubble trap with sponges in the end like urs then into my refugium and then into my return pump. u saying i should put my bubble trap after my refugium?

 

[honeysuckle11]

wa going to use 1/8 glass but people are telling me to use 1/4 inch

 

[Mrc8858]

That's up to you on the bubble trap placement some put it first some last.. I personally like it last because I feel the micro bubbles are a good addition to the fuge (no science to back me up all speculation lol) and yes I have a soft line running from my Uv sterilizer to send back some water cause just like your skimmer its all about contact time.. the more you have with out restricting flow the better

 

[Mrc8858]

wa going to use 1/8 glass but people are telling me to use 1/4 inch

1/8 I would only use for 10 gallons but you COULD use it for a bit larger but when it comes to your SW tank cutting corners can actually cost you a LOT of $ lol

 

[honeysuckle11]

maybe i do my bubble trap then like yours i kinda see ur point cause just will be fliter more by the end. im going to saying when running all this stuff u wont have it run on the first shot with having the return pump and over flow box working perfect together or it easy to set up? Plus ur uv stereilizer that in ur refugium or in ur return tank?

 

[honeysuckle11]

yea i agree with u there i not cutting any corners with salt water. its like 16 buck for a 18 by 24 inch piece at lowes

 

[Mrc8858]

If your tank is drilled it is very simple. Gravity does the work for you. If your using a HOB overflow you'll have to match the siphon gph with a return pump which can be difficult but my sterilizer is attached to the wall of my stand here's some pics (need to clean my socks lol)

 

[honeysuckle11]

just see i have a HOB fliter now so i dont have holes drill i be switch to a HOB overflow box to run down to the sump. Do i need to uv sterilizer in my sump? looks like all u use it for it to feed water back right? only other thing it my protein skimmer isnt that big and tall but i know i have to empty mind alot more which is no big deal i empty everyday now. So ur saying i may run into problems finding a return pump to match gph as a overflow box

 

[honeysuckle11]

so ur uv sterilizer it just like a mini pump that pumps water back to ur skimmer box?

 

[Mrc8858]

The Uv sterilizer isn't mandatory on small tanks or any at that matter but the Uv light kills off a lot of bad stuff in the water hence "sterilizer" lol and for the return pump issue most people dial in there flow to match by adding a ball valve right above the pump in the hardline to adjust you gph so start with one that is a bit more then enough and then back it off til its a match

 

[honeysuckle11]

so the uv light is over ur refugium then? whats the little black roll pipe with the two hose that feed water from ur return to ur skimmer? just a mini pump?

 

[Mrc8858]

That is the Uv sterilizer lol The light needs to be contained cause it is damaging to your eyes and is more effective that way

 

[honeysuckle11]

oh ok lol can u tell im new at this lol sry if im asking stupid question. do u have to have one of them on ur sump? i feel like it will make ot better water condions and do u have to tune that to siphon so much back to the skimmer tank to?

 

[Mrc8858]

Don't worry I was in the same place you are last year lol. You don't need one some people do perfectly fine never using them but it doesn't hurt to have it either. It's ran by a lil 100gph pump

 

[honeysuckle11]

Really 100 gph

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya you don't want to much flow. Once again its about the contact time lol

 

[honeysuckle11]

so u have 2 return pump then one to return to the tank the other return though the uv to the skimmer? can i ask whats ur gph from tank to skimmer and whats ur gph from return to tank?