Sump help!!!!

[Unicorn]

Hi,
I started a thread in a different part and needed help with the sump set up. Sadly nobody answered so far and I really need some input before i start messing everything up
Still debating the skimmer issue, dont know how much space it will need and where to place it with the drawn set up

ANY HELP WELCOME!

 

[e_murray]

Nice drawing looks like you got it figured out! Just need a section for the skimmer! Maybe divide the Rubble section in 2 and use first half for the skimmer.

 

[Unicorn]

Nice drawing looks like you got it figured out! Just need a section for the skimmer! Maybe divide the Rubble section in 2 and use first half for the skimmer.

THX MURRAY!!!
do you know approximately how much space that would be?!

 

[e_murray]

It all depends on how large the skimmer is. When you decide which one your going to buy it will tell you how much room you need to have.

 

[carey]

This site has the footprints for the skimmers listed. Usually youre looking at like 8X10 or so.

Protein Skimmer, Protein Skimmers, Aquarium Marine Reef Foam Fractionators

 

[Unicorn]

Thx guys
Well, I think by the time I found a skimmer I will just have to move around some rocks and place the skimmer Ina cleared area in the rock section. Don't want to reserve an area already and then don't have the space for it cuz they appear to vary somewhat in size
Hope it'll work out

BTW any special recommendation for sealant/silicone for the acrylic I'm cutting and placing into the sump? I just bought the regular stuff that was displayed there at HD

Also what do I use to glue together the PVC pipes? It the regular PVC pipe glue ok?

 

[carey]

If youre planning on a skimmer in the future just make sure you put it BEFORE your refugium so you dont whipe out your pods.

No idea about the silicone, sorry, I took the easy way put and bought a premade sump. LOL

 

[Unicorn]

If youre planning on a skimmer in the future just make sure you put it BEFORE your refugium so you dont whipe out your pods.

Definetly so LOL I'm planing on having the refugium on the complete opposite site and flowing into the return section without ever seeing the other part of the sump
In the drawig it's all the way to the right side
Thx for the help!!

 

[Heera]

Nice layout.
Look for aquarium safe silicon.

IMO use something else to hold things together temp. For a few weeks and test it out.

In case you want to modify it later.

 

[Unicorn]

Nice layout.
Look for aquarium safe silicon.

IMO use something else to hold things together temp. For a few weeks and test it out.

In case you want to modify it later.

Thx Heera!
Yeah, after spendin a loooong long time at Home depot I finally went to my LFS and bought the aquarium safe silicone LOL don't want to risk anything

I re-did my layout for the sump, maybe somebody wants to comment... Please!!!

 

[cabezon]

I like #2 better. Although I have been told ball valves on a return are asking for trouble. I would put a reducer on it, and control flow with the height of the return, maybe one ball valve on the fuge. You don't need to T it off to the sock with another ball valve.

 

[Unicorn]

I like #2 better. Although I have been told ball valves on a return are asking for trouble. I would put a reducer on it, and control flow with the height of the return, maybe one ball valve on the fuge. You don't need to T it off to the sock with another ball valve.

Thank you I was wondering about the valve for the return, ppl said that it won't hurt the pump... But it seams it would have to work harder to work against the pressure... Dunno
Definitely will have ball valve on refugium intake to control flow, don't want it to be too strong so my pods can go big and strong LOL

anybody know anything about macro algae? I need one that doesn't go sexual on me... And I don't just want chaeto

 

[carey]

I use a ball valve on my return, I have a bigger return pump than my overflow can handle so I have to throttle it back a bit. Havent had any issues yet.

 

[Unicorn]

I use a ball valve on my return, I have a bigger return pump than my overflow can handle so I have to throttle it back a bit. Havent had any issues yet.

I was wondering about that TOO lol
So much stuff to wonder about :-/
Well, we bought 2 Mag 7, and we have 2 overflows... Didn't want to go with a too strong of a pump incase of overflows being unable to handle water amount
The overflow directed to the refugium will have less flow than the other one... Hope it'll work out

 

[carey]

This may be a dumb question, but why did you decide on 2 overflows and 2 returns? I have a dual overflow and single return and I have my refugium in the middle of the sump between the skimmer compartment abnd the return compartment.

Sorry if you've answered this already lol

 

[Unicorn]

This may be a dumb question, but why did you decide on 2 overflows and 2 returns? I have a dual overflow and single return and I have my refugium in the middle of the sump between the skimmer compartment abnd the return compartment.

Sorry if you've answered this already lol

Dont worry, haven't written anything about that yet
Well, my boyfriend is a big better-safe-than-sorry kinda guy (nothing wrong with that) and he wanted 2 so that when one fails we still have the second one to fall back to.
Also I want to use only PVC where PVC is needed and mostly have hoses for easy installation, able to move around/flexible, and less noise... 2 pumps made more sense with the installation

Why? Is there gonna be a problem?!?!?!

 

[carey]

Nah, I wouldnt think so...but if one pump goes down the other will keep the flow going BUT also it will keep the tank full almost and the other overflow will continue to put water into your sump, maybe at a rate thats too much for the sump to hold.

Not sure if I wrote that down right, it's in my head what I'm trying to say LOL

I guess I mean you will have more water going in than going out. Thast the only issue I can forsee. But I am soooo not a sump guru, I just set my first one up a few months ago. hehe...

Maybe someone else can jump in...

 

[Unicorn]

Nah, I wouldnt think so...but if one pump goes down the other will keep the flow going BUT also it will keep the tank full almost and the other overflow will continue to put water into your sump, maybe at a rate thats too much for the sump to hold.

Not sure if I wrote that down right, it's in my head what I'm trying to say LOL

I guess I mean you will have more water going in than going out. Thast the only issue I can forsee. But I am soooo not a sump guru, I just set my first one up a few months ago. hehe...

Maybe someone else can jump in...

Hmmmm... My understanding was that only the amount that gets pumped can return. So if one fails the other will still pump but there will be less flow altogether. The sump shouldn't overflow bc the pump is not putting that much water in the tank to come back to do that... At least that's the logic in my blond head

 

[carey]

Unless you adjust one of the overflows up it will still drain into the sump at the same rate it did before, it's still only gravity. So if you have a total of 600gph going down to the sump and only a 300gph pump working, ( if one pump goes down) you will end up with extra water in your sump.

Maybe I'm missing something, I'm not blonde but I do have my blonde moments lol.

 

[Unicorn]

Well, one of the overflows is gonna be slowed down anyways for the refugium
But if only one pump pumps 300, there will only be 300 coming back down.
There will be more water initially bc of what 2 pumps pumped, but then it will slow down to whatever 1 will do....

I think we need a 3rd opinion :b