Sump Design

[J_Escobar]

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of setting up a new 55 gallon reef tank, and i want to build a 30 gallon sump for it.
I have been reading a lot of information over the las couple of weeks and i came up with this design.
I will appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Ps. I have a hang-on Remora skimmer all ready

Thanks, J Escobar.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I don't know that the bioballs add anything positive. But the rest of the sump looks great.

 

[David S]

I wouldn't bother with mangroves,I would use chaeto you would need loads of mangroves to do anything.The bio balls section will be submersed,this wont work,they need to be above the water level but I wouldn't use them anyway.
I would also loose the filter at the bottom of the right hand section and use a filter sock instead.
the return pump section in the middle is the section which the water level will drop due to evaporation and will cause bubbles from the water falling from the fuge section.
I would personally have 2 baffles,one each side of the return pump.I would have the flow from both sides going over the first baffle and under the second,this will help eliminate the waterfall effect and reducing the air bubbles.
Hopes this helps

 

[Freshnoob1]

Is it a good thing to have a half of the water not even getting skimmed? Why not just have one line from overflow at one end then return oump at the other end? Or am i not getting something here?

 

[Sqasnatch]

It all circulates,, I don't think that's a big deal. However I don't like the design of the return water to the sump pump,, it doesn't look like many pods will get caught up in there to return to the tank

 

[Sqasnatch]

I would have the baffle on the left lower so that there's lots of flow to the return pump.. But you can still have water higher then the baffle. Just use it as a retainer wall

 

[Sqasnatch]

For the LR and such

 

[Smitty]

As I have recently done a 55g sump and did the same basic design and I regret that I did two overflows. I really wish I would have had intake on one side and return on the other and not have it split. SO many headaches with it. Yes, it is running and has been for several months but I STILL feel like ripping everything out and re-doing it (and leaving my tank without a sump while that is being done).

Good luck.