Judge My Sump Please

Chago09 · #1 03/30/2007, 05:56 PM

OK I need some comments on my sump and to know if this can work without problems. It is a 55 standard tank 48" x 13"x 20". I want to know if my sections are to small, water flow won't work or whatever else I should know please let me know. Please carefully inspect it.

I am going to do the following. You can see in the pic below that the water starts in on the left side going through submerged bioballs. I will only be leaving 3" of space for a thin layer of bioballs for added bio filtration since I won't be having 1lb per gallon and its only a FOWLR. Then the water will be in a 1 foot section that will be used to house a protein skimmer. The section is 1 foot by 1 foot so I assume will be large enough.

Next my first partition comes in and it will be a piece that is 6" tall then a 2" gap and then a piece that is 12" tall. This will be right to the top, should I leave some space at the top incase poweroutage??? or that doesn't matter does it.

After this partition will be my 24" x 12" refuge. I will be putting in 3" reef sand with about 15lbs of live rock, with some chaeto or whatever it's called lol. Then the refuge is followed by a 11.5" partition because this is where I want my water level to be at since I calculated that I need 17 gallons of room in the sump in case of a power outage. So that works out to about 7" from the top in a 55 so I will be leaving about 8.5" just to be safe.

After the 11" partition I leave only 2" of space and will be adding in my bubble trap by having similiar to the first partition with a 6" piece followed by a 2" gap then a 12" piece. After that I left 7" for my pump space. Take a look let me know what you think

fishtk75 · #2 03/30/2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chago09
OK I need some comments on my sump and to know if this can work without problems. It is a 55 standard tank 48" x 13"x 20". I want to know if my sections are to small, water flow won't work or whatever else I should know please let me know. Please carefully inspect it.

I am going to do the following. You can see in the pic below that the water starts in on the left side going through submerged bioballs. I will only be leaving 3" of space for a thin layer of bioballs for added bio filtration since I won't be having 1lb per gallon and its only a FOWLR. Then the water will be in a 1 foot section that will be used to house a protein skimmer. The section is 1 foot by 1 foot so I assume will be large enough.

Next my first partition comes in and it will be a piece that is 6" tall then a 2" gap and then a piece that is 12" tall. This will be right to the top, should I leave some space at the top incase poweroutage??? or that doesn't matter does it.

After this partition will be my 24" x 12" refuge. I will be putting in 3" reef sand with about 15lbs of live rock, with some chaeto or whatever it's called lol. Then the refuge is followed by a 11.5" partition because this is where I want my water level to be at since I calculated that I need 17 gallons of room in the sump in case of a power outage. So that works out to about 7" from the top in a 55 so I will be leaving about 8.5" just to be safe.

After the 11" partition I leave only 2" of space and will be adding in my bubble trap by having similiar to the first partition with a 6" piece followed by a 2" gap then a 12" piece. After that I left 7" for my pump space. Take a look let me know what you think

The first partion of egg crate I have all acrylic 2 inch from top water over top to skimmer.
no bioballs in first area the live rock is your bio filter. 2" max sand not fine so it will not blow away easy.
The #2 piece of partition beside skimmer in red I would not have in two parts but one from bottom up to the height you need the skimmer to work as to what the company said to be at.
Say 7 inches to the top then the water goes over top down into the reuguim to the #3 in red the same size. I hope it helps. also this link

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/glass/

Chago09 · #3 03/30/2007, 06:47 PM

so can crushed coral work??? that wont blow

Brianr0131 · #4 03/30/2007, 07:53 PM

I don't think 12 x 12 is enough room for skimmer and pump especially if there's ever a problem. Also how much space will you have between top of sump and bottom of tank?

Chago09 · #5 03/31/2007, 12:11 PM

wow I thought more people would be able to critique my sump it cant be perfect.

fishtk75 · #6 04/01/2007, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chago09
so can crushed coral work??? that wont blow

Yes crushed is ok that is the water over the top down in the refuge so it will not stur up the sand I am talking about the very fine bags of olite.
Did you see that link of the pics?
And as the last member said you need more room for the skimmer and to let the mico bubbles time to delete them to the top that is why I said to have the first water go over top.
And the bioballs make too much Nitrates that is why live rock is used.

So you know you do not need a big pump to move the water from the sump back to the tank. Only 1-3 times the size of the main tank.I have a 75 gal tank with a 9.5 mag 950 gphthen changed to a 3 mag 300gph why I read The Reef Auuarium book by Delbeek the slower you have the water though the sump the more time the skimmer will pick up organic out of the water so I changed the pump to 3 mag and the skimmer work 3 times better also the bubbles cut down 10x also for them to come to the top of the sump not pushing them thought to the tank you may have to put a filter sock on the skimmer to cut the mico bubbles down or more baffles.

rocketman2005 · #7 04/01/2007, 07:56 AM

it looks almost exactly like the one i made, and i haven't had a single problem with it yet, the only thing i may do would be to increase the size of the tank where the pump is so you dont' have to add water as freq.

Chago09 · #8 04/01/2007, 07:10 PM

y are micorbubbles so bad???? I don't even know what it is, although everyone seems to hate them lol what is it and why is it bad???

fishtk75 · #9 04/02/2007, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chago09
y are micorbubbles so bad???? I don't even know what it is, although everyone seems to hate them lol what is it and why is it bad???

well, i'm no scientist, but from from others and my experience......micro bubbles short term seem to okay, but long term exposure is not good. air pockets will build and smother. sponges are first goners. than clams, which will have a hard time purging air pockets inside. small coral polyps will become encapsulated by air bubbles. air pockets will form under structures and grow to encompass entire certain specimens. fish will begin suffer from the micro bubbles expanding from within their bloodstream. it is a horrible death. i'm ashamed that it happened to me and i will never underestimate the power of micro-bubbles.

fishtk75 · #10 04/03/2007, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fishtk75
well, i'm no scientist, but from from others and my experience......micro bubbles short term seem to okay, but long term exposure is not good. air pockets will build and smother. sponges are first goners. than clams, which will have a hard time purging air pockets inside. small coral polyps will become encapsulated by air bubbles. air pockets will form under structures and grow to encompass entire certain specimens. fish will begin suffer from the micro bubbles expanding from within their bloodstream. it is a horrible death. i'm ashamed that it happened to me and i will never underestimate the power of micro-bubbles.

So you all know this is what was told to me I just do not like to see too many IMO.
Here is a link I was told that tells the true story.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.php

mcwl · #11 04/03/2007, 11:18 PM

Looks better than mine. Looks great

sgarrett1108 · #12 04/03/2007, 11:59 PM

If you are really interested in seeing what people thing post it in the DIY forum.