10G sump

[orbit]

hi

i have a 10 gallon tank laying around, so i figure ill use it as a sump

i already have my 20G stocked so drilling the tank is out of the question, i was thinking of getting this overflow the 300 gph

in the sump i would like to fit my coralife skimmer (65), cheatos, heater

since its only 10G i dont think i can use the skimmer in sump, so i have no problem using it as a hang on back

heres what i have in mind


this was just a rough draft, so i dont think the measurement are precise, can someone help me design a better one? this is my fist sump, so i dont really know how to design one, i was looking at melevs reef design lol :P

also i wanted to ask how do i know what return pump to get?

i also want to put in a phosban reactor lol...am i trying to put too much in a 10G sump?

i dont really care how big the cheato area is, alittle bit is better than nothing right? rofl

Thanks
Orbit

[orbit]

bump

anyone?

also can some one tell me what i will need? because i plan on goin to Home depot tomorrow to pick up the items

thanks

[JUNI0R]

I fit the coralife 65 skimmer in my 10g sump, along with some chaeto. This is an old picture but you should get the idea. I added baffles to section off the middle area to grow chaeto, I also have some rock rubble in there. I have ordered the phoban reactor and should be installing it (trying to make it fit) this weekend. After I install it I will take a picture so you can see how I fit everything in my sump. I am using a mag 2 for my return pump, I just guessed at which one I should use, the flow is around 200gph from this pump which seems to work good for me.

[JUNI0R]

by the way, if you are making baffles in the 10 gallon tank, Lowes (HD probably sells something similar) has 8" x 10" pieces of acrylic that make good baffles (my 10g is 10" wide) so I sanded a little off the side and put them in there sideways and used silicone to hold them in place.

[Toddrtrex]

I set up my 10 gallon sump a little bit differently ( for my 29 [used a bigger skimmer, ASM 1GX, so didn't have room for a fuge ])

Here are a couple of pictures of it.





As for the overflow box you are planning on using, I would suggest looking at the LifeReef one, similar design ( U tube ) but done better, I had to modify my Eshopps one so that it wouldn't lose siphon when I shut off the main pump -- the U-Tube was too short and the boxes aren't deep enough.

[orbit]

cool thanks

how do i choose a return pump?

and also what kind of plumbing do i need?

[JUNI0R]

First you determine the flow rate you want through your sump, then you need to figure the amount of friction losses, reef central has a good calculator for determining this. (Heald Loss Calculator ) You can cheat and use the dropdown box to select different pumps and the headloss calculator will tell you the flow from your return pump. IMO I would shoot for around 200 gph for your sump.
For plumbing just use pvc.

Hopefully that makes sense.

[orbit]

im still deciding which overflow to get but lets say for instant i get the this overflow (PF-300), 300 gph
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...=overflow&Np=1

will a return pump like this maxijet work... the Model 1200 (295 gph)
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...09&pcatid=4609


can i use this for the return part
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...0&pcatid=14680

[Sambooty]

I'd spend the extra bucks and get the CPR overflow box with siphon control on it. Seems to be the best out there from what i've read/heard.

Here's a Sketch of my sump/refugium i'm building it includes a 20G long aquarium and a 10G refugium.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...7c63b0a1b6df5d

Download Sketch it up and view the Sketch from all angles very cool program.

[mg426]

I would steer clear of the CPR overflows. The best type to use are a quality U tube type. Look here www.lifereef.com

[orbit]

okay so i changed my design alittle, i made it so that the skimmer works first, that there are baffles, then cheato,then return pump

o as for the overflow box i think im getting this one
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ct~CR1511.html
for the air tubing can i connect the air tubing from one of my maxijets?

heres an image of it


the skimmer is not actually "boxed" in, i just didnt want to draw the circles but i think that the right dimensions for that skimmer (coralife 65)

the baffles are as follows, (they are 1 inch apart)
1st - 6 inch tall
2nd - 10 inch tall
3rd - 6 inch tall

the area for the return pump is actually "boxed" in tho, with egg crates to prevent cheato from flowing in

where is the best place to put the heater? can i put them with the cheato? of should i place it where the skimmer is located

[orbit]

also i wanted to ask this

i found this on marine depot
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...121~tab~1.html

this Flow Rate (gph) vs Pumping Height (Feet) chart

so does that mean the the distance the tank to the sump will determine the flow rate of the return pump

[rick12]

Originally posted by mg426
I would steer clear of the CPR overflows. The best type to use are a quality U tube type. Look here www.lifereef.com

i use the CPR overflow, but i don't have experience with the u-tube overflows. why would u choose the u-tube over the CPR?

[cur10u5g30rg3]

The distance the pump has to push water definately plays a part in the flow of the return. I would setup using a pump that pushed around 400 gallons, like a mag 3. That way you have some good flow to help with water motion in the display. By the time you lose what you will from lifting the water to your display you will have a good match for the 300 gph overflow.

[xpxdx]

here's my 10 gal sump with CSS65... behind the stand brace are over-under-over baffles... this was when i first set it up, it's much cleaner looking now with the wires and all... but the basic idea is the same.



oh, and drill the tank! so much nicer than the hang-on overflows.

[JOSEPHLB]

Originally posted by JUNI0R
by the way, if you are making baffles in the 10 gallon tank, Lowes (HD probably sells something similar) has 8" x 10" pieces of acrylic that make good baffles (my 10g is 10" wide) so I sanded a little off the side and put them in there sideways and used silicone to hold them in place.

I'd watch out for expansion of the acrylic.

Its generally recommended to use glass baffles , for glass tank sumps; acrylic baffles, for acrylic tank sumps.

[orbit]

xpxdx: i like the setup of your sump, kinda similar to mine, however drilling the tank is not an option for me right now, because my tank is already stocked.

also do u remember the dimensions of your baffles?

so when u use the skimmer as a hang on back u dont need the bubble defuser anymore? u have no micro bubbles?

also my sump will be directly under the display, i think there will be like a 2 - 3 feet apart, so will i have any problem with flow if i get the mag drive 3 and the CPR CS50( 300 GPH)

[xpxdx]

i don't know the baffle dimensions, i measured the inside width of the tank and subtracted about 1/4 inch, and had them cut the glass for me at lowes. the gaps were bigger than i thought they would be, but the silicone filled them in, even tho it was messy... make sure you don't get the silicone with the mold inhibitors in it.

the over-under-over baffle, like you have in your drawing, pretty much kills the microbubbles before they get to the return pump, so the diffuser box isnt' necessary.. remember the tallest 'over' baffle sets the height of the water in that section..

i have no experience with mag pumps or those cpr overflows, but as long as your return isn't stronger than the overflow it should work, if it can keep the siphon... i had a hurricane u-tube overflow box and i hated it... you can always get a slightly stronger pump and T the return line back into the sump with a valve on it to control the flow better.

hope this helps man..

[Toddrtrex]

If you do any searching I think you will find that the CPR overflows aren't the best design out there. Having to hook up an aqualifter pump to make it work is a poor design waiting for failure.

Think you would be better off spending more money on a Lifereef overflow.

For that return tube you were looking at. ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...0&pcatid=14680 ) I tried it, and didn't like it. I personally don't like the fittings that it uses. I ended up just using PVC pipe for my return, is working great for me.

[orbit]

i just have two quick question, i think im going to use glass for my baffles and dividers

how do i cut the glass if its too big? what kind of tool do i need?

when im putting in the baffles, how do i put silicone in between the baffles?

[orbit]

anyone?

im planning to going to HD tomorrow and i want to get everything i need, so i dont have to make a second trip

i think my Hd has some glass pieces i need but its kinda big so im goin to have to cut it. what tools do i need?

ive never cut glass before

Thanks

[Toddrtrex]

I used acrylic baffles for the 3 sumps that I used, so I can't help with you with cutting them if too big. But, check the bottom of the tank that you are using -- make sure about where the bottom and the sides meet. Mine had silicone on the bottom on them, so I had to cut the bottom corners of the baffles to account for that.

Picture of the baffles' corners cut,



As for siliconing them. I ran a bead of silicone along the wall and bottom of the sump where I was going to place the baffle. Placed the baffle in, and then ran beads on both sides of the baffles.

Can kind of see what I am talking about in this picture. At this point I only had two baffles in so far. The piece of PVC under the one is to keep it at the proper height as it dried.

[orbit]

also can some one explain to me what a head loss calculation does?

i hear it come up alot when discussing sump and overflow

[drillsar]

I second Lifereef Overflow, CPR you will have problems with. Lifereef can be noisy though, so you may need the Aquasilencer for it. STAY away from CPR there awful.

[drillsar]

Head/Loss for every pipe vertical, horizontal feet, elbows, etc, the pump will lose flow, pumps have max feet they can push water through, so its important to find your loss, Example my tank uses a Mag 7 (700GPH before loss) My tank is actually using 475GPH after head loss.