Sump design

Z-Ice · 08-30-2007, 04:28 PM

I am looking to build a sump and I need some design feedback. I must have the following inside the sump: UV sterilizer (w/ pump) 14” long 2-3” wide, heater 15” long.

What I must create in the sump: new filtration along with a protein skimmer.

Restrictions: Aquarium(sump) with protein skimmer must not exceed 15” height.

I had a local glass guy cut me some dividers for the filter, skimmer, and return pump.

This is what I got:
20L glass aquarium [30”x12”x12.5”]
1 sheet of egg crate [2’x4’]
The following pieces fits the aquarium snug from front to back. The differences are the height of the dividers.
# Size
2 – 10 5/8” tall
1 – 7¾” tall
3 – 7”tall
2 – 5 ½“ tall
5 – 4” tall

Misc glass pieces for raising up the egg crate:
6 – 1½”x1½”
2 – 1¼”x4”
3 – 7/8”x4”

I will be buying some bio-balls and a package of carbon filter. I was thinking of putting the carbon between layers of egg crate.

How would you design the sump with what I have??

My original design was filter -> Skimmer -> open area (heater/uv) -> return pump. I see many people have the skimmer go back into the filter area?? Can a skimmer have enough throughput to keep the system going or does it just grab a little water from the giant flow of water??

Thanks,
Zak
P.S. I know very poor drawing...go with it

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55 Gallon Glass Aquarium; 1-UV Sterilizer-(In tank ); 260 W Compact Fluorescent Lighting;Rena Filstar XP2; 2-Power heads;20 lbs live rock; 2-Ocellaris Anemonefish; 2-Fire Goby; 1-Royal Dottyback; 1-Blue Tang; 2-Banggai Cardinalfish; 1-Green Mandarin; 20 Blue Hermit Crabs; 8-Turbo Snails ; 2-Bubble Anemones; 1-Seabay Anemones; 1-Yellow Hand Coral; 1- Polyp; 5-Green Strip Mushroom; 2-Sandsifting Starfish; 1-Red Sponge; 1-Grub

Otty · 08-30-2007, 06:13 PM

I would make your return pump area bigger then that because that is where you will see your water evaporation. If you are using a auto-top off then you will be ok. Just remember no water in chamber means burned up pump.

Z-Ice · 08-30-2007, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otty

I would make your return pump area bigger then that because that is where you will see your water evaporation. If you are using a auto-top off then you will be ok. Just remember no water in chamber means burned up pump.

I already have a Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO.

I will be adding it to the sump. The easy add

Thanks for the info.

Zak

Otty · 08-30-2007, 06:39 PM

My first sump I built had a small pump chamber that could not make it to the third day without having to add water to the tank. Never could take a long vacation that's for sure.

Z-Ice · 09-22-2007, 10:41 AM

Ok, I need a bit more design help before I start sealing all the glass into place. My main question is: "Is the protein skimmer/bio-ball area too small??

Take a look at the attached pics:

http://www.z-ice.com/Aquarium/sump/DSC01923.jpg

http://www.z-ice.com/Aquarium/sump/DSC01926.jpg

http://www.z-ice.com/Aquarium/sump/DSC01927.jpg

http://www.z-ice.com/Aquarium/sump/DSC01928.jpg

The middle pieces of wood(in the middle) are representing my heater and UV [FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']sterilizer[/font]. The other pieces of wood are used to hold the glass in place.

Will this work? Or will the triangle bio-ball area / protein skimmer area run out of water??

Thanks,
Zak

Tangster · 09-22-2007, 02:39 PM

All you need to do is section of an area of about 1/3 of the sump to be the fuge then use the other 2/3rds for the sump pump and skimmer and what I have never seen a refugum set up like these to do that well .No slow flow areas for the solids to drop off and settle into .. Water passes over the plants to fast to feed them ..

Z-Ice · 09-22-2007, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tangster

All you need to do is section of an area of about 1/3 of the sump to be the fuge then use the other 2/3rds for the sump pump and skimmer and what I have never seen a refugum set up like these to do that well .No slow flow areas for the solids to drop off and settle into .. Water passes over the plants to fast to feed them ..

So what should I change? Make the triangle bioball + skimmer area a little bigger and remove the bulkhead between UV + heater and return pump?

2/3 area = heater + UV + return pump
1/3 area = skimmer + bioball intake

The reason for the barrier between skimmer and big section is to ensure no bubbles are in big area.

Zak
What shoud I do? What will work? Please make me a mspaint drawing. Thanks!
P.S. I do not have a refugum.

Otty · 09-22-2007, 06:08 PM

If your bio balls are going in the triangle next to the skimmer they will do little good. You need to have then above the water line and let water trickle over them. As for your return pump area, you are going to have problems with. The first baffle will be the height of the water in your pump chamber and with it not being any higher then that you will be sucking water swirls and have bubbles all in your tank. That return pump chamber shoudl be a 1/2 to 2/3 the height of the sump. Also you had better calculate how much water is going to drain from the tank when the power goes out and make sure you have that area in the sump or you will have a wet floor.
Hope all of this makes sense.

Z-Ice · 09-22-2007, 07:56 PM

Ok someone has to explain this simple thing to me. I very detailed wording. I am sooo confused and upset. I now have over 400 dollars in material and I cannot do anything!!! I will not build anything again. But anyway...I am done ranting.

Please explain.!?

http://www.z-ice.com/Aquarium/sump/sump.jpg

Based on my previous design.
How it works:
Water from an overflow, 1" input, goes into the green section. The section has bioballs from top to about 1" from the bottom. Eggcrate holds them up. The water is trapped in the first section which can be pumped into my protein skimmer. When the water overflows, 7 inches, it goes into the middle section(purple section). The middle section holds my UV and heater. The water finally flows over the bulkhead into the final section containing my return pump.(RED pump). The pump returns the water in a 3/4" line. The water level should remain 7 inches full. (correct??) What is wrong with the bioball section? What is wrong with the middle section? What is wrong with the pump return section? I will not be adding plants and stuff. I do not care. I just want a protein skimmer and H.O.T. is NOT an option! (sorry ranting again).

Great details are appreciated.

Thanks,
Zak

Otty · 09-22-2007, 10:33 PM

The height of that little baffle wall next to your retun pump is going to be the water level in the middle chamber as well as the pump chamber. You got to remember a thing called gravity.
You need to slow down and chill out Dude, getting all worked up over a sump build...

This should help, read away! Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums