Comment on this sump/fuge

[nel621]

Tank 135
Sump 20L
return pump mag 9.5? haven't purchased yet
2 overflows with U tube design 600gph ea
skimmer to one side- still researching brand
one overflow will drain to the left and one to the right and return up the middle split left and right and back into the tank.Baffles are not drawn to correct size.Lucky I can draw what I did,ha!Tank is not drilled of course, so should the pipes entering the tank just go to the top or all the way down inside the tank.Is it a bad idea to have 2 overflow boxes?TIA for your help

 

[nel621]

Also is there an advantage to having the skimmer in sump or external?

 

[al mc]

Disdvantage to internal skimmer is that it takes up space/decreases the your system's total water volume. Consider an extermal one. Your plan with the double overflows is fine IMO.
Get a return pump rated for what the double overflows can handle and put a ball valve in the return line so that you can throttle the return flow back a bit if you need to..works great..... OR put a ball valve and a 'T' in the return and allow some to be returned directly back into the sump.

 

[wattsupdoc]

IMO the 20 is too small a sump/fuge for that size tank. I'd do something a little bigger if it were me. It might work out OK, but your gonna be tight on the backwash. With just a few gallons in the sump/fuge. Figure 10 gallons for backwash. You should be OK with that number. External skimmer will dump onto the floor if it overflows, internal wont. You're better off IMO providing the room for the internal skimmer. Dual OF would be fine, as Al said match the pump to their combined rated flow rate. Then do as he stated and split the return, just like he said.

 

[camanuch]

Just remember when doing a fuge the flow rate should not be too great. You want a good flow but too much it will really do nothing. IMO a steady non overpowering flow is better. You can use power heads or closed loop system for flow in tank. Also I would got at least a 35gal or even bigger for the sump.

 

[nel621]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2529586
IMO the 20 is too small a sump/fuge for that size tank. I'd do something a little bigger if it were me. It might work out OK, but your gonna be tight on the backwash. With just a few gallons in the sump/fuge. Figure 10 gallons for backwash. You should be OK with that number. External skimmer will dump onto the floor if it overflows, internal wont. You're better off IMO providing the room for the internal skimmer. Dual OF would be fine, as Al said match the pump to their combined rated flow rate. Then do as he stated and split the return, just like he said.

Ok how about a 29g.I have one set up as a qt right now.I can put that under the 135g and make a qt out of the 20L.Also I was of thinking about about using 1 in.pipe for the Overflow and 3/4 for the return.I'm trying to make my fuge similar to the one you helped drpaul84 design.Do you think that design will also work on the bigger tank?

 

[nel621]

Originally Posted by camanuch
http:///forum/post/2530090
Just remember when doing a fuge the flow rate should not be too great. You want a good flow but too much it will really do nothing. IMO a steady non overpowering flow is better. You can use power heads or closed loop system for flow in tank. Also I would got at least a 35gal or even bigger for the sump.
I think with the 2 OF at each end of the DT going into both sides of the fuge the flow shouldn't be too strong,yes?I will add valves to each OF in case the flow is too strong.Also I think I will just have the return plumbed all the way into the tank,no tee off back to the sump.Sounds ok to you?Thanks

 

[nel621]

I leaning more towards in sump skimmer.Yes they do take up more room in the sump but I think provide some peace of mind if something goes wrong.It can't leak onto the floor.Unless everything went wrong and the entire sump flooded.Oh no!