Got my 92 gallon corner tank! Need help with sump idea - Photos Attached

[icedtc]

Hey all,
Well I finally got my 92 gallon corner tank this weekend and spent all weekend repainting it and beginning to prep everything to get this baby up and running. The problem is that it didn't come pre-drilled as I expected and the guy I got it from had it pretty rigged how he did his sump.
I want to start out with a good design but am having a little trouble with my concept. I went out and got a 20 gallon tank which will be used for my sump and my plan was to get some acrylic sheets and have 3 bays, starting with a protein skimmer, then sandbed/live rock, following up to the return pump. Please take a look at the pics below as I am in need of some help if this setup will work.
The tank! It was in rough shape but she's looking pretty now. Put in about 70 gallons of water and no leaks!
Underneath with a 20 gallon tank just waiting to become a sump haha
His plumbing. The one on the left is the return. The one on the right he had as his siphon with a sheet of acrylic in the back corner on the tank itself. That way if it were to ever overflow, it would only be about 3 gallons of water. Obviously without it being drilled these go down the back of the tank but it won't look bad once painted black (using aquarium safe black of course!)
My rookie sump idea. Very rough sketch but I think you get the idea. What are your thoughts?
I originally thought this setup was coming just about "reef ready" but that was not the case. I got a great deal regardless but before I begin with my first ever sw tank...I want to ensure I am doing the right thing.
My real questions are:
Will his piping work out instead of a typical overflow box? Again, he had a acrylic sheet about 10" wide and 24" high in the back corner of the tank where the siphon pipe sat. So if the power ever went out, etc. it would only overflow a max of I'd say 3 gallons.
What do you think of my sump idea? I was thinking of using a reef octopus in sump skimmer rated for up to 150 gallons. Then leading into a sandbed/live rock area, followed by the return pump. Again, any ideas would be great. I have done tons of searching on DIY sumps...but am getting a little overwhelmed so i wanted to come to you guys.
Thanks so much for the help...I can't wait to get this baby up and running.

 

[mr. limpid]

First thing I see that you have tight up against the wall, you will eventually want to clean the back of glass you'll need to be able to get your arm back there. The sump idea, your skimmer and return pump will not run the same best to have a small entry area with top over flow, put your skimmer in its own compartment after the rocks. The skimmer needs a certain water level to run properly, so have a baffle at that height so the excess flows over into return water compartment. The only thing I never could figure out with this type of system is what happen when the power goes out, what stops the pump from pumping the sump dry when the power goes back on?

 

[icedtc]

Mr. Limpid,
In regards to it being tight up against the wall, I actually painted the outside of the glass on those two sides black so cleaning shouldn't be an issue.
In regards to my sump setup, you would say do the rocks first, followed by protein skimmer at its set height, then the return pump? How would that design be, any other suggestions?
Good question about when the power goes back on...what other options do I have?

So a sump setup like this is what you are recommending? With the intake having its own overflow area, then rocks, then skimmer to adjusted height, then finally return pump?

 

[mr. limpid]

"Good question about when the power goes back on...what other options do I have?" I don't know hopefully someone else does, I would like to know also. I would make the compartment for the rack as tall as you can so you can pack it full of rocks or have room to add Cheato.

 

[icedtc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/390352/got-my-92-gallon-corner-tank-need-help-with-sump-idea-photos-attached#post_3456152
"Good question about when the power goes back on...what other options do I have?" I don't know hopefully someone else does, I would like to know also. I would make the compartment for the rack as tall as you can so you can pack it full of rocks or have room to add Cheato.
That makes sense. I will definately make the height as high as I can so I can pack it well.
Hopefully others will chime in as well so I can begin the build up of it.
Does the plumbing setup seem ok? It's make out of 3/4" pvc...how will I know if it siphons enough water to be effective?

 

[deejeff442]

trying to figure out what you mean by pumping the sump dry when the power comes back on? the overflow does ,its not a closed system.you just need two baffle set ups in there.no need for the one on the left.so three compartments.all the same height on the baffles.the only one that will lower from evaporation is the return pump section.i run an external skimmer so i dont need a section on mine for it.i have a double overflow box.one feeds the skimmer and both drain to the sump.the section they drain in the sump i keep chato then one baffle set up and a rock rubble compartment .i have my return pump kinda burried in the rubble so it sucks the pods to the dt.i can get a pic up if you want.

 

[ekelly36]

I use 3/4 in pvc for my return and I can flow 1000 gph from my return no problem. I use a ball valve to regulate flow. My sump is a 20 gal long, 1st chamber houses my in piping from my overflow " gravity " and my skimmer, 2nd chamber has my LS/LR and mangroves, then a bubble trap with a filter and then my return chamber. Also have my heater in my 1st chamber as well.....

 

[icedtc]

A pic would be awesome!
So my setup should be more like this?
How will I know if one intake is enough? If i'm shooting for a 700gph return pump, how do I know the intake will siphon enough?

 

[icedtc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ekelly36 http:///t/390352/got-my-92-gallon-corner-tank-need-help-with-sump-idea-photos-attached#post_3456184
I use 3/4 in pvc for my return and I can flow 1000 gph from my return no problem. I use a ball valve to regulate flow. My sump is a 20 gal long, 1st chamber houses my in piping from my overflow " gravity " and my skimmer, 2nd chamber has my LS/LR and mangroves, then a bubble trap with a filter and then my return chamber. Also have my heater in my 1st chamber as well.....
Can you explain a bit more about the bubble trap? it that just more baffles?

 

[deejeff442]

if you build the baffle to drain to the return pump section on the bottom and not a waterfall over the top you wont get bubbles.the drawing looks good to me.
i couldnt figure out ,are you using an overflow box or durso stand pipes in a drilled tank?

 

[icedtc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/390352/got-my-92-gallon-corner-tank-need-help-with-sump-idea-photos-attached#post_3456193
if you build the baffle to drain to the return pump section on the bottom and not a waterfall over the top you wont get bubbles.the drawing looks good to me.
i couldnt figure out ,are you using an overflow box or durso stand pipes in a drilled tank?
It's not drilled sadly. He made his own kind of overflow box. Heres a top view of it I just drew up...

Thats the top view of the tank. The red line is where he put a piece of acrylic that is siliconed in. its about 1.5 " shorter than the overall tank height. This way if the power were to ever go out, it would only siphon that area really. it goes all the way to the bottom of the tank...but is like 1.5" shorter than where the water would be when all the way full.
Hope that makes sense to you?

 

[ekelly36]

The ball valve is just out of sight above the blue return hose. I dont have my skimmer in because I was having problems with it... need to get a new one... The return pump I have is more then enough.. I usually keep my ball valve at about half open or less... it really flows... this is my first sump system I have built so im sure I will change it up a bit later but im out of funds right now lol....

 

[icedtc]

Ekelly,
Awesome! Thats basically what I want to do. What is in the bay after the sand/plants?
Also, what kind of plants are those? Would you suggest that setup vs my idea of live rocks?

 

[deejeff442]

really no need for live rock. if i were you i would do a sand chato chamber instead of rocks.i only did rock because i have a 75 gallon sump and an external skimmer.chato on right,rock and return pump on left,a reactor on the left outside

 

[deejeff442]

really no need for live rock. if i were you i would do a sand chato chamber instead of rocks.i only did rock because i have a 75 gallon sump and an external skimmer.chato on right,rock and return pump on left,a reactor on the left outside

 

[deejeff442]

stupid computer said the first submit didnt work .

 

[beaslbob]

If I understand the pictures both the drain and return have valves to adjust.
I would recommend you look up pvc overflows here:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/370270/the-beaslbob-trap-s
(and other threads.)
As designed it looks like that under a power outage the drain will keep draining until the tube was below tank surface water level. Probably overflowing the sump and flooding. then on power return the hob syphon is broken and so the tank would fill up until the sump ran dry with possible display flooding.
the pvc overflow will drain to some level then stop and trap water in the hob syphon and water trap area. Then reestablish the drain when power returns.
Neither the drain nor the return line needs any valves to regulate flow. the overflow just matches whatever the pump is returning to the tank.
You do need to adjust and test;
1) power out. (no flooding) (be sure to break siphon on return line)
2) power return (normal operation returns).
3) drain failure (siphon or blackage) sump runs dry before display floods.
If you need more explaination pm me or ask or check out the many threads here.
my .02

 

[sweatervest13]

I would drill that baby, or get an overflow. It seems like to many what "if's". check out g l a s s h o l e s . c o m they make some cool after market kits where you can drill the tank yourself. I was going to do this to a 125g I bought off of craigslist but decided to buy a new reef ready tank instead. The tank looks really cool BTW. I like the back two sides painted black. Should look BA once you get the plumbing figured out.

 

[xandrew245x]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/390352/got-my-92-gallon-corner-tank-need-help-with-sump-idea-photos-attached#post_3456465
I would drill that baby, or get an overflow. It seems like to many what "if's". check out g l a s s h o l e s . c o m they make some cool after market kits where you can drill the tank yourself. I was going to do this to a 125g I bought off of craigslist but decided to buy a new reef ready tank instead. The tank looks really cool BTW. I like the back two sides painted black. Should look BA once you get the plumbing figured out.
DO NOT drill your tank until you are sure the panel you are drilling is NOT tempered glass. If you attempt to drill tempered glass on your own you will shatter your glass!