Help me complete my list of what i need

[chevyrulzs2010]

Ok, well i still do not have my salt water take yet. Why this hobby has to be so damn expensive beats me. But i am making a list of everything i want and need for my tank. That way all i have to do is piece together my tank slowly but surely.
I am planning on getting a 125 - 150 gallon tank. I want to do a sump set up, i currently have a 55 gallon TEMPERED glass freshwater aquarium that i would probably use to make a home made sump. I have a fluval 405 canister filter for extra filtration (or a back up). I have a 300 watt heater for my 55 gallon currently. And i have some knowledge of the hobby. I want to use this thread as a resource to decide on the equipment i want to use and for advice.
The Equipment List
55 gallon tank for sump
300 watt heater
Fluval 405 Canister Filter
The Questions
1. What is the ration for gallons in the DT to gallons in the Sump? Is 125 ok with a smaller sump with refuge then 55 gallons.
2. Is there a good chart available for flow rates of PVC pipes.
3. How many chambers are needed in a sump.
4. If a completely divided the 55 into a 40 gallon section and a 15 gallon section, could the 15 gallon section (water tight from 40 gallon section) be used as a HT/QT with a HOB filter? (see image 1)
5. Will 13 inches wide x 12.5 inches deep x 21 inches tall be big enough for a hospital tank?
6. If i keep the sump concept i will have 35 inches of space to work with. 4 inches will be lost between the baffels (3 baffels per section, 1 inch between each baffel), leaving 31 inches to work with in the sump. How much room should i leave for the first section (filter media) refuge, and return section? (6 inch media, 12 inch refuge, 13 inch return sections?)
7. Where in the sump should the skimmer be placed? before or after the refuge?
Images
Image 1 *****Note I will make a scale cad drawing of the concept later*****

 

[king_neptune]

1. What is the ration for gallons in the DT to gallons in the Sump? Is 125 ok with a smaller sump with refuge then 55 gallons. 55g sump is excellent. dont go less than 30. I baught a 55g on craigslist for $20. They are pretty common.
2. Is there a good chart available for flow rates of PVC pipes.
yes. google it.
3. How many chambers are needed in a sump.
I have three. You can do 1 or 10, its up to what you want to do with your sump. I recommend this design. It has served me extremely well:

I have two drains, one for each side. And a return in the middle. this lets me independently control the flow to each side, and effectively doubles the amount that can get pumped up the middle. This is nice because sumps work best if the water flow is light and gentle.
4. If a completely divided the 55 into a 40 gallon section and a 15 gallon section, could the 15 gallon section (water tight from 40 gallon section) be used as a HT/QT with a HOB filter? (see image 1)
Someone else can answer this.
5. Will 13 inches wide x 12.5 inches deep x 21 inches tall be big enough for a hospital tank?
Yes.
6. If i keep the sump concept i will have 35 inches of space to work with. 4 inches will be lost between the baffels (3 baffels per section, 1 inch between each baffel), leaving 31 inches to work with in the sump. How much room should i leave for the first section (filter media) refuge, and return section? (6 inch media, 12 inch refuge, 13 inch return sections?)
See my above picture. Its a great sump, with lots of room. I currently have 50lbs of LR, a ball of chaeto, a scrubber station, my heaters, a skimmer, and a GFO/CARBON reactor all running out of my sump. And I have only used 1/3 of its space. So I can get lots more use out of it if I want to upgrade.
7. Where in the sump should the skimmer be placed? before or after the refuge?
Mine is opposite the fuge side so they never contact. I would recommend skimmer first. This lets the fresh DT water get skimmed. And the output can feed the Fuge, also pod production in the fuge wont be hurt by the skimmer(this is a debatable statement, so do your own research)
If you'd like to learn more follow my build thread:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=349033
You're gonna walk away with ideas.

 

[chevyrulzs2010]

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3222859
1. What is the ration for gallons in the DT to gallons in the Sump? Is 125 ok with a smaller sump with refuge then 55 gallons. 55g sump is excellent. dont go less than 30. I baught a 55g on craigslist for $20. They are pretty common.
2. Is there a good chart available for flow rates of PVC pipes.
yes. google it.
3. How many chambers are needed in a sump.
I have three. You can do 1 or 10, its up to what you want to do with your sump. I recommend this design. It has served me extremely well:

I have two drains, one for each side. And a return in the middle. this lets me independently control the flow to each side, and effectively doubles the amount that can get pumped up the middle. This is nice because sumps work best if the water flow is light and gentle.
4. If a completely divided the 55 into a 40 gallon section and a 15 gallon section, could the 15 gallon section (water tight from 40 gallon section) be used as a HT/QT with a HOB filter? (see image 1)
Someone else can answer this.
5. Will 13 inches wide x 12.5 inches deep x 21 inches tall be big enough for a hospital tank?
Yes.
6. If i keep the sump concept i will have 35 inches of space to work with. 4 inches will be lost between the baffels (3 baffels per section, 1 inch between each baffel), leaving 31 inches to work with in the sump. How much room should i leave for the first section (filter media) refuge, and return section? (6 inch media, 12 inch refuge, 13 inch return sections?)
See my above picture. Its a great sump, with lots of room. I currently have 50lbs of LR, a ball of chaeto, a scrubber station, my heaters, a skimmer, and a GFO/CARBON reactor all running out of my sump. And I have only used 1/3 of its space. So I can get lots more use out of it if I want to upgrade.
7. Where in the sump should the skimmer be placed? before or after the refuge?
Mine is opposite the fuge side so they never contact. I would recommend skimmer first. This lets the fresh DT water get skimmed. And the output can feed the Fuge, also pod production in the fuge wont be hurt by the skimmer(this is a debatable statement, so do your own research)
If you'd like to learn more follow my build thread:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=349033
You're gonna walk away with ideas.
Thanks for the quick reply. I have actually been following your thread since you made the over flow bar. And have taken ideas from you.
My question for you is with your drains going into two sides of the sump, what advantage is there compared to one side of the pump. Is there a reason you would want to limit the amount water from the refuge going into the DT? I have drawn up some plans for it, and i did basically the same design as yours but i have the drains entering one side of the sump and the return on the other with a refuge in the middle. I don't have a picture to up load at the very moment but i believe the dimensions are 12 inch for the drain section, 3 baffles, 13 inches for the refuge, and 4 inches for the return, with 1 inch gaps between the baffles.
Anyone else care to comment on the built in HT/QT? I would like to know if i should keep this idea or abandon it.

 

[chevyrulzs2010]

Does anyone have experience with the Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer?
I want to go with a needle wheel skimmer and this seems like a good one. Does anyone have experience with it?

 

[chevyrulzs2010]

UPDATE
Ok i have completed the sump design in google sketchup. This is what i would be looking at doing.

The small round cylinders are heaters, the sump side would have 2 300 watt heaters, and the QT side would have 1 50 watt heater. The tall box is the foot print for the protein skimmer. The baffels are all 1 inch apart. The grid on top of the refuge is egg crate to keep all critters inside the refuge and help stop blockages. The cube thing on the side is a HOB filter for the QT. The refuge lights will be mounted to the stand and be on a timer. The sand bed in the refuge is 2 inches deep.
Is there anything im missing from my sump? It seems like i have very little in it. I would probably have a filter cloth to catch large debris on top of the first chamber. Live rock in the refuge. My protein skimmer. What am i missing?
If you see any changes that need to be made please let me know. I will probably need to make the third chamber bigger because i only have 4 inches for the return pump. I will probably take 3 inches off the refuge making it only 10 inches, and making the thrid chamber 7 inches.