looking for pump recomendation, and plumbing critique
- Thread starter krux
- Start date
hondo
Member
I'm not sure I follow the design so please explain it to me. As I see it the chamber on the left is a fuge, the center is a sump, and on the right you have an external return pump which also feeds the external skimmer. so does that mean the overflow from the tank is going to the sump chamber.
If this is correct why not have a larger fuge area and smaller sump area since you have both the skimmer and return pump as exterior?
If this is correct why not have a larger fuge area and smaller sump area since you have both the skimmer and return pump as exterior?
krux
Member
yes that is the water draining into the sump from the tank above.
the larger sump area is to allow for daily evaporation. i lose about 2 gallons a day due to the halides, and i expect this to increase when i add a third lamp and another fan to compensate. also i tend to leave my girlfriend in charge of the tank when i go away, and i need plenty of room for error in case topping off water slips her mind that day. an auto-topoff system is in the works for the future, but it will need to take place outside of the stand anyway for space reasons. total calculated sump volume when filled will be about 10 to 12 gallons.
my first thought was to have the water level nice and high, and the bulkhead for the return pump low in the tank to allow room for microbubbles to rise to the surface, with the baffles coming from the fuge to the sump solving bubbles from the skimmer, but someone mentioned that running the skimmer outflow that high up will cause significant backpressure on the skimmer, possibly causing dramatic changes in its effeciency.
oh, the sump was conceived originally to be fabricated from a standard 29 gallon tank, but if i need to rework my skimmer discharge, i will most likely need to rethink that.
does anyone have any pics of their under stand setup? a 4 foot tank would work, mine is 4.5 feet long, so i have a bit more room. it is easy to work everything in if i am not trying to include a fuge, but when i add in the space for fuge and sump, an external pump, my skimmer and overflow container, co2 cylinder and calc reactor, and possibly a second pump for a closed loop system (currently considering dropping the main pump down a lot and going this route) space becomes a real issue.
still a month off from starting the actual fabrication, so radical changes and concepts are best worked out now.
the larger sump area is to allow for daily evaporation. i lose about 2 gallons a day due to the halides, and i expect this to increase when i add a third lamp and another fan to compensate. also i tend to leave my girlfriend in charge of the tank when i go away, and i need plenty of room for error in case topping off water slips her mind that day. an auto-topoff system is in the works for the future, but it will need to take place outside of the stand anyway for space reasons. total calculated sump volume when filled will be about 10 to 12 gallons.
my first thought was to have the water level nice and high, and the bulkhead for the return pump low in the tank to allow room for microbubbles to rise to the surface, with the baffles coming from the fuge to the sump solving bubbles from the skimmer, but someone mentioned that running the skimmer outflow that high up will cause significant backpressure on the skimmer, possibly causing dramatic changes in its effeciency.
oh, the sump was conceived originally to be fabricated from a standard 29 gallon tank, but if i need to rework my skimmer discharge, i will most likely need to rethink that.
does anyone have any pics of their under stand setup? a 4 foot tank would work, mine is 4.5 feet long, so i have a bit more room. it is easy to work everything in if i am not trying to include a fuge, but when i add in the space for fuge and sump, an external pump, my skimmer and overflow container, co2 cylinder and calc reactor, and possibly a second pump for a closed loop system (currently considering dropping the main pump down a lot and going this route) space becomes a real issue.
still a month off from starting the actual fabrication, so radical changes and concepts are best worked out now.
hondo
Member
I would increase the size of the fuge and decrease the size of the sump. I hear you on the girlfriend remembering to top off problem as My wife has forgotten a few times so now when I travel I call every night to remind her. As for water volume whether it's in the fuge or the sump volume is volume but a larger fuge does more for your tank than a large sump with nothing but water in it.
Also I would send the skimmer outflow water back to the sump and put a T in your return pump line sending water to both the fuge and to the tank. I don't really see the point of sending all your water to the sump section and then pumping only a portion of that water through the skimmer and then the fuge. Better to send all the water to the sump and some of this water to the fuge on the return line and some to the skimmer.
Also I would send the skimmer outflow water back to the sump and put a T in your return pump line sending water to both the fuge and to the tank. I don't really see the point of sending all your water to the sump section and then pumping only a portion of that water through the skimmer and then the fuge. Better to send all the water to the sump and some of this water to the fuge on the return line and some to the skimmer.
steveweast
Member
Ryan, small sumps like this tend to have problems with micro-bubbles. I like your idea of sending the skimmer effluent through the refugium to off gas the vast numbers of micro-bubbles that skimmers produce. Will the skimmer perform well having to drain with head pressure though? You'll have to check the manufacturer's insructions for draining uphill like that...my guess would be that it is a no-no.
Also, have you considered having the water from the display tank drain first through a drip tray of some sort?....this would do two things..1) give you a spot to place a prefilter and 2) help limit micro-bubbles.
As for the sump...a larger refugium is nice...but, not having enough room in the sump for several days of evaporation (especially with your schedule) is not good...I'd go with the larger sump and later,maybe, add a remote refugium to accompany the smaller one if desired.
Also, have you considered having the water from the display tank drain first through a drip tray of some sort?....this would do two things..1) give you a spot to place a prefilter and 2) help limit micro-bubbles.
As for the sump...a larger refugium is nice...but, not having enough room in the sump for several days of evaporation (especially with your schedule) is not good...I'd go with the larger sump and later,maybe, add a remote refugium to accompany the smaller one if desired.
krux
Member
remote fuge... i am going to put bookcases flanking the new tank along the north wall, i could always do a fuge in one of those...
thanks for the input, i can make the entire 29 a sump then, which will cut down significantly on the work necessary to get the system up and running.
also, i think my diagrams are a bit off for the drain pipe overspray reducers... can you post a quick sketch of how they are done, or a pic if you happen to have one?
thanks for the input, i can make the entire 29 a sump then, which will cut down significantly on the work necessary to get the system up and running.
also, i think my diagrams are a bit off for the drain pipe overspray reducers... can you post a quick sketch of how they are done, or a pic if you happen to have one?
D
daniel411
Guest
One reminder about diy refugium/sumps.... make sure you can easily fit it under your stand first! -personal experience 
grallster
Member
I would go with an in sump skimmer and divert the outflow to the fuge portion--less back pressure for the skimmer, and more room in your cabinet. Go with a submersable pump to run the skimmer and maybe even a submersable return pump--that would free up even more cabinet space for an auto top off.