Simple Sump Design Question

[ballardboi]

I will be making a 55gal sump for my 150gal tank. I have been doing research on the layout of the sump and have a couple questions.
1st section : Has intake line
Baffles
2nd Section: Fuge including sand, rock, and macro (with light) (and a small cleaner crew)
baffles
3rd section : skimmer with the return flowing back to the first section, so the skimmer technically is working the water twice. The third section will also include the pump to direct the water back up to both returns on the ends of the tank.
Question: Would you place the skimmer in the 1st section or the 3rd section like noted above.
Question: On the return - do you usually place a filter on your return pump or no because you want pods etc to flow back up to the main tank?
I will also have an ATO (simple design with a (floater) to allow water to flow in when it reaches a certain level (much like a toilet floaty in the tank)
Any ideas, suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[snakeblitz33]

I would put the skimmer and mechanical filtration in the first chamber. Skimmers are kind of inefficient - they don't skim ALL of the water that comes past them, just a portion. This is fine because you honestly only want "just enough" waste out of the system without starving your corals.
Fuge in the second section - I like to pack my fuges with live rock rubble and various types of macroalgaes. Sand will never see my sump/fuges ever again.
No, I do not put a pre-filter on my return pump. I want as much "life" from the fuge to enter the tank as possible.
Plastic float valves do fail over time. So, you are going to have to make absolutely sure that it is floating properly. If you are gravity feeding or feeding directly from your RO Unit, you will want to put a ball valve on the line so that if you clean your sump out, you can cut the water off without dumping a bunch of freshwater in the tank and causing the salinity to decrease.
My last set of baffles, I would do an "over, under, over" approach so that you can eliminate as many bubbles as possible. As long as your return pump chamber is on an ATO, I'd even throw some rocks in the return chamber next to the return pump - as long as you don't restrict the flow in any way and there isn't a possibility of a small rock getting sucked up into the return pump - it's a win/win.

 

[ballardboi]

Perfect. Makes sense to do it this way for sure. Once again thanks for the advice on this. And I ditched the UV sterilizer, rather put it towards something else.
With the sump it will all be gravity for sure, and good idea on the ball valve, thought about doing that.
I am sure once I get everything spread out in my living room i will be posting pictures and asking tons more questions.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ballardboi http:///t/393708/simple-sump-design-question#post_3503174
Perfect. Makes sense to do it this way for sure. Once again thanks for the advice on this. And I ditched the UV sterilizer, rather put it towards something else.
With the sump it will all be gravity for sure, and good idea on the ball valve, thought about doing that.
I am sure once I get everything spread out in my living room i will be posting pictures and asking tons more questions.
By all means, please do.
I don't know all the answers, so please wait for a few more responses before making a final decision.

 

[acrylic51]

Here's a pretty good guide for you to read up on.....Agree with what Seth posted, but I would not and NEVER connect my RO/DI directly to my sump or tank for any purpose.....As stated floats can fail....
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/gt/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/gt/index.php

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393708/simple-sump-design-question#post_3503170
I would put the skimmer and mechanical filtration in the first chamber. Skimmers are kind of inefficient - they don't skim ALL of the water that comes past them, just a portion. This is fine because you honestly only want "just enough" waste out of the system without starving your corals.
Fuge in the second section - I like to pack my fuges with live rock rubble and various types of macroalgaes. Sand will never see my sump/fuges ever again.
No, I do not put a pre-filter on my return pump. I want as much "life" from the fuge to enter the tank as possible.
Plastic float valves do fail over time. So, you are going to have to make absolutely sure that it is floating properly. If you are gravity feeding or feeding directly from your RO Unit, you will want to put a ball valve on the line so that if you clean your sump out, you can cut the water off without dumping a bunch of freshwater in the tank and causing the salinity to decrease. NEVER........
My last set of baffles, I would do an "over, under, over" approach so that you can eliminate as many bubbles as possible. As long as your return pump chamber is on an ATO, I'd even throw some rocks in the return chamber next to the return pump - as long as you don't restrict the flow in any way and there isn't a possibility of a small rock getting sucked up into the return pump - it's a win/win.

 

[al&burke]

The thing I have found with float valve is the float part of the mechaism can fail, if you look closely at the float you will see that the plastic part is two parts and there is a seam, what I have done is sealed that seam with crazy glue and a bit of silicon to prevent it from coming apart. My liontank has one on it watching it closely. I ran an ATO unit and it failed miserably, need to look into one of those fancy ones that don't rely on small floats and switches.

 

[ballardboi]

Thanks, I noticed that about mine also actually. I did the same thing. I will certainly have to watch it. Just figuring with a 150g and a 55 sump i am going to have a lot of evap to have to deal with. My evenings will be spent filling the tank back up.

 

[acrylic51]

Evaporation rate will differ from tank to tank and that has a lot to do with your house and other factors......Get the tank up and running and gauge it and see what your actually evaporating and then chose the best course of action....