My DYI Sump - Need Advice

[MountainFish]

So I'm in the planning stages for my sump and this is what I'm thinking for my sump/refugium design. I already got the right overflow and return pump, skimmer, heaters, and tank. All I need to do is get plexi and silicone so I can make the baffles, etc.

Please let me know what you think or if ya see any problems!!!! Thanks!

[Clownfish518]

I would keep the filter sock, and skip the sponge, carbon, and GFO. If you need to add a media reactor. The filter sock will clean more than you think.

I would also mix up the particle sizes in your sand bed a bit more; you will see more life that way

[MountainFish]

so like mix in some crushed coral to the top layer and do 50/50 on the sand & miracle mud layer?

also, I've read some stuff on a website about argonite sand... Is it good to have? Is it something I should add to the DSB?

[corrado007]

I think your design looks great, good job. Is your sump glass or plastic? You mentioned putting plexiglass baffles in using silicone. If its glass you may consider using glass baffles with silicone but if you have an acrylic sump you may want to use acrylic baffles and "glue" them in using Weld-on. It's a solvent for acrylic that will do much better than silicone on acrylic. I think I used weld-on #4 last time I was putting baffles in an acrylic sump.

[DaveK]

I'd like to suggest a few changes.

1. Get rid of the SeaClone skimmer. They are just about the worst skimmer I have ever used. Get something worthy of your system.

2. You usually want the flow through a refugium to be comparatively slow, compared to the rest of the water going through the sump. I'd reverse the return and the refugium sections, and feed the refugium from a T and valve off of the main return pump.

3. The return area is most likely too small. This area must contain enough water so that it can raise the level in the display tank high enough so the overflow is removing as much water as you are returning to the display.

4. As mentioned above get rid of the foam filter, carbon and phosphate absorber. Use a media reactor if they are needed.

[MountainFish]

The sump is a 35 gal tank w/ glass sides that i picked up at a garage sale. I was thinking i'd use plexi b/c it costs less and it's easier to get... would it be better to use acrylic instead of plexi?

Thanks for the tip on the weld-on! Is it aquarium safe or how long do you have to let it off gas before you can use it?

Yea i know the sea-clone sucks but I bought it when I didn't know enough and now i'm broke cause my car broke down so it'll be a while before I buy a new skimmer, just gotta make do with what I got.

[corrado007]

Originally Posted by MountainFish

The sump is a 35 gal tank w/ glass sides that i picked up at a garage sale. I was thinking i'd use plexi b/c it costs less and it's easier to get... would it be better to use acrylic instead of plexi?

Thanks for the tip on the weld-on! Is it aquarium safe or how long do you have to let it off gas before you can use it?

Yea i know the sea-clone sucks but I bought it when I didn't know enough and now i'm broke cause my car broke down so it'll be a while before I buy a new skimmer, just gotta make do with what I got.

If it's a glass tank I don't think there would be much difference between using acrylic or plexi for baffles. Personally I'd use glass baffles in a glass sump. A glass shop will cut baffles at what ever dimensions and thickness you want for little cost. They can typically just use scraps laying around their shop to do it since baffles are pretty small.

Also, a good point was brought up about having a slower flow rate through the sump. Another popular design is to have the skimmer and sump chambers on the ends with the return in the middle. You just T the overflow plumbing and you can control the rate of flow to the sump with a ball valve.

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I would set it up something like this:



The chamber with the LR and sand can get reduced flow from the plumbed in valve, and since the fuge won't be producing microbubbles, you don't need to make baffles there, just from the skimmer to return pump section.

For the fuge section, I would recommend just 1 type of sand. Aragonite sand is pretty much coral that a parrotfish ate and pooped out. It's great for marine tanks.

[MountainFish]

Thanks COD... that really helps a lot!!!

[Clownfish518]

I would advise checking out some of the articles on sandbeds by Ronald Shimek and Anthony Calfo. Mixing grain sizes greatly increases bio diversity in the sandbed

[Smiley1]

here is my original plan but after much research and ideas from many people, i came up with what you see below it. it works really well and you can adjust the flow to your fuge and your skimmer.

[Rhodes19]

Originally Posted by MountainFish

The sump is a 35 gal tank w/ glass sides that i picked up at a garage sale. I was thinking i'd use plexi b/c it costs less and it's easier to get... would it be better to use acrylic instead of plexi?

I may be wrong, but I think acrylic and plexiglass is the same material. I believe Plexiglass is a brand name for acrylic. If your tank is glass, you would be better using glass baffles with silicone.

[squiers007]

I used acrylic baffles in my glass sump/fuge and had no problems siliconing them in place. I will say though that the baffles were a tight fit and would probably stay in place even without the silicone so that may be why I had success.

[MountainFish]

Originally Posted by Rhodes19

I may be wrong, but I think acrylic and plexiglass is the same material. I believe Plexiglass is a brand name for acrylic. If your tank is glass, you would be better using glass baffles with silicone.

Actually acrylic and plexi glass are too different plastic products... acrylic is generally denser composite plastic with less flex and a harder surface to resist more scrathing.... plus its a bit more expensive, but not too much... considering what everyone has said I think i'll probably just go get the glass cut for the baffles... is 1/8" too thin? I see others look like they used 1/4" thk. glass for the baffles... is there a certain reason?

[DaveK]

Originally Posted by Smiley1

here is my original plan but after much research and ideas from many people, i came up with what you see below it. it works really well and you can adjust the flow to your fuge and your skimmer.

...

A much better design!

I still do recommend getting rid of the SeaClone, if at all possible.

The return chamber may be too small, for reasons I pointed out previously. Since this is a new system, test it all out with FW for a week or so. Be sure to do a power off test, to make sure you will not have any floods.

Other than those minor points, it looks good!