Sump design ideas please

[DonW]

alrighty thanks for the ideas. i have a bunch of glass left over from tanks i have picked up or bought. the glass tops they give you im cutting those up. i could actually go bigger then the 55 i plan on useing but i want room on one end for food test kits and the ATO bucket

Make sure you leave room to clean between the baffels. Also sand the glass top edge with an electric sander so you dont end up bleeding all over the place. Been there done that, thin unsanded baffels can net alot of stitches.

Don

 

[marlinmero]

i been trying to sand the edges with normal sand paper with my belt sander. is there anything better i can use?

 

[DonW]

i been trying to sand the edges with normal sand paper with my belt sander. is there anything better i can use?

80 grit. I use a 10" stationary belt sander and rip a 2x @ a 45. Hold or clamp the glass on the 45 and sand away. Any paper used for metal like emery is fine, not the paper / paper used for wood. Even a hand held ro will work.

Don

 

[eww]

Don hit it right as usual. All non-tempered glass can be sanded with a coarse grit good quality belt on a belt sanders. Our shop does this all day long with a large vertical belt sander. Same concept, just on a larger scale. I would first grind the edge flat then hold it at a slight angle and knock off the edges really quick. As long as it's not tempered it should go quick.

 

[marlinmero]

cool thanks guys. its not tempered ive already cut all the pieces. i just did have perfect cuts so i need to sand down little areas to get it to slide in nice and tight. that and to keep any hospital visits away

 

[marlinmero]

this is what im thinking about so far but it doesnt look right or could be better idk
the blue tape represents where the glass will be

useing this as my inlet and filter sock holder

 

[capdippe]

Good info thanks, I was wondering the same thing.

 

[mfinn]

If the first chamber is where you are going to put the skimmer, then you ( IMO) should make the first baffle the tall one that goes to the bottom of the sump. Maybe not as high as your tape. But it needs to make a area that will always have the same level of water in it for consistent skimmer use.

 

[marlinmero]

i was going to put the skimmer in the middle chamber under the first white box. then a piece of egg crate the the fuge

 

[mfinn]

I like using the area where the water comes into the sump as a skimmer area. Once that is measured off, I go to the other end of the sump, decide what I want there, like heater, ato sensor, return pump area, etc. Add a set of baffles there.
What ever is left in the middle is what I use for the refugium area. It usually ends up being a pretty good size compared to the other areas, which,, is a good thing.







just my 2cts. worth

 

[jrgilles]

I like using the area where the water comes into the sump as a skimmer area. Once that is measured off, I go to the other end of the sump, decide what I want there, like heater, ato sensor, return pump area, etc. Add a set of baffles there.
What ever is left in the middle is what I use for the refugium area. It usually ends up being a pretty good size compared to the other areas, which,, is a good thing.

just my 2cts. worth

I agree. Skimmer in first chamber. Reduces the size of your fuge, but keeps all the skimmer bubbles out of the display.

I ended up moving my fuge to the side to get more room for it.

 

[marlinmero]

newish idea sorry bout the childish drawing. lol blue line is path of water

 

[mfinn]

I believe that you need a solid barrier between the refugium and a skimmer pump.
Even though the water flow is going away from it, bits of cheato will make it's way to the skimmer pump and clog it.
Plus you really need to make a skimmer area that will remain constant or the skimmer just won't work right.

 

[marlinmero]

Im going to do the baffles like this i think but move the first set over and put the skimmer in there like you all suggested. should i do 3 baffles at the end to keep stuff out of the return?

 

[jrgilles]

Maybe 2 baffles at the end? 3 is better, but you really start losing space with all the baffles...

Have you thought about splitting the drain to 2 lines (with valves) and having one line go to the skimmer chamber (left) with 90% of the flow or so, and have the other line go to the far right chamber (which would be the fuge, and just recieve 10% of the flow) and have them both empty into the center chamber, which would be the return chamber? This would let you slow down flow through the fuge. I have pretty slow flow going through my fuge, and it works great.

Let me see if I can find a picture online....

Something like this, with the skimmer on the left, fuge on the right, and return in the middle.

This was what I was going to do before I decided to take the fuge out of the sump. The 3 baffles will do good on getting out the microbubbles from the skimmer. The bubbles from the fuge will be bigger, and should be easily handled by the single, perforated baffle. The perforated baffle will keep the macro algae/snails in the fuge area.

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/e/sump_model_e.html

 

[jrgilles]

Here is a bigger version of the same design, but shown with water in it

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/f/sump_f.html

This one also shows the plumbing, which may be of some help

 

[mfinn]

Im going to do the baffles like this i think but move the first set over and put the skimmer in there like you all suggested. should i do 3 baffles at the end to keep stuff out of the return?

2 will work.

 

[marlinmero]

i do like that design. one question i have tho is what about all the air bubbles spilling in thru that grate from the fuge area

 

[marlinmero]

and i was going to do the baffles like the first picture but switch the last ones around instead of down up down go up down then up

 

[mfinn]

i do like that design. one question i have tho is what about all the air bubbles spilling in thru that grate from the fuge area

I would think the possiblity of cheato breaking up and clogging the return pump.

You could place a ATO sensor there and if you keep that area faily full of water, then bubbles won't be much of a problem.