Sump sanity check

[JeffGil]

Hi all,

I'm trying to make a sump for a 72g bowfront using a 20g long tank and wondering if this design makes any sense. I've got a CPR CS100 overflow (rated at 800gph) and a Rio HyperFlow 26HF (figure it will be pumping about 1140gph after adding in around 6' of head) going to a SCWD and then two return lines back into the tank (all plumbing above the sump will be flexible tubing).

My main question is: I used this calculator to figure out how much water the sump would have during operation and the 20g long is only going to have about 6g of available space left if I leave the baffels at their planned heights--is that enough? I don't have the tank setup right now and can't tell how much the overflow will actually dump into the sump if the power goes out to the pump, but just wanted to make sure that I don't need to lower the baffels before putting this thing together.

I'm planning on using ball valves on both the intake and the return and a check valve on the return. I figured I'd T the overflow with a 3/4" pipe going into my fuge and a 1" pipe going into the skimmer area to reduce the amount of flow hitting the fuge...make any sense?

Thanks for any help!

~Jeff

 

[Velamondry]

Seems quite the through fair on that much water on such a small sump, I've personally always gone bigger on the sumps just for the chance that things do/can go wrong. Other then that looks good, you could always put a small hole(s) in your return in the display near the top of the water to break a siphon instead of a check valve due to a valve could possibly stick, but so could the hole(s) get covered up also.

 

[lizardarm]

I don't know about a 20 long, but I used to use a 20 tall for a sump on my old 72 bow and had no problems. I'm not sure what I'm missing, but assuming that the baffles don't go all the way to the top, why will it matter what height your baffles are at if the power is out and there's nothing flowing through?

 

[JeffGil]

I don't know about a 20 long, but I used to use a 20 tall for a sump on my old 72 bow and had no problems.

Yep, I'm looking at getting an Octopus NW 150 skimmer for it.

Should know by the end of the week if the sump overflows lol

 

[krisfal]

I would use that same calculator you used for figuring out the operating volume of the sump and enter the length and width of your display and for the depth enter the measurement from the top of your tank (high water level) to the point where the suction would be broken (the bottom of the teeth of your overflow, the nozzles from the return or your siphon breaks drilled in the return plumbing, whichever is the lowest point) this should give you the gallons that will siphon into the sump when the system is shutdown.

Or you can do like I did set it up, get it running, then shut it down and watch it while chanting .. .please stop, please stop, please stop Worked for me!

 

[JeffGil]

I would use that same calculator you used for figuring out the operating volume of the sump and enter the length and width of your display and for the depth enter the measurement from the top of your tank (high water level) to the point where the suction would be broken (the bottom of the teeth of your overflow, the nozzles from the return or your siphon breaks drilled in the return plumbing, whichever is the lowest point) this should give you the gallons that will siphon into the sump when the system is shutdown.

Or you can do like I did set it up, get it running, then shut it down and watch it while chanting .. .please stop, please stop, please stop Worked for me!

Now that was a good idea...wonder why I didn't think of that?!?! According to that calculator I only need 3 1/2g unused space in my sump to handle the overflow box being 1" below the surface. I don't think it will be that low in the water so I think I'm good (I'm still going to chant as I fill up the tank and then shut everything off though!).

I'm going to use anti-siphon holes and already have a check valve in place for insurance in the returns, but was wondering what happens when the overflow keeps overflowing when the power goes out. Hopefully it will be OK. I'm waiting on some overflow parts before I'll know for sure how it behaves.

 

[lizardarm]

Yep, I'm looking at getting an Octopus NW 150 skimmer for it.

That's the skimmer that I'm running now and it kicks butt. I did the mesh mod on it and it pulls dark, nasty skimmate out. Also keep in mind that whatever water is in your skimmer is going to drain out into the sump also upon a power failure (at least the skimmer water that is above the operating level in your sump); doesn't add up to much though, maybe a little over a quart.

 

[JeffGil]

That's the skimmer that I'm running now and it kicks butt.

Oh nice! Glad to hear it's a good one. I won't be modifying mine for a while, but in the meantime...I'm seeing two different footprint sizes for this skimmer depending on which site I look at. I see both 6" x 12" and 10" x 9" for it.

My problem is: the sump compartment I've made for it is 8" x 12". If the footprint is really 6x12 then I'm good. If it's 10x9 I have to rip apart my bubble baffles and go back to work with the silicone.

Since you have one, could you let me know if you think it will fit in an 8x12 compartment and save me the worrying/sump reworking?!

Thanks!

~Jeff

 

[lizardarm]

Yeah, I'll measure it when I get home today. I'm thinking that it's not 10"x9" but I'm not positive.

 

[Shane and John]

You will Love the Octipus skimmer...I have that running in my sump on our 120....we pull some nasty,stinky skimmate..Ours runs very well in 9" of water..!

 

[JeffGil]

Still waiting on the skimmer to get here, but I tested the tank with the sump I made and it's working like a charm!