Sump spaces?

[SeaSerpant]

i have a 60g sump and it has no space for a refugium so i'm going to take out the baffels and rearrange them. Any idea of how to do it so i have the biggest refugium space possible. The measurments are

Length: 48"
Width: 20"
Height: 16.5"
Glass Thickness: 2cm

Any ideas?

[chevyjaxon]

lots of ways to do it one idea i have and havent built yet is to do it in 3 stages start with the fuge to the far right side baffle put the skimmer in the middle put in 3 baffles next these will set the water height for your skimmer and remove the air lastly put in your return with that size sump a refuge should be real easy to set up

[SeaSerpant]

well i got the measurments of the baffles 2 are 1foot which are the ones for the water to go over and i have 3 15.4 inch baffles for the water to go under. If you guys want to make me a diagram be free to. How many baffles and how far apart do they need to be for a bubble trap?

[Pan]

well i got the measurments of the baffles 2 are 1foot which are the ones for the water to go over and i have 3 15.4 inch baffles for the water to go under. If you guys want to make me a diagram be free to. How many baffles and how far apart do they need to be for a bubble trap?

Baffles, at least in my experience do not serve that much purpose. Though I have always had long sumps which might account for my lack of bubbles. I think it is more about strategic placement then the use of baffles. I personally do not believe they are an effective bubble trap. I like the idea of feeding the drain into a pvc pipe (4 or so inches filled with rock or something like it then with drain holes in it..) work nicely, better than baffles.

[SeaSerpant]

does the skimmer go in the front part of the sump (the place where the water comes in) or at the back (where the water goes out back into the main tank) ?

[chevyjaxon]

skimmer should be in the middle with the water running into the fuge first

[mark]

Nothing wrong with the skimmer in the front part.

Common layout is something like this:
-divide to in 1/4s lengthwise
-first 1/4, water in and skimmer compartment, followed by 3 baffles, 1 inch apart (over/under/over)
-middle 2 1/4s is refugium, followed by baffle (over)
-last 1/4 return pump compartment

The 1/4s are just to give an idea. The first compartment you size just big enough in width for your skimmer. The pump compartment bigger the better to allow for evaporation though can reduce in size if have ATO.

[Skimmerking]

I know that you can get a refugium tank to fit on top of the sump on the Mops site..

[SeaSerpant]

Ato?

[mark]

Ato?

automatic top off

[SeaSerpant]

Would having a lid change anything because my dad doesn't want all this humidity so we are going to get a lid for the main tank and sump?

[SeaSerpant]

bump

[mark]

Depending on your lights, pumps etc, may need something to keep your temperatures down and evaporation is one of the easiest ways. Other way is a chiller but they can be costly. Not sure of your system but might not be a whole lot of evaporation. I've got about 200G system total, couple of external pumps, internal on the skimmer and 2-250W MH and evap 1-2g a day.

There is nothing wrong with lids if you keep your temps okay. You can try running with temporary lids and if no problems, look to something more permanent later.

About the only negative is salt creep. With a lid on the tank you can have problems such as the lid blocking light, could consider a hood though. Air exchange is another thing but a skimmer can help. Not sure of the height of you skimmer so maybe harder to make your sump tight. A bit of gap isn't a big deal.

[Starry]

On mine, I'll be putting the skimmer in the same area as the sump intake. I feel that putting the skimmer after the fuge kinda defeats the point. Why skim out what yer growing in the fuge...pods and other goodies that you want to slowly enter the display. I also read that you want the raw water from the tank so that it skims better.

[chevyjaxon]

On mine, I'll be putting the skimmer in the same area as the sump intake. I feel that putting the skimmer after the fuge kinda defeats the point. Why skim out what yer growing in the fuge...pods and other goodies that you want to slowly enter the display. I also read that you want the raw water from the tank so that it skims better.

quite right i have to agree i got my skimmer in a 5gallon bucket with the siphon hose running into the bucket. the bucket overflows into the fuge which aids in heat disipation and also releases gases when they hit the fuge crude but very effective:wink:

[JPeach]

http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

The right menu has information on like 15 different sump designs

Jim

[SeaSerpant]

thanks guys. i'm going to find out what skimmer i want. and post it here and then i'll draw up a design for you guys:)

[SeaSerpant]

sump diagram
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh36/SeaSerpant/Sump.jpg
Sump Dimensions
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh36/SeaSerpant/Sumpdi.jpg

Anything Wrong Missing?

[Skimmerking]

in the picture your baffles are looking weird I think where your waer goes in i have on my sump the water goes in over the 1St baffle and then under and then over to allow for the water to rid of the bubbles. if that makes sense. i will submit my sump you can take a look ok

[Okguy]

Hey SeaSerpant, weather it's skimmer->fuge->return or skimmer->return->fuge setup, I would reccoment making the return area as large as possible. I never really knew what people meant when they mentioned this to me when I was building mine. The reason is the return area is the first area to notice the effects of tank evaporation. So a larger return area allows you more time in between top ups. Before I built my ATO I was only able to be away from my tank for 2 days before my return area was out of water. Just something to think about.

HTH

Kevin

[SeaSerpant]

in the pic it does it goes over (through eggcrate) Goes under, over again (thru eggcrate). I'd appreciate any sump pics.

[Skimmerking]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/asmodeus338/120%20gal%20mixed/DSC02467.jpg

note the water starts on the left goes over and then under and then over somewhat small baffle to the skimmer on the other end if goes over and then under too.

here is another one for a smaller sump
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/asmodeus338/235%20Gal%20REEF/DSC02264.jpg

[SeaSerpant]

so would my idea work?

[Skimmerking]

your idea if it ooks like mine then yes it woill work it seems that our fisrt baffle has no where for the waterto go other then over is that right, if so your water will fill the sump. what I would do is have the first baffle the height that you ant your water level in your sump so if you want the level of water8 " then have the top of the baffle at the 8" mark the other oens wont really matter. the second one can be like 1-2 " up from the bottom of the sump to allow for the water to travle under taking out the bubbles.

Then your thrid can be the same height as the 1St baffle if you want too. then on the other end have the baffle the same height as the first one. This will allow you to have the same waterl evel in the middle compart if you ahve a in sump skimmer. lots of skimmer that are ran insump require to hav ea 8-9 " water level. so that is how you achieve that.

make sure you have a baffle that is going to allow the bubble not to go into the return pump so after you have the baffle that is the same as your 1 st baffle to achieve the level for your sump then have another one going under then you have the return pump I hope this makes sese to you if you want give me your number I cvan call you and explain why and how you can do it ok


MIke