Looking for Input on New Sump Design

[ScubaSteve]

Alright, I've had it! My sump has gotta go! Well, to call it a sump is being generous. Back when I built my tank a few years back I simply used a 15 gallon tall as a sump... it was basically an after though and I've been suffering since.

1) It's a total nightmare working in the sump because the sides are so high. Just removing the skimmer cup without dumping skimmate all over the place is a chore.

2) It's impossible to clean the sump because the sides are too high.

3) It's cramped and I can barely fit my skimmer, let alone all the auxiliary equipment.

4) No baffles for a bubble trap, so too many microbubbles in the display.

5) The sides are too high (noticing a theme?).

The challenge with the new sump is that I have a square tank footprint (24"x24"), so I need a be a bit creative in the layout. My thinking is that I will max out the area under the stand with the sump and mount the remaining electronic components that are on the sump floor onto the wall.

I added a rough layout of my new design below and I'm curious as to what people's thoughts were.

-You will notice that I have 2 pumps in the sump. One is a dedicated return, while the other runs my chiller, phosban reactor and whatever experimental equipment I happen to be playing with at the time - I know, it's weird but it works for me.

-I've created a small refugium/frag area in the from of the sump. I may add a small LED set up down there to grow out frags, or I might make a small refugium or species specific area.

-May tank lets out ~2 gal to the sump once the drain is return is turned off. The new design gives ~ 7 gallon of volume for excess water (I am on the top floor of an old house - flooding is a no-no).

-Baffles are wide enough to fit a siphon for cleaning

(Sorry for the jumbo images, I gave up trying to resize them)

[spit.fire]

What kind of drain are you running?

With a herbie and a decent skimmer you can run without baffles as long as you have an ato with no micro bubbles


Here's my 18x18 no baffles running a herbie

[ScubaSteve]

I'm running Beananimal (herbie +1 "oh, **** drain). The drains run ver smooth with no bubbles. It's my skimmer that causes the microbubbles. I have a Vertex IN80. From day 1 I've never really be overly pleased by it (noisy, microbubbles, pain in the arse to adjust). I'm looking to get a new skimmer (probably a Curve 5) once the new sump is running since the pump in the vertex is on the way out (I actually just saw your PM about the pump you sent a while back - debating a new pump or a new skimmer).

I'm thinking baffles to both handle bubbles (which might not be necessary as you mention) and create are partitioned area to work with (the refuge/ frag area). Do you find any benefit to having no baffles other than being simple?

By the way, I'll be building the sump myself, so I'm not afraid of going the full bells and whistles on it.

[spit.fire]

I don't like baffles as I find they add limitations on your equipment (skimmer size etc) and it's easier to clean w/o baffles, I have a small powerheads in my sump and nothing settles

[reefwars]

If you send me what you would like your sump to do , what you want to add to it and your equipment list I can design you a few options I can do crazy things with sumps , small or large footprint doesn't matter

Also include your max dimensions as I draw them to scale

I'm doing drawings sat so if you get it to me by then ill help you out

Either pm me here or text/call my cell 403-554-2196

Cheers buddy

Denny

[msjboy]

lifereef (http://www.lifereef.com/nano.html) in Colorado has a couple of tried and true square sump designs.. have a look for ideas and improvements. I believe some of .skp models are available on sketchup warehouse.

Good luck with build.

msjboy