Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > DIY

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-05-2019, 02:29 AM
target's Avatar
target target is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 62
target is on a distinguished road
Default Sump planning

Hi All,

I am getting ready to start a new tank, a 180g, and wanted to get thoughts on my sump design. For the sump I bought a 48x18x20 tank. The chambers from left to right are the drain/skimmer (9.6g), return (9.75g), fuge (13.25g), and ATO reservoir (10g). Total used: 32.6, not counting the ATO. Total available in the sump, not counting ATO would be 53.8g, leaving me with 21.2g of overflow space in the event of a shut down. I've not had a tank this big before. Does that seem like enough room? or would it be better to get a seperate tank for the ATO and use the additional 10g in the sump?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 180g Sump1.jpg (7.9 KB, 49 views)
File Type: jpg 180g Sump2.jpg (14.7 KB, 39 views)
__________________
Daniel

Last edited by target; 11-05-2019 at 02:32 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-05-2019, 02:45 AM
straightrazorguy straightrazorguy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 321
straightrazorguy is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Skype™ to straightrazorguy
Default

You can easily calculate the volume you need to accommodate in case of power failure by calculating the volume of water above your return nozzle, the volume in all overflow boxes, etc. Err on the side of caution, ie. allow more volume than you think you need. Nobody likes water on the floor...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-05-2019, 04:06 PM
WarDog's Avatar
WarDog WarDog is offline
Darth Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Maple Ridge, BC
Posts: 3,106
WarDog will become famous soon enough
Default

If the drawing is to scale, then i would personally make the return section smaller and increase the size of the fuge.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-05-2019, 08:25 PM
target's Avatar
target target is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 62
target is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WarDog View Post
If the drawing is to scale, then i would personally make the return section smaller and increase the size of the fuge.
It is to scale. If I make the fuge bigger, I would lose emergency overflow space unless I made the fuge not as deep. Why a bigger fuge?
__________________
Daniel
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-09-2019, 04:26 AM
smokinreefer's Avatar
smokinreefer smokinreefer is offline
Gold Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: burnaby,bc,canada
Posts: 1,436
smokinreefer is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to smokinreefer
Default

i agree. bigger fuge, smaller return.

not sure what the purpose for your fuge is; either to grow algaes or pods, but either way bigger fuge means grow more algae and pods.

personally id remove the ATO section from the sump and have a seperate ATO container. unless you are doing that because you have no other space for it.
__________________
- S H A O -
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-09-2019, 04:31 AM
Ryan's Avatar
Ryan Ryan is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Lethbridge, AB
Posts: 1,214
Ryan is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to Ryan
Default

I like a larger return section simply for the dead space for emergency overflow if the power goes out.

IMO a fuge is a waste of space. You can achieve better results using a reactor. About the best thing it does is house pods but not sure how many would make it through a return pump.
__________________
Ryan
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-09-2019, 05:46 AM
target's Avatar
target target is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 62
target is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by smokinreefer View Post
i agree. bigger fuge, smaller return.

not sure what the purpose for your fuge is; either to grow algaes or pods, but either way bigger fuge means grow more algae and pods.

personally id remove the ATO section from the sump and have a seperate ATO container. unless you are doing that because you have no other space for it.
I'd have room to add a separate 10g tank in the stand. Would take up about half the remaining room in my stand but I don't know what else I'd need down there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan View Post
I like a larger return section simply for the dead space for emergency overflow if the power goes out.

IMO a fuge is a waste of space. You can achieve better results using a reactor. About the best thing it does is house pods but not sure how many would make it through a return pump.
That was my thinking as well. What kind of reactor would you recommend? I've never used any reactors before.

I should have my return pump by Monday so want to finalize the sump plans so . Lol
__________________
Daniel
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-09-2019, 06:32 AM
cvrle1 cvrle1 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Surrey, BC
Posts: 193
cvrle1 is on a distinguished road
Default

As others have mentioned take out ATO and do it as a separate container. Once you see how much evaporation you will have, you may find that 10G is an overkill. Personally I am not a fan of putting skimmer in same section as drain without any baffles, but thats just me. I also dont like having fuge after the return, as it harder to get water there, since return is pumping it back into the DT before it gets to fuge. Also, depending on skimmer that you use, make sure you have enough room in the skimmer section, as well as pump if it is external of skimmer. Finally, make sure that you will be able to adjust water level in the skimmer section, as some skimmers have different min/max water levels that they need. These are all the things I was thinking about when i was planning on going with 40g breeder as sump.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-09-2019, 05:14 PM
straightrazorguy straightrazorguy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 321
straightrazorguy is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Skype™ to straightrazorguy
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan View Post
I like a larger return section simply for the dead space for emergency overflow if the power goes out.

+ 1 on that idea; you can never have too much emergency space.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan View Post
IMO a fuge is a waste of space. You can achieve better results using a reactor. About the best thing it does is house pods but not sure how many would make it through a return pump.

I have and have run both. Reactors are good while the tank is new, to bring down phosphates, nitrates, etc. And while I agree that a fuge takes more room, it is more beneficial in the long run. It adds biodiversity; it creates an ecosystem of sorts, and it lowers nitrates and phosphates, without GFO and other media. I haven't run GFO in years. The pods are just an added bonus...
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-09-2019, 08:20 PM
target's Avatar
target target is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 62
target is on a distinguished road
Default

Removed the ATO section. Skimmer area is now 11g, return is 12g, and fuge is 16.5g. Leaves me with 26.5g for backflow room. If I put the return nozzle 3" below the underside of the plastic trim I'd have 21g of overflow assuming the water level was right up to the trim, which the sump could handle. But the water level will probably be closer to only 2" of backflow, which would be only 14g of backflow, leaving me a good safety cushion.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 180g Sump2a.jpg (10.4 KB, 20 views)
__________________
Daniel
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 03:35 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.