Look over my sump plan please

AnemicOak · 08-23-2004, 09:22 PM

I'm getting ready to put my sump/fuge together. Here is what I'm thinking.

The drawing is approx. proportional.

The fuge area figures to be about 5 gallons.

Now the questions.

Does this look like a good plan?

I got some glass cut today, but I don't think it's going to work. It's the only glass the hardware store had (HD doesn't do glass) and looks like something from a picture frame. About 3/32" thick using my tape. Will this work? It didn't cost much so I can certainly do something else if needed.

The baffles that touch the bottom of the tank are 8" high, the wall for the fuge is 9-1/2" high. Do those heights seem right?

I got DAP Aquarium Silicone. Ok?

Anything I missed?

Thanks

~Brian

clownfishcrazy · 08-23-2004, 09:39 PM

I would put the fuge right after the skimmer conpartment then have the return at the end. So it would be drain skimmer area, fuge area, bubble trap, then return area. Thats how I did it on my DIY acrylic sump. Also if the glass isn't thick enough you can always silicon two pieces together.
HTH

ReefSitter · 08-23-2004, 09:55 PM

my 2 cents worth, FWIW,

I would also put the fuge in the middle along with lowering your right baffle down. Putting a double baffle on the right to hold a sponge or some type of filter to minimize pods or caulerpa, etc. from going into the return pump may be helpful.

Also make sure if the power goes off, your sump can hold enough water!

glass???

There are quite a few sump designs in the DIY section.

AnemicOak · 08-23-2004, 10:01 PM

Fuge in the middle = to much flow in fuge, no???

clownfishcrazy · 08-23-2004, 10:02 PM

How big is you tank, and how many gph through the sump?

AnemicOak · 08-23-2004, 10:05 PM

75 Gallon AGA with Megaflow setup. Supposed to be around 600gph according to All Glass.

ReefSitter · 08-23-2004, 10:08 PM

Being that it is 12" wide and you have no holes drilled through the baffles, you probably won't notice that much flow. What gph pump are you going to use and how big is your main tank?

ReefSitter · 08-23-2004, 10:09 PM

Oops, you just answered my questions.

Take a look in the DIY section though.

AnemicOak · 08-23-2004, 10:26 PM

Ok, AGA says it's 600gph, but if I calculate it out using the RC calculators it's 900gph I think (1.25" drain).

I've looked through DIY sections here & on RC. This is basically a copy of a sump on Melev's Sump Site http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

~Brian

clownfishcrazy · 08-23-2004, 10:35 PM

I made my sump like Melev's, I have a mag 7 for the return but it is going to be pumped through a scwd and up 3 feet. I'll try and post some pics of my ghetto sump tommorow.

reeftanktime · 08-23-2004, 11:01 PM

hmmmm, those dimensions are very close to a 20 gal. long. I got mine from Dirk and bought some scrap acrylic from a1acrylics for the baffles. My fuge is on the right and return on the left. I added a T to the return and run some to the fuge using an inline ballvalve to control the flow thru the fuge.
Dennis

Twins Guy · 08-23-2004, 11:32 PM

because he water level and therefore the pressure on either side of the glass baffles will be nearly or exactly equal they "should" work fine but depending on how much banging around you do you could potentially break thin/fragile stuff. i picked up some plexi at home depot which has worked great in the past.

also-on the all glass tank "megaflow" 75-the durso is built with 1.25" pvc but the bulkhead is still only a 1" therefore your drain size for the RC calculator should be 1". 600 should be a good safe flow for that system. mix in some powerheads, streams or a closed loop to accomplish more flow in the tank itself. HTH!
tg

AnemicOak · 08-24-2004, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twins Guy

also-on the all glass tank "megaflow" 75-the durso is built with 1.25" pvc but the bulkhead is still only a 1" therefore your drain size for the RC calculator should be 1".

Thanks. How can you tell the size of the bulkhead? I've been measuring what size pipe fits into the bottom & the opening is 1-1/4" on the drain & 1" on the return. I see the instructions say it's a 1" & 3/4". Maybe I'm measuring wrong?

AnemicOak · 08-24-2004, 12:50 AM

I see everyone's mentioned using acrylic for their baffles. I was told that silicone doesn't stick well to acrylic & eventually I'd have problems if I didn't use glass. True?

~Brian

Jive Turkey · 08-24-2004, 02:38 AM

Silicone will work fine if it doesn't have to handle too much side pressure.

Also, you can use a tee and valve to split the flow into the fuge/drain so you can control it the rate of turnover. I have the fuge in the front with 200gph into it and 400 into the drain/skimmer area next to it. The fuge baffle has a few small holes for drainage so algae cannot escape over the HD acylic baffle's teeth.
In the skimmer area, I have an eggcrate "cage" glued in, with an open bag of carbon that the drain flows into, which does a good job killing bubbles. You may want to add probe holders and a protected heated area also.