DIY Sump Design, anything wrong

[Phishy]

I am moving along, soon as I get this together I am getting my live rock. I am using a 55 gallon tank.

1) 12" plate of glass with 3/4" hose attachment for my lifereef overflow box (this piece is removable)

2) egg crate to maybe place a filter, carbon, etc. if needed (A). (will be mounted with some scrap pieces to keep it in place and will be removable)

3) 16" piece which will give me about 3" of clearance fomr bottom of tank.

4) 6" pieces to baffle (big enough)

So between 3 and 4 there will be about a 3" overlap (do I need more?)

A) Filter, carbon, phosban if needed.

B) Detrius collection area, hopefully all the junk will stay here to make vacuuming.syphoning it easier.

C) Main part, in-sump skimmer and heater will be there so far.

D) Return, will have the magdrive in here, I am hoping with the baffle set up (micro)bubbles will be minimal.

Cost as figured with what I have listed above is under $60 for 3/8" thick glass from the local glass shop to cut for me. (the tank was free)

Will silicone (from All Glass Aquarium) be sufficent to keep everything in place. Other then the eggcrate the rest of the stuff will have water on either side of it.

Another quick question, teh tank is built into a wall and I heard alot of people being unhappy with glass canopies b/c creep and heat issues. I am going to have them cut 2 5" pieces to just squeeze up under the wall section of the tank to keep salt and splash away from my wood and dry wall and then eggcrate (or that screen design) the rest. This sound okay, I don't really see another option for that.

Thanks, you guys and gals have been extremely helpful as I have been putting this together.

[Geoff]

where is the skimmer going? 3 should extend nearly to the bottom of the tank. the distance between 3 and the bottom should be no smaller than the distance between 3 and 4. most people put this distance at 2".

100% silly cone is the weapon of choice for mounting the baffles. this is what all glass tanks are held together with. if you make a mistake you can use a razor knife and cut the silly cone off and move it to where you want it.

G~

[Phishy]

Skimmer will be in "C" in the middle of the tank, shoudl it be somewhere else?

[Geoff]

no, that is fine, i missed that. C is where all of the detritus will settle, not B. the place with the lowest water velocity will be where the detritus will settle. since C is a lot bigger than B that is where it will settle.

G~

[SPC]

I am going to have them cut 2 5" pieces to just squeeze up under the wall section of the tank to keep salt and splash away from my wood and dry wall

This may work ok, but IMO this opening should be sealed up permanently, and I wouldn't do it with drywal. Humidity would be my biggest concern in this area.
Steve