[TheReefJedi]

Since i'm starting a 120 gallon reef tank soon, I would like to have a sump. I have looked around at other's DIY sumps, but I haven't really found any step-by-step builds, so I came up with my own design and would like some input on it, thanks!

I would also like to know if I should put in a carbon reactor, phosphate reactor, kalwasser reactor, and/or a calium reactor. Oh and where should I put the UV sterilizer?


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Thanks, and tips and suggestions are much appreciated!

 

[AutoTechReefer]

Ok so as far as the reactors go, running a carbon and GFO reactor wouldnt be a bad idea, you would want to run that in your first chamber. I would reccomend a kalk reactor, ive been dosing kalk and it works great so far ive seen great results. If you plan on useing a UV sterilizer that should go before your protein skimmer so that everything it sterilizes gets skimmed. You can put it in the first chamber of the sump, or maybe you can somehow put the inlet of the pump in the tank then the outlet of the pump going into your overflow box so that you know everything that gets sterilezed and killed gets skimmed.

As far as the design goes i set mine up so it goes:
-1st chamber-inlet/skimmer, and Kalk inlet hose.
-2nd chamber- bubble trap baffles with carbon and phos remover stuffed in the baffles.
-3rd chamber- return pump
-4th chamber- refugium

The refugium is run off of the return pump with a T fitting and a ball valve. You barely crack the ballvalve open and you get a nice slow flow through the refugium, instead of the fast current that most sumps usually see.

 

[ivanhoe]

Overall my only concern is putting the skimmer in the same chamber as your overflow. The incoming water is quite turbulent which may make the skimmer difficult to calibrate. Other wise it is always best to keep the skimmer in a section of the sump that always has a constant water level for just that reason.