How is this sump design?

I need to make a new sump for my 135g tank. I am using a 20g tank for the sump and making a biotower out of 1/4" acrylic with plastic pegboard bottoms. Can you guys look this over and tell me if it will work? The biotower will sit about 2" off the bottom of the tank and the water line will be about 6" deep. The intake from the tank will pour into a drip tray which will then flow into another chamber filled with filter floss. This will then flow into a biochamber filled with scrubbies and cut straws. The overall biotower is 12"x12"x18" and the sump is 30"x12"x12". The biochamber will be 12"x12"x14" or close to 10g of scrubbies. I'm looking for a 600gph turnover. Please let me know your comments before I actually make this thing. I am open to any and all suggestions, so please don't hold back.

I would like to use a bigger tank, but I am limited in room and money right now. I will also be using an Emperor 400 on the tank too. It is currently stocked with 6 medium to large CA cichlids. My plan also has the entire sump sitting inside a Rubbermaid container for backup in case of power loss.

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BushFishRox;1959758; said:

I would put the filter floss above the drip tray to help prevent it from getting clogged other then that it looks awesome also it is output not outtake (unless it is a joke or a mistake)

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Oh yea, the 'outtake' was a mistake. Fingers went on autopilot while brain went to sleep!

The filter floss before the drip tray makes sense. But if I put the filter floss first, how do I get the water to spread out so it doesn't hit the filter floss in just one place? The current plan is for the water to just pour into the biotower directly (no spraybar).

BushFishRox;1959824; said:

at the end of the intake you can do a T and have a small spray bar on either side. the way I have mine it just pours out onto the filter floss and spreads out it self...

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Thanks Bullfish! That makes sense. I have two more questions for you or anyone else out there:

1) When I put the drip tray in the second slot, is a 2" deep tray a good depth or is 1" sufficient? (I would need to increase the size of my filter floss tray in order to accommodate the spraybars so I am looking to see where I can cut some size down)

2) How much of the scrubbies should be submerged in the water? My original plan was for 4" but I've heard that should be raised to allow for more water volume in the sump (which I like that idea) but I thought that scrubbies could be counted in your water volume since their mass is minimal (compared to bioballs)

SonsOfLeda;1959867; said:

I was going to say that your design looks fairly standard, but is a little small for your tank (1/4 - 1/3 tank size is usually recommened). However, since you're planning on the rubbermaid you should be fine.

Actually - I'm still going to say too small. Why do the rubbermaid at all when you can get all of the benefits of going bigger (media volume, water volume, more space to work in, etc)? Power outages can easily be planned for without having to set your sump in a tub...

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I completely agree with going with a larger tank. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a larger tank for a reasonable price (very strapped on cash right now). I previously was using a rubbermaid tub as the sump but it cracked and I don't want to risk another leak so I want to go with a glass tank. The tank is only running on an emperor 400 and an xP3 canister now that the sump is busted, so I need to get this new sump up and running soon.