looking for wet/dry, sump ideas

[mustang93svt]

Recently acquired a never set up Glasscages 300 wide. In the process of setting it up and looking for ideas for the 75 gal acrylic sump it came with. The 75 is odd dimension 72"x18"x13" and already had 4 small baffles installed for a salt water set up. Looking for ideas to use it in a fresh water set up. Ideally would like water inlets on either end to meet in the middle where the pumps return would be, but am open to any ideas. Open to any media, and will build any addition needed to the tank with acrylic. Thanks
View attachment 2012-05-28 18.25.12.jpg

 

[Gill Blue]

looks to me like it's designed as a refugium. water in on the left with plants in the middle, pump to the right. no reason you couldn't/shouldn't run it the same way. Should make for a great biological filter.
a dual bulb T5 60" would light that area well. especially if you can get the lamps 12" apart.
I've only read one person who had their sump like you described and they weren't happy with it.

 

[mustang93svt]

I've only read one person who had their sump like you described and they weren't happy with it.

I have a 6' 125 wet/dry on my 420 with water coming in a both ends and being pumped back from the center and it works fine. The reason I'd "like" to set this one up the same is tank has dual oveflows and it seems easier (shorter) to plumb it at each end instead of running one drain line 7' long to reach the wet/dry inlet. My only concern for using this tank for a filter is it's so short at on 13" tall, thus looking for some ideas.

 

[mustang93svt]

Bump for some more input.

 

[craigthor]

Here is my custom sump I had built for my 220g setup.

 

[mustang93svt]

Here is my custom sump I had built for my 220g setup.

Thanks, that is a very nice wet/dry thats sorta what i had envisioned in my head. If you don't mind me asking who built that filter and aprox how much did it cost? Maybe I'd be better to sell mine to a salt water guy and have one built custom?

 

[craigthor]

Thanks, that is a very nice wet/dry thats sorta what i had envisioned in my head. If you don't mind me asking who built that filter and aprox how much did it cost? Maybe I'd be better to sell mine to a salt water guy and have one built custom?

Had a builder/ reef guy in Des Moines build it for me. Bare acrylic with out all the bulkheads and everything was right at $650.00 though he said he would charge more if he built another like it do to the time and precision it took. This was several weeks of planning and adjusting to make it how I wanted. Here is the build thread on it: http://www.greateriowareefsociety.org/Community/DiscussionForums/tabid/78/aft/26502/Default.aspx

Once you put in all the bulkheads, heaters, pumps, media, etc well that really pushes the cost up but this thing would keep up with a mich bigger tank should I upgrade in the future.

Craig

 

[aldiaz33]

I would plumb your overflows to drain into dual filter socks on each end of the sump, then put Seachem Pond Matrix in the middle chamber. People are probably getting tired of me promoting the Laguna Max Flo pumps, but they are quiet and very efficient return pumps- definitely worth a look.

 

[mustang93svt]

I would plumb your overflows to drain into dual filter socks on each end of the sump, then put Seachem Pond Matrix in the middle chamber.

Thanks Alex, I am getting a quote on a custom built wet dry. If it is too much will set it up similar to your suggestion.