1st try at sump filtration

[cichlid2006]

hey guys, this is my first dip into sump filtration. I have the following 46G (30x20x18) sump design,

the bio wont match the height of the glass divider as i need the bio to get an even distribution of water (drawing mistake).

it will have 2 Eheim Aquarium Sump Pump - Compact Plus 5000, two to provide a back up. feeding the sump will be 2x 6000 lph overflows. i think it will provide enough mechanical filtration and bio should be fine but that can be increased by sacrificing some sponge.
this will be filtering either a 54x24x24 or a 60x24x24 on its own with no additional filters. there will also be a couple of koralia 1 or koralia 2 to lift the crap up to the overflows.

thoughts please ladies and gentlemen and thank you in advance.

 

[Toby_H]

I would intrease the height of the baffles. This is to prevent as much water from bypassing chambers when the filter si turned off and the sump fills up. To maximize overall water volume I would set it up so that when the pump is turned off and the system finds it's equilibrium, the sump is nearly 'topped off'.


I would swap the location of the fine media and the bio media...

This is to offer the water more thorough mechanical filtration prior to movign through the bio media. This will decrease the amount of physical waste that gets into the bio media. Physical waste can clog the pores in bio media and this can greatly decrease the potential of bio media.

This will also allow the water to spill oer a baffle into the bio media which cerates a point for oxygenation as the water moves through the bio media. Thus giving your sump a bit of a "Wet/Dry" quality. You could add a drip tray that distributes the water equally over the top of the bio media increasing the "Wet/Dry" function.

 

[frnchjeep]

To be honest, I don't like it. You should have your mechanical filtration before the bio. I see the course pad, but it would be better to have it all before the bio. Also, your bio is going to be completely submerged, and that sump dosent look like it will have a lot of airating action to supply the BB with oxygen. It is better to drip the water from the top of the biomedia than have it push up from the bottom.

 

[frnchjeep]

Haha, NC beat me to it. We were typing at the same time.

 

[cichlid2006]

ive raised the height of the baffles and swapped the media as suggested, better now??

 

[frnchjeep]

Much better. I would make the mechanical chamber smaller and the bio bigger, though. Also, you need to do away with the last divider. With it there,the bio is still going to be completely submerged, and it will cause a lot of air to mix with the water in the pump chamber causing the pump to be noisy and inefficent.

 

[Toby_H]

Now that is just sexy ;-)

Your "fine media" may have trouble staying in place with the upward current.

To remedy this you could place some eggcrate above it and a weight (rock) or sorts bracing it...

 

[cichlid2006]

Now that is just sexy ;-)

Your "fine media" may have trouble staying in place with the upward current.

To remedy this you could place some eggcrate above it and a weight (rock) or sorts bracing it...

i thought about the fine media staying in place, thats why i sandwiched a layer of filter floss between the heavier mats of fine sponge. but the weighted egg crate sounds great, its a hidden sump afterall.

frnchjeep: the size of the chambers is easily remedied and i can do away with the final divider.

i take it the size of the over flows and return pumps sounds ok?

 

[FSM]

The pump chamber is going to end up with a lot of bubbles in it the way you have it drawn right now.

Water should flow into the pump chamber under a baffle, not over it.

 

[cichlid2006]

thanks very much for the help guys. advice taken. so it now has the final divider removed, egg crate and a weight on the fine sponge and a larger bio chamber (~12 litres worth of bio).
any more suggestions?