Advice on my first theoretical sump?

[ryanoh]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on this forum, and I thought I'd start off by asking a lot of questions. : / I've been keeping smaller fish for a few years now, but I'm starting to plan my first "big" tank. It'll be a 75, a 90, or a 125, which isn't as big as some I've seen while I've been lurking about on this forum, but it sure feels big to me coming from a 40 gallon.

Anyways, my plan is to convert my current 40 gallon into a sump whenever I have the funds/room to have the larger tank, but I've never had a sump before. I read up on a lot of designs, and this is what I came up with:

The plan is to have the drain from the main tank coming in on the left after passing through some sort of trickle box made out of a set of rubbermaid drawers, then over the baffles into the chamber with the pump. The pump will be split with 2/3 of the water going back to the main tank, and 1/3 of it being directed to the right to an algae scrubber that drains into a refugium/acclimating tank. I know that the filtration is kind of overkill, but I really like to over filter since I plan on keeping discus, and I'd like to not have to do multiple water changes per week if at all possible, so I'd be counting on the algae scrubber to remove nitrates.

Thoughts?

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

As as safety precaution, never let any baffle in your tanks be equal or higher than the top of the tank.
This is to prevent possibility of spillage should water be unable to pass from below. The 4th baffle from the left is an example
If the sponge below clogs, water in the refugium is gonna overflow.

And also, I don't really see any use for baffle 2 and 3 from the left. 1st baffle should be enough.

 

[Jc1119]

You could really simplify the design by skipping the baffles altogether. Run filter socks on one side, bio in the middle and submersible return pump/pumps on the other. Done.

As long as your water passes through your bio from drain side to return side, biofiltration will occur.

It's a personal choice of course, but baffles are largely unnecessary if you plan your flow out right. Just a thought and my 2c

 

[Ancient_Fish_Master]

^ thats how my sump is. no baffles. just filter socks - bio media - heaters and pump

 

[Jc1119]

^ thats how my sump is. no baffles. just filter socks - bio media - heaters and pump

Keeps things simple. I learned it from Jose ( jcardona1) It's how I'm setting up my 75 gallon sump for my 300 next week. I've run multiple wet-drys with baffles, plates, chambers, etc but this time I'm keeping it nice and straightforward

 

[Ancient_Fish_Master]

Keeps things simple. I learned it from Jose ( jcardona1) It's how I'm setting up my 75 gallon sump for my 300 next week. I've run multiple wet-drys with baffles, plates, chambers, etc but this time I'm keeping it nice and straightforward

yup same here, got my ideas from jose and my friend chad. no need for baffles if all your running is submerged media.

 

[ryanoh]

I'm looking to incorporate a wet dry filter into it, but I was going to put t above the sump. Would it be better to have it in the sump?