Help with sump set-up

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Hey Guys I bought a 120 gallon (72x18x22") tank for my sump today woo. I'm looking for your input on what I'm thinking for the initial set up. First chamber have drains got my into filter socks. Second chamber will hold. Ceramic media block and maybe a bag of lava rock. This chamber will be the biggest and also house my two heaters. Third chamber open for use as potential refugium. Fourth chamber pumps for returns and will probably drill a bulkhead near the top and run an emergency drain in case somehow everything overflowed. Also i want to put a matala sheet before the last baffle or use one as the last baffle. If anyone is up to the task in recommending baffle height and placement I would be more than open to the info !
 
GoldFinger said:
Hey Guys I bought a 120 gallon (72x18x22") tank for my sump today woo. I'm looking for your input on what I'm thinking for the initial set up. First chamber have drains got my into filter socks. Second chamber will hold. Ceramic media block and maybe a bag of lava rock. This chamber will be the biggest and also house my two heaters. Third chamber open for use as potential refugium. Fourth chamber pumps for returns and will probably drill a bulkhead near the top and run an emergency drain in case somehow everything overflowed. Also i want to put a matala sheet before the last baffle or use one as the last baffle. If anyone is up to the task in recommending baffle height and placement I would be more than open to the info !
Click to expand...

Nice pickup!

If I were you, I would just go with three chambers. Use the first 12" for the filter socks, then use the next 36" for the media/heaters, and use the last 24" for the pump chamber.

I would rethink the refugium. I designed my sump to have one and now it is just filled with more media.
 
Fish Tank Travis said:
Nice pickup!

If I were you, I would just go with three chambers. Use the first 12" for the filter socks, then use the next 36" for the media/heaters, and use the last 24" for the pump chamber.

I would rethink the refugium. I designed my sump to have one and now it is just filled with more media.
Click to expand...
Great advice I just wanted to have a space just in case I need to isolate any of my stock. I guess the media could be moved out with of the way or into one of the other chambers just in case.
 
One big chamber is probably sufficient for housing media AND can serve as a refugium in a pinch. You wouldn't want to use fluidized media in a refugium, but the bags of rocks etc. should be fine.
 
I'd definitely drill a bulkhead hole high at the pump end of the sump so if you want to add a drip system your all set up with a drain
 
GoldFinger said:
Hey Guys I bought a 120 gallon (72x18x22") tank for my sump today woo. I'm looking for your input on what I'm thinking for the initial set up. First chamber have drains got my into filter socks. Second chamber will hold. Ceramic media block and maybe a bag of lava rock. This chamber will be the biggest and also house my two heaters. Third chamber open for use as potential refugium. Fourth chamber pumps for returns and will probably drill a bulkhead near the top and run an emergency drain in case somehow everything overflowed. Also i want to put a matala sheet before the last baffle or use one as the last baffle. If anyone is up to the task in recommending baffle height and placement I would be more than open to the info !
Click to expand...

Before you do anything figure out your flow rates and the size of the plumbing. You need to know all.of this to ensure your e drain can handle the flow.

I would start at your target flow rate then make sure your e drains can handle it then size your siphon drains
 
GPHpipe.png Screenshot_2016-03-13-18-01-17.png

The 1st pic is a rough estimate as headloss will change the numbers. Second pic is just an example if you picked one of those pumps (can be any brand you choose)

I have 2 dct12000s using setting 4 or 5, 2 1.5 inch siphin drains that tie into 1 gate valve and 2 2 inch e drains. Im confident that one e dtain could hamdle all of the flow if not most of it.
 
jaws7777 said:
Before you do anything figure out your flow rates and the size of the plumbing. You need to know all.of this to ensure your e drain can handle the flow.

I would start at your target flow rate then make sure your e drains can handle it then size your siphon drains
Click to expand...
Good point...this may helpGPHpipe.png
 
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