Yet another sump build

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calpoly12

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2010
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Paso Robles, CA
So im going to make a sump for my 29g biocube. I am going to use a spare 10g that I have and am hoping to make it this week while im on spring break. I will draw up some plans tomorrow and post them to let you know what im thinking but here are the basics. Inlet using either pvc or flex tube. The first chamber is going to have nothing except the inlet tube. The next chamber is going to be a rise for the water after which it will fall into the second major chamber. Im going to have eggcrate and scrubbers. The third chamber will be a sand bottom with some macro algae or mangroves. At the top of this chamber the exhaust will be place to take the water back to the tank. Filter socks will be over the inlet tube. What do you guys think? should I stick to a pure sand/macro aglae/ mangrove sump or a scrubby sump? Need some advice!!!:popcorn:
 
I would ditch the scrubbies. They are just a place where you will end up trapping detritus, and then you will get the infamous "nitrate factory".

I would also scratch the mangroves. These are trees, and they hate trimming, so not good for sump applications really.

I would just go with some nice macro algae.

If you run a filter sock, I would try to do it something like this


l l
l l l l
l ----- l
l l l l l l
l l l l l l
l___ l____________l_____l

Your first chamber is the inlet, it will overflow over the top of that first wall, and that flat elevated piece, will have a hole drilled into it for your filter sock to go into. This way it will be easier to get to (you are going to want to clean this thing out once a week, buy at least three of them) and to clean.

Then a central area, I would put your skimmer in as close to the inflow side as possible, and then you will have some room for a small ball of chaeto. You could also put the chaeto in after the bubble trap by the return. The only thing I dont like about that is that sometimes as the chaeto grows it can get pulled into your pump and then you get little chunks of it in your display.

Tangs WILL eat it...but only as sort of a last option thing. It is not a food of choice.
 
Wow. Really not happy. You have no idea how long it took to draw a sump with _ - and l.

So...never mind. Hope you can visualize what I am trying to describe to you.
 
thanks for the input fleshy!!!! what kind of sump do you have? do you have any pics? :D
 
Looking at this now, I may move the protein skimmer to the other side to reduce bubbles going back into the tank.

Sump.jpg
 
Okay, you see in my tank how I did the sock? That was what I was trying to show you.

This way you dont have to reach down into your narrow inlet chamber to try and remove a filter sock. You can just pull it up and out.

+1 on your decision to move the skimmer.

It adds to filtration by:

Mechanically: removing detritus with a filter sock & skimming out debris
Chemically: by having a media reactor in my sump
Biologically: with all my prefilter sponges which are colonized now with bacteria.
 
So I decided to revamp my sump. After an afternoon of research Im going to use my empty 40 gallon. Yes, the sump is "larger" than the tank itself, but I have read the bigger the sump the better it is. I am also going with a refugium/ Live rock, macro algae and a sand bed will all be in the middle chamber. I also made a PVC overflow and Ill post some pictures later after I finish cutting the acrylic for the sump.

Fleshy, I was wondering what kind of light I need for the refugium? Any help would be greatly appreciated! let me know what yall think

Sump #2.jpg
 
Well I cut the first two pieces, I need to run to home depot and get one last piece of acrylic to finish off the tank. I was going to use an acrylic cutter, but the scroll saw I have makes a much nicer cut and is easier. Ill post some pictures of it when I get back!!!!! This is a rainy week here so this is the perfect project!!!! :D:D:D
 
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