a refresher course in sump designs

HeavyHittah · Jun 21, 2009

hey guys, i have a 29 gallon tank im going to be using for my sump (originally thought it was a thirty for some reason) for my 75 DT. i decided to go with the octo. nw150. i think the dimensions are 6x9.5in. but anyway can i see some of you guys' sumps,sump deisigns(with measurements if you got them). i drew up a sketch but im not home to upload it. thnx yall

project5k · Jun 24, 2009

sounds like your about to do the same thing i'm about to do.. i have a little 10 gal sump/fuge now, but i'm building a new stand, and working on a new 29gal sump fuge as well..

i put my sketch over in the DIY section... its called thinking about building a sum/fuge..

ccCapt · Jun 25, 2009

My sump is a 55g, but the same basic layout will work for any size sump.

project5k · Jun 25, 2009

would you mind walking through the water flow on that? it goes from right to left, input/skimmer, then bubble baffels, then fuge, but i cant tell from there if there are baffels, or if that is just eggcrate and the water can just freely flow through...

ccCapt · Jun 25, 2009

Yep, that's correct. Enters the sump on the right where the skimmer and GFO reactor sit. Then baffles to keep that 1st section always the same water level. Then a section for lr rubble and macro and a section for frags ( I only have anthelia there now) and the last section where the bulkhead is for the return pump. The last 3 sections are seperated by eggcrate just to keep the macro from getting into the pump.

project5k · Jun 25, 2009

so then the entire fuge area also acts like the return pump section as far as water volume is concerned, meaning that the entire section moves up and down with evap and whatnot... ok, cool, i was kinda sorta thinking about doing something similar on mine, just didnt know if that was ever tried....

dskirtech · Jun 30, 2009

Im fairly new to Marine, but here is a couple shots of the one I just built from a 30...

Mine is 3 sections and oriented opposite of the one above. I have an Overflow feeding the left section (which contains my Reef-O 200 Skimmer, not shown). Second chamber is Fuge, third is my return. I didnt drill the tank, and use a submersable Mag 950 for return.

project5k · Jun 30, 2009

very cool, whats the white bulbus thing inline with the return pump? i can see the pump, some hose, then a valve then this white thing.... is that a check valve?
if so where'd u get it, i gotta get me one of thoes, altho, i do occasionally like to turn off my pumps so that they get backflushed, so maybe a check valve isnt such a great idea.

dskirtech · Jun 30, 2009

Yes, that is a check valve! I got all this stuff @ Home Repot a couple weeks ago. Head over to the Sprinkler System / Pool plumbing section. Here is my assembly coming off my pump:

A check valve will be a must (at least it was the FIRST tie I lost power and was trying to wrestle a gravity fed sump (siphon) and ALSO a return pump line! a 30 gallon tank fills up FAST!)

dcantucson · Jun 30, 2009

Check valves are not an option in my opinion.

dskirtech · Jun 30, 2009

dcantucson said:
Check valves are not an option in my opinion.

As in "A Must Have" or as in "No Way in Hell"?!?:shock:

dcantucson · Jun 30, 2009

Must have!

project5k · Jun 30, 2009

well thats interesting, i have a 10 gallon sump/fuge on my 75, and i dont have any check valves, and when the power goes out, the sump dosent overflow... oh it gets pretty full, but not a drop is spilled.

dcantucson · Jun 30, 2009

I guess it would depend on where your returns are, too. On my system all 150 gallons would end on the floor! I think with any system better safe than sorry.

dskirtech · Jul 1, 2009

Yea, with the small bit of experience I have with sumps, I have already discovered this to be correct (Where your returns are as David mentioned above).

I use the Eshopp "U" pipes and they sit a good 2-3 inches into the DT. so a "back siphon" would quickly drain that water into my sump.

Not to mention the OTHER side.... The level my overflow box is set to. I have a 120 Gal DT and a 30 Gal sump. My overflow box is set pretty low to increase the flow rate to the sump. By doing this, I have the siphon tube well below 6" down into the DT. This means I would have to lose over 6" of water in the DT before the it would stop.

Having a Check Valve will ensure I only have to worry about one side in the event of a power failure (which happened just this week).

project5k · Jul 1, 2009

well, i'm using a hob overflow, with a single u tube, and the inside skimming box is set pretty high in the dt, and the return is about 6 inches down into the tank, but after i had it all up and running and stable for a couple hours, i marked the plastic return tube and drilled 3 1/8 inch holes in it, one at the water level, and one above and one below, to act as a syphon break. now the only water that gets sucked back into the sump when the pump stops is just what was in the hose from the pump up to the actuall snoozel where i drilled the holes.

dskirtech · Jul 1, 2009

project5k said:
well, i'm using a hob overflow, with a single u tube, and the inside skimming box is set pretty high in the dt, and the return is about 6 inches down into the tank, but after i had it all up and running and stable for a couple hours, i marked the plastic return tube and drilled 3 1/8 inch holes in it, one at the water level, and one above and one below, to act as a syphon break. now the only water that gets sucked back into the sump when the pump stops is just what was in the hose from the pump up to the actuall snoozel where i drilled the holes.

This is my plan this weekend. I was fishing last weekend (freshwater in the pond) and made a point to study the pond overflow diverter... It too has a Siphon Break. Im going to do one on each side of the system.

project5k · Jul 1, 2009

you wont need a syphon break on the down hill side, the overflow box will take care of that it's self, or should anyway, i'm not familiar with the particular one that your using..

on the up hill side, then yes i would have a valve or a syphon break or something... or else your gonna end up with a mess, sooner or later...

if i remember i'll take a pic of my return and the holes tonight when i get home...

ccCapt · Jul 1, 2009

I would NEVER want to rely on a check valve to keep my sump from flooding. If you need 1 to prevent flooding, your setup is not right.
I had a 50g tank with a HOB overflow and a 10g sump....no check valve and never a flood.
I had a 75g tank with a HOB overflow and a 20g sump..no check valve and never a flood.
I currently have a 125 predrilled with a 55g sump...no check valve and never a flood.

dcantucson · Jul 2, 2009

ccCapt I'm F@&#ed then!

a refresher course in sump designs

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