Couple questions regarding sump building and operation

Just have a few questions regarding sump building and set up. I have searched but didnt turn up the answers I was looking for. To start the system is a 90g tank with built in overflow, bottom drilled for drain and return and a 20g long sump. First question: How would you set up the chambers in the sump? Not sure how exactly everything works and couldnt find much on it. Second question is totally stupid but I'm having a brain fart so I'll ask anyway. When actually using the sump, how do I choose the right return pump? I dont understand how to get everything just right where the drain and return pump work in harmony without either flooding the sump or pumping it dry. Also an in sump pump would be ideal so I do not have to drill anything. Dont plan on using a fuge or anything and will probably just run a HOB skimmer in the sump. The most simple set up would be ideal. Thanks in advance for any help

 

well, first off, the water will only overflow as fast as your pump can feed it back into the tank. The tank is at an equilibrium if you will, and only returns as much water to the sump as it pumped to the tank. Make sense? Also, my sump just has 3 compartments. The first is where the drain lines run into, and where my skimmer exhausts, then goes through a bubble trap, into the second chamber, which is for the skimmer pump (so it maintains a constant water level at all times, keeping the skimmer consistent), then it flows OVER another baffle, and into the final chamber, which is where the return pumps are housed.

 

Couple things.... why go to the trouble to do a sump and not do a fuge and get a higher quality skimmer??? I'd highly recommend a refugium and an in-sump skimmer.

I'd also recommend an external pump instead of submersible.

We can talk sump design if you like... chambers depend on what you want to accomplish.

I have refugium on the left, skimmer on the right and pump in the center. Heaters are in the refugium. ATO valve in the pump.

M

 

Youtube then search for limpitsreef diy sump. Nice vid there actually 2 parts.

 

Fuge/in-sump skimmer. Those are the two reasons I built a sump.

 

In sump Skimmer on HOB wouldnt really make a difference to me, my HOB works just fine its just ugly. The main reason would just be to get the equipment underneath. After researching the fuge it just seemed like to much trouble for me, wouldnt it need a seperate drain and pump? If everything could be contained in the 20 long that would be great but I'm not sure it can. Also is there anyway to run an external pump without drilling the sump for an output? Thanks for the help everyone

 

If you used a HOB skimmer, you could make the first compartment a lot smaller, hence giving you plenty of room for a fuge. Fuge will make everything else better.

 

Fuge does not require anything extra except a light....

M

 

So do you think I would have enough room for everything in the 20 long? If so how would you lay it out, everything needs its own chamber right? Sorry for all of the questions but in all the years I've kept tanks I have never even researched a sump, never really had a setup that needed one until now. Also is there a way to use an external pump without drilling the sump? It's a glass tank I'm using for the sump and I wouldnt even begin to know how to drill it.

 

Questions are no problem.... that's why we are all here... to learn.

Sounds like your requirements are as follows:
1) Get "equipment" out of display tank
2) Get a refugium
3) Okay with HOB Skimmer

Anything else???

I am assuming 24" wide 20 gallon long.

By having a sump, you need a return pump section.

Is your "equipment" just getting the skimmer and heaters off the display tank?

Off the top of my head, I'd just have two sections: 1) Refugium section and 2) Pump section. Throw the heaters in your refugium and hang your HOB Skimmer off the refugium section also. Use like 16" for the fuge section, 3" for baffle/bubble trap and 5" for the pump. Put a float valve in the pump section for your ATO. Put 5" DSB in the fuge and some chaeto.

It ain't "optimal" but it would work fine.

There are other ways to skin the cat, but there's a starting point for the discussion based on what you said.

Since you are doing a HOB, you could also go fuge/pump/skimmer sections and have a real narrow skimmer section.

M