My First Sump

I just got a 55 gallon tank and I am going to make a sump out of it.
I need to install a few baffles and dividers, what do you suggest? The tank is 48'' long.

I was thinking 12'' for the tank returns to dump into.
Then 12'' for my new skimmer, its an Aqua C EV-240.
Then 12'' for a small refugium/sand/mud/rock area.
Then a couple of baffles to reduce bubbles and the last 12'' for the supply area.

I also need to know where to pickup safe silicon to seal the baffles and where to get a drill bit for the external pump bulkhead.

Let me know your thoughts or if someone has done this with a 55 in the past and has a sketch that would be awesome.

Thanks!

 

I think I can use the GE clear silicon for Kitchen and Bath right? It says mold and mildew resistant!

 

yea on the GE silicone..

IMHO would make refugium/mud area 20"-24"... dam thats a big sump!

 

it is....but its for a 135 gallon tank! And if I ever go bigger, I have a sump to match!

Thanks for the confirmation on the GE silicon.

 

I don't suggest using anything that says mold and mildew resistant. GE does make a 100% silicone.

 

I agree with making the fuge bigger..that would be a lot of wasted space for a sump that big

 

Nooo! Ge silicone bad, aquarium safe silicone good. You can pick it up usually at the LFS. As far as a set up for a 55, I so happen to use a 55 myself for my 155 bowfront. I attached a few pics of what I did.
I have two intakes, one side for LR rubble/Skimmer/Phosphate reactor, the other side for the refugium, and center for the return. I wanted the option to control the flow through the fuge. This has worked great for me, hope this helps you.







Fuge area:


What it looked like before fully operational. You can see the piping behind the tank, I split it for 2 returns for better flow in the tank.

 

When i was doing research on reef safe silicones, a lot of people advised against using anything but 100% silicone. I think the GE type 1 is 100% silicone.

 

As long as it says 100% silicon it will be fine. I would put the fuge on one end and the skimmer compartment on the other. The overflow can flow directly into the skimmer compartment.

You just need a T in the overflow line to run an overflow line into the fuge side of the sump and the skimmer side of the sump. In the line to the fuge side put in a ball valve so you can tune back flow. In the middle of the sump would be the return line.

 

OK...so as long as I get 100% silicon I should be fine. The GE kitchen and bath is 100% silicon, I will double check it. If its 100% silicon and still says mold and mildew resistant is that ok?

Are there any links to a store online I can buy a few tubes of the real stuff (aquarium silicon)in case I need it?

Thanks for the pics, I will try to mimic those as best I can. One thing I was wanting to do though is have an extrnal pump on the end of the sump.

So with that should I make the returns from the tank go into one end about 8''. Then overflow into the skimmer area - 12''. Then have that overflow into the fuge section - 20''. Then a couple baffles for bubble control and into the external pump section at 8''.

What do you think? Isnt that a pretty standard way to do it?