Newbie Seeks Now-it-all For Sump Help!

i like the idea of running the skimmer in the first area (i've got an aquac remora).

i cant justify shelling out 60 bucks or more for a plastic box so i'm going to build this thing ( DIY Overflow Using Only PVC Pipe (DIY OVERFLOW PROJECTS) ) with some plastic mesh over the intake holes. i think i will use 1 inch and then limit it with a ball joint instead of playing the matching game with a return pump. what should i consider for a return pump that is less than 600 gph?

 

I see one problem--I would not run the full return into the fuge area--too much flow and turbulance for the sand--I would T off the return--send most of it to the second chamber and use a valve to regulate flow off the T to the fuge--fuge should be 1/10th of the DT I.E. 150 gallon tank, fuge 15GPH

 

A ball valve on the overflow is a bad idea. More likely to become obstructed at some point. Also, if you restrict the flow out of your DT too much, you risk having your return pump pump too much water into the DT and cause a flood.

Rules of thumb:

1) Overflow capacity should always be more than the return pump capacity. That way you will never overwhelm your overflow.

2) If you want to regulate the amount of flow, put a ball vave on the return pump. As you adjust the flow into the DT from the return pump, the overflow will do it's thing automatically (assuming that you following rule #1)


Z

 

Z-

i buy that, i totally wouldn't have thought of it at all but it makes sense. maybe i should stick to the 3/4 inch. however, does restricting the return put stress on the pump, or do they do alright? what would you recommend for the return pump?

 

Actually, it will bond fine for the use of a baffle. I used 100% silicone with an acrylic divider in a glass 20g long and it works fine. I would never trust it as an outside wall, but baffles are no problem.

Perfect.

I respectfully disagree with this. The water from the DT should hit the fuge first. You want maximum nutrients to hit the fuge. Don't clean the water before it hits the algae. You want the algae to do the job most effectively. After the fuge is done with the water, let the skimmer do it's magic. The way you have your sump/fuge set up is the way I have mine set up. You could run a split in your PVC to control flow to the fuge and actually have water from the DT dropping into the fuge and the skimmer section at the same time. You would need a few more ball valves to control both flow and backflow but that is easily done.

 

does anyone have any idea what size pump i should buy if i construct this baby out of 3/4 inch? and what about restricting a return pump like that? they dont burn up with the added stress?

 

no as long as its on the return side and not the intake side, i have a 72 bow and im using a rio 2100, works great for me, i would also use 1" for your OF.

 

is there anything i need to consider when choosing a pvc cement? as near as i can figure, if i allow it to cure and give it a good rinse, it shouldn't harm anything i have in my tank. am i correct or is there something i should know?

 

you should be fine there i have never had a problem with any.

 

I agree that having all the water coming from the DT directly into the fuge first is not a good idea, since it is too much flow/turbulence for a fuge. The point of the fuge is to have low-ish flow to allow the sand/macros to absorb nutrients. But I also agree that you want tank water coming directly from the DT to the fuge without going through the skimmer first.

The solution IMHO is one posted on Melevsreef.com - Welcome! - sump design F. In this design the water coming from the overflow is teed off, where about 75% goes to a skimmer section, and the remaining 25% (controlled by a ball valve) goes to the fuge. The fuge is on one side of the sump, and the skimmer is on the other side, with the return pump in the middle (see his diagrams). This will let you max out both aspects of your chambers.

This is the design I recently built myself, and it seems to work really well up to now.