sump 101, help me pleaseeee!!!!l

OK not sure even were to start. I have read so much info on sumps and filters for the past year that my head is a twisted mess along with all the other reef info thats oozing from my ears.
I am hoping you all could come together with out to much conflicting advice, and guide me threw this setup.maybe possibly pleasee with a coral on top(not really). I need a setup that is simple and gets the job done.
right now im basically running a ol berlin setup, of just lots of rock,sand,skimmer. it does get the job done nicely if you dont have alot of fish. im finding that my lil hang back filter just done cut it
(i knew that all along). i need somethign that can remove suspended particles befor they settle( is what im expecting the sump and overflow to do).
ive noticed lately that alot of stuff is collecting on the rocks and sand,now i know you will all say flow, i have lots of flow, but all those particles will settle when nothing is getting them out of the water column. this is starting to cause algae.
i have a 60 gallon long tank, ill be using a over flow box,most likely eshoppe.
so my questions(add what ever info im not getting)
1) what size overflow
2)what size pump(magdrive)
3)what size tank for sump(has to be 12" wide,im thinkin a 20 or 30 long)
4)what setup to use as far as baffles and what not.fuge no fuge?live rock area ?( has to incorperate my skimmer and heater.)
please some one get me on track!!
thank you to all who help, and karma.

 

1 large enough to handle the pump I'm about to tell you about. 2) I would go with a mag 5. 3) I would go with the largest possible. 4) I'm not a fan of a refugium as I like to get the nutrients out of the tank before they can make it there. I wouldn't put LR in the sump. Personally I like to use the sump as a settling area for waste to collect. Once a week (on my bare bottom) and once every 2 weeks (on my softie tank) I shop vac my sump out and get the waste out. (what my skimmer doesn't pick up anyway) This IMO is way better than filter floss, filter socks, sponges or anything to collect poop and rot it there.

 

I know that Tangster strongly recommends refugiums. You might want to pm him also... he gets a little ahead of himself sometimes which makes him hard to understand sometimes lol, I'm sure you know what I mean : ) GREAT advice nonetheless!! I don't have a sump/fuge/wetdry yet so that is all the advice I feel comfortable giving right now!!

 

i was thinking a mag 7or9, and an eshoppe 800 gph overflow.

do i just have to make sure the overflow can return water faster than the pump can pump it. are there any ill affects of having a over flow to big for a pump?( i know a pump to big for a overflow leads to water on the floor.)im pretty sure i want a fuge just because if im doin the sump myself why not?
i basically want what daniel said a place that collects all the gunk. hold my skimmer and heater .with a small fuge.

 

I'm in the process of building a sump so i've been looking around at all this recently. Granted, this is what i've read and hasn't been put into practice personally yet so hopefully someone can confirm or deny this info...

1) You'll want about 4 - 5 times your tank volume for turnover. Thats about 350 gph for your tank.

2) When you are deciding on a pump you have to consider the distance it has to push lift the water. With a mag drive 5 its max is 500gph but only 310gph at 4ft. The Mag drive 7 is 450 gph at 4ft. If your pump is too powerful you can plumb a tee into your return line with an elbow pointing back down into your sump and a ball valve to change the flow rate back to the tank. There's more info about that here.

3) As big of a tank you can fit under your stand. The more water the better right?

4) Would say yes to the fuge with a DSB. Would plumb a tee into the drain line with a ball valve to feed water directly from the tank to the fuge. The ball valve will allow you to reduce the flow through the fuge to let it do what it needs to. The skimmer section and fuge will be on opposite ends of the sump with the return section in the middle.

Like i said I haven't put any of it into practice yet, soon though so hopefully I got it right! Hopefully this is helpful and makes sense. Good luck.

 

thanks, that actully really helped me. i did not even think of that setup with the fuge on on the opposite side, and the return in the middle. really made it clear. i just remodled a bar by my house basically myself. hung 14 52" smasung lcd screens, a hd projector screen, also did the electrical work, painted the place. and put a small kitchen in the back.all off the books. today is my last day. AND I GET PAID!!! so i be goin to get supplies today or tomarrow and hopefully get it together by the end of this weekend. ill let ya know how it turns out. still not sure what size overflow and pump to get. i swear i heard 10x turnover, but real slow flow threw the fuge. is there any advantage of drilling the sump? or is no different to have it come in from the top.

 

If you are going to shoot for 10x turnover and still going to use an Eshopps overflow I'd probably go for the PF-800 (max of 800 gph). Probably have to get the md 9.5 for a pump which pushes about 800 gph at 4ft (750 gph at 5ft). I think any bends in the return line will reduce that and you can reduce the flow even more with a ball valve.

I think the only reason for drilling the sump would be to plumb an external return pump...

 

I agree with everything on this, and the mag 9.5 if you split the return may do a good enough job to lose a powerhead or 2 in the DT also which is another good plus, the biggest thing is a good skimmer in the sump, I'd just go with a 20g long, run the overflow down to a peice of PVC in the sump that's end will be below the water level in the first chamber, put a baffle the water has to go over the top of, then one about 1" away that it has to go back under to a 2nd chamber, that will be where the skimmer goes, then another identical set of baffles that 3rd chamber will be the return pump
I run the water about 6" deep in all 3 chambers

As far as a fuge, I'd get a 5g tank, split the overflow line coming down with a T and a ball valve to adjust the flow rate to the 5g, drill it and elevate it so the water can go down into the return pump area of the sump, I prefer them seperated, on the bulkhead in the fuge just run a peice of pvc down to the sump to flow through that once again is below the water level in the sump, you do that so it doesnt make a water crashing noise and drive you batty

 

i hear alot about over flow boxes, and something with a strait suction problem, with the line going to the sump. can anyone explain this to me? yeah i think i will do the seperate fuge with it drilled, to leave more room in the sump. and then i can go with the 20 gal and a 10 gal and i wont have to drain the tank to get a 30 around the center brace.

also if can anyone tell me the coral life web site, or the water depth for the coralife ss65(i know iknow crap) i dont think so thou, it pulls out gunk as thick as tar, and never gave me a problem, so why change.( in the future i will upgrade)