More progress pictures Got it all painted/plumbed and leak tested for 24 Hrs with some power outage test and its ready to get out of the garage and into the house
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...ps09099065.jpg


http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1cf69408.jpg

http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...ps469e5a25.jpg

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Looks great but one thing I would change is the gear clamps , they rust out pretty quick , if the hoses fit on the barbs tight I run a nylon zip tie in place of a clamp .

Thanks good idea, they fit pretty good anyway so it would be just for precautions

So I got the rock curing now with a powerhead and a heater.. but now im second guessing the layout of the sump. Since I didnt make it kinda just went with it but... im thinking the filter socks (kinda suck ) shouldnt be infront of the skimmer section i want the skimmer to skim out the crap not trap it. Im debating redoing that part of the sump before i continue on the build.
Maybe move the first section over big enough for the returns and my skimmer and take out the sock section and if i wanted to put a filter section in (over and under type) with some rock rubble and egg crate and maybe filter floss or something if i wanted... what u guys think

Filter socks isn't a replacement for a Skimmer and Vice Versa.. I don't see any problem with the filter socks before a skimmer.

You'll have to be changing your Skimmer Socks.. Err wait Filter Socks most likely every week anyways.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but Protein skimmer's are used to take the Dissolved Orangic matter out of your water column which I don't think is being trapped by your filter sock. (Maybe to some degree)

I would like to think that a filter sock is more of a rough, water cleansing sort of filtration catching the big stuff coming from your tank.

yea i think I'm going to leave it i just was thinking if i wanted to change it now was the time

Actually, in most sump designs I have seen the filter sock is in fact before the skimmer section. The filter socks act as a mechanical filtration to remove larger undissolved particles before they reach the skimmer. Most people will place the filter socks right where the return lines dump display tank water into the sump, just like how your sump is designed. As HaZy said, the skimmer is designed to help remove dissolved organics.

Yea now that I've looked it over a bit better I think ill keep it, i guess just wanted to weight my options given this is the time to change it while the rock is curing and there isnt water in it lol

That's fair, you definitely want to make any changes now, rather than when your tank is full of rock, water, fish and corals :lol:

Also, a lot of people don't even run filter socks at all. :biggrin: